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Upper Arm Lift or Brachioplasty Information

Procedure Time: 2 hours

Time: 1-2 weeks, no for 4-6 weeks

Duration: Permanent removal of skin and fat. dependent on future weight gain.

Cost: Approx. £3,000 to £4,000

Anaesthesia: anaesthesia

For a full list of FAQs please .

An upper arm lift (also known as a "brachioplasty") is designed to remove skin and fat from the upper arms. Upper arm lifts are usually under a general anaesthetic. Crescent or "smile"-shaped segments of skin and fat from underneath the skin are removed from the upper arm, and the skin and tissue are lifted to achieve a and effect. This operation requires the surgeon to make long cuts through the skin and, therefore, the patient will be left with long scars after the surgery. Scars may run from the armpit to the elbow. There is quite a severe amount of pain and discomfort during the which will require pain relief; usually takes one to two weeks. Private prices for a can be in the range of £3,000 to £4,000.

Upper Arm Lift or Brachioplasty Information FAQs

An upper arm lift (sometimes known as a "brachioplasty") is part of a cosmetic surgery procedure called body which is designed to remove skin and fat from the upper arms.

The first body lifting began in Brazil and France in the 1960s and 1970s.

, , , and arm lifts were performed using the surgical techniques which were available at that time. a "tummy tuck" is now a procedure, in the 1970s, there were problems with results, odd body shapes, poor and other complications which made more in these operations.

From the late 1980s, a better understanding of how skin and fat are built up, and of how the body shape with age, have surgeons to redesign these and they are now much more successful.

In recent years body lift procedures have started to gain in popularity, and to statistics from the for (ASAPS), 19,596 upper arm lifts were in 2019 in the U.S., an of 6.7% on 2018 statistics, and a rise of 20.6% to 2015 .

No figures are yet available for the U.K., but there are a few surgeons who are starting to offer this procedure.

If you're considering an upper arm lift, the following information will give you a basic of the procedure. It can't answer all your questions, since a lot depends on the individual patient and the . Please ask your surgeon about you don't understand.

Your first discussion with a surgeon should set out your expectations and whether the operation can give you the results you desire.

regarding the for wanting an upper arm lift and your for this type of surgery are very important at this stage. Make sure that you obtain as much information as is necessary to enable you to make a fully choice and make sure you receive to all your .

It may be that  alone will achieve the results that you desire. You need to talk this option through with your surgeon, along with all your other concerns, at your first .

A medical history should also be taken to make sure that there are no reasons why you shouldn’t have a brachioplasty operation. You would normally be asked to sign a form which means that you have understood the potential and risks associated with an upper arm lift.

Photographs may also be taken by the practitioner as a "before and after" at a later date.

The surgeon may also wish to write to your G.P. giving details of the so that if there are any problems associated with surgery in the short or long-term, your doctor is aware of the procedure and can help you to .

Upper arm lifts are usually performed under a general anaesthetic.

Please take into account that a general anaesthetic carries more risks than a local anaesthetic – this should be clearly by the surgeon before you make any decisions about the .

The operation

If you make a decision to go ahead with an upper arm lift, the actual procedure may take place in an outpatient surgical clinic, but most surgeons and patients prefer a hospital where you can recover overnight.

An upper arm lift will usually take around 2 hours, on the extent of work required, and whether any other such as  are also .

This operation requires the to make long cuts through your skin and, therefore, you will be left with long scars after the . The length of the scar will depend on how much excess skin you have.

Depending on the surgeon, and the extent of the body lift procedure, scars may run from the armpit to the elbow, and may be curved or zig – zagged. This should help healing by enabling the scars to close up as quickly as possible. or "smile"-shaped segments of skin and fat from underneath the skin are removed from the upper arm, and the remaining skin and tissue are lifted to a and smoother effect.

After an upper arm lift, dressings will be applied, and temporary tubes may be put in to drain excess fluid from the area of . Firm elastic are then applied to support the area.

Depending on the extent of the procedure, you may be to go home from after a day or so.

Recovery takes one to two weeks, depending on what was done. to work depends on the nature of the job you do, but most people usually go back after about 2 weeks.

You can usually resume vigorous after approximately four to six weeks.

There is quite a severe amount of pain and discomfort during the healing process, but this can usually be controlled effectively with .

Bruising is visible after upper arm lift surgery and can spread down the arms. can also be very obvious and can take up to three or four months to . You may also numbness of the skin around the upper arms and it may take several months for the to return.

Like all surgical procedures, there is always a of risks or side effects and, although rare, complications can include infection, a reaction to the anaesthetic, blood or fluid the skin, nerve damage, blood clots, and an irregular or a "lop-sided" appearance of the arms after the .

The surgery does produce a scar. Your scars may actually appear to worsen during the first three to six months as they heal, but this is normal. Expect it to take nine months to a year before your scars out and lighten in colour.

scar formation, however, can occasionally occur where the scars become broad and thick.

It may take you weeks or months to feel like your old self again. If you are fit when you have this operation, you will recover much more quickly than if you are out of shape.

It is very important that you follow the advice of your carefully after an upper arm lift.

Post-surgery advice may include:

There are few absolute reasons why you should not an arm lift as long as you are in good general health and have realistic expectations of this procedure.

This is not after a mastectomy (breast removal) or operations in the axilla lymph nodes. Those with infections of the sweat glands may also not be candidates for . This is because there may be problems with draining the fluids from your arms as a result of your previous surgery. If you were to have another operation, your arms could swell very badly and this may be permanent.

An upper arm lift, however, is not an to losing weight. In fact, many surgeons will suggest an alternative to surgery for who are more than 15 percent over their ideal body weight.

Also, if you are considering losing weight, you should wait until after your target weight is met before having this operation. You may need more to remove the excess skin after you have lost the weight. This would mean that your first operation would have been a complete waste of time!

If you have healing problems with any past surgical treatments or if you are prone to keloid (red, angry, raised) scars, your may not recommend an arm lift or may advise you that your scars could be very visible and raised.

Only fully and qualified surgeons should perform an upper arm lift.

For more information about practitioner training, qualifications and medical organisations please view the information within the  section of the Room.

It is highly unlikely that anyone considering an upper arm lift would be able to access this free of charge on the Health .

However certain do make cases, and we would always recommend that you visit your General before embarking upon a cosmetic involving .

As well as their advice and they may also be able to refer you to a local NHS for a .

The NHS has set out the following guidelines on how to get cosmetic surgery through the NHS:

"To qualify for surgery on the NHS you must meet specific criteria as set out by your local health authority. The NHS will not pay for surgery for cosmetic reasons alone. Reconstructive and cosmetic surgery to correct, or improve, congenital abnormalities and injuries will usually be carried out free of charge.

NHS reconstructive surgery is performed by plastic surgeons who have had extensive training and belong to the British Association of Plastic Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgeons. Surgeons who carry out cosmetic surgery through the NHS also belong to the British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons.

To receive cosmetic surgery from the NHS, you will normally need a referral from your GP. You will have a consultation with a plastic surgeon and an assessment by a psychiatrist, or psychologist. It will then be decided whether there is enough social, psychological, or physical benefit to be gained to justify surgery."

prices for a brachioplasty (upper arm lift)  can be in the range of £3,000 to £4,000.

The ideal for an upper arm lift or brachioplasty is a person with visible saggy skin around the upper arm area. This looseness may be a result of the skin becoming more "baggy" as you age, or because you have lost a great deal of weight.

Liposuction (the out of fat from the skin through a tube) can be an upper arm lift to improve the final result.

As well as the time, the long visible scars are a major drawback after this . However, in a surgeon’s skilled hands, the results from this operation can dramatically the appearance of droopy skin in the upper arm area.

It is very important for you to describe exactly how you imagine the final cosmetic result will look with an experienced surgeon who also . He can then assess you properly and recommend the most appropriate procedure, or combination of procedures, for you.

How long the surgery will last is difficult to predict, and upon good over your weight. If you gain too much weight afterwards, your skin will start to stretch. Your surgeon can for Préime Dermafacial how long he expects your arms to remain tight and smooth, based on his own experience and the experience of his colleagues.

Please note that results of vary enormously, depending upon both the patient and the skill of the individual surgeon, so outcomes for procedures will always be more than those for less invasive non-surgical .

(All before and after photographs are real patients by highly surgeons, your results may differ).

Female upper arm before and after brachioplastysurgery.

Scar following upper arm lift surgery - 6 weeks post .

courtesy of Angelica Kavouni MD, FRCS, EBOPRAS, Plastic Surgeon at Solutions Ltd.

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All information within this site is carefully researched and maintained for accuracy of content. Please note that for prospective purchasers of aesthetic treatments, information and provided does not substitute an consultation with an experienced practitioner.