Please call 754-277-4120 to schedule an appointment at our convenient location in Fort Lauderdale. Dr. Michael Frederick also serves the surrounding Broward County towns of Weston, Hollywoood and Cooper City. We also welcome patients from the Miami area, including Aventura and Coral Gables. Dr. Frederick also has strong ties to our Palm Beach neighbors from Boca Raton, West Palm Beach, Palm Beach Gardens and Jupiter.
Many patients have experienced significant weight loss resulting in loose arm skin that feels and looks uncomfortable in clothing. Some patients have never liked the appearance of their arms and have noticed it worsening with age.
A brachioplasty or arm lift removes the excess fat and skin while hiding the incision along the inside of the arm to create a more toned appearance. Browse through our collection of arm lift or “brachioplasty” before and after photos, then read below for more information.
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Candidates
The ideal arm lift or brachioplasty patient has excess skin and fat of the upper arms between the arm pit and the elbow. Most of these patients have developed looseness of their skin from significant weight loss or through aging. Young patients with excess fat and tight skin may benefit from liposuction alone instead of an arm lift.
Procedure
An arm lift or brachioplasty is started with liposuction of the excess fat. The excess skin is removed and the incision is closed with buried self dissolving sutures. If patients have excess skin on the lateral chest the arm lift incision can be extended there to remove the excess that hangs over the bra strap. This is called an extended arm lift or brachioplasty.
Complimentary Procedures
Arm lift or brachioplasty surgery is commonly performed with with other weight loss surgeries. These can include tummy tucks, breast lifts with or without implants, body lifts, thigh lifts, Brazilian butt lifts or facelifts. In massive weight loss patients surgeries are often staged combining a couple procedures in each stage. For example an arm lift and a thigh lift might be combined in one operation and in a subsequent operation a body lift and breast lift may be performed.
Recovery
After the arm lift or brachioplasty your arm will be placed in a compressive stocking. It is ideal to elevate your arms above the level of your heart as much as possible to minimize swelling in the extremity. The compression garment must be worn for 2 weeks after the arm lift surgery and you may not raise your arm above your shoulder this time. It is important to keep the area of the arm pit dry at all times with a gauze. Heavy lifting and movements that put stress or strain on the incision should be minimized for 6-8 weeeks,
FAQs
WILL EXERCISE IMPROVE THE APPEARANCE OF MY ARMS?
Exercising your arms with weight lifting will help build muscle but it will not tighten the skin or selectively remove fat from the arm itself. The only way to tighten the skin is with arm lift surgery.
IS A DRAIN USED IN AN ARM LIFT OR BRACHIOPLASTY?
No drains are used in an arm lift or brachioplasty.
WHAT TYPE OF ANESTHESIA IS USED FOR AN ARM LIFT OR BRACHIOPLASTY?
While liposuction can be done alone under local anesthesia an arm lift or brachioplasty requires the addition of either IV sedation or general anesthesia.
WHAT DOES AN ARM LIFT OR BRACHIOPLASTY COST?
The cost of an arm lift or brachioplasty or an extended arm lift or brachioplasty ranges from $7,000 to $9,000.
IS AN ARM LIFT OR BRACHIOPLASTY PAINFUL?
Pain from an arm lift or brachioplasty is typically well controlled with medication for only a couple days. Most patients do not complain about the pain of the scar but rather the tightness of the garment.