What is a brachioplasty?

Laxity of the upper arms can be due to weight loss, genetics, or excess fat. Correcting this involves a procedure called Brachioplasty. During the surgery, skin is excised and the arms are tightened to restore a more youthful look. Sometime liposuction is used. Most patients will keep the arms wrapped for a few days following the surgery to reduce swelling. The result is an arm that is tighter, firmer and has more definition.

What to expect:  An incision will be made on the inner of back of the upper arm that can be hidden with your arm at your side or from the back. Excess fat can be removed with liposuction or excision. By removing excess skin, many patients may also see a significant reduction in “bat wings” of floppy under arm skin. Incisions are then sutured and the skin will be taped and wrapped in a supportive compression garment to help minimize swelling and promote healing.

Recovery: You usually go home the same day. Swelling can last from 6 weeks to 3 months, but you will still notice an immediate difference. A compression garment can be worn for 4-6 weeks to help with swelling. A drain is sometimes placed and removed at an average of 1 week depending on the surgery. You cannot exercise for about 2 weeks and can expect to be out of work about 1-2 weeks depending on your profession. No heavy lifting more than 10 lbs for about 2 weeks, and no heavy upper arm exercises for 6-8 weeks. Scars will eventually fade over the next few months to a fine white scar. Many of our patients find that they can fit into smaller more form-fitting tops with tighter sleeves. You should be back to normal by 4-6 weeks. Call 336-765-8620 to request a consultation today and receive a personalized plan with one of our surgeons.