Upper arm surgery (brachioplasty) is done to remove and tighten loose or sagging skin of the upper arm areas, commonly caused by weight loss. The fold of hanging skin is sometimes called a “bat wing deformity” and must be dealt with via surgical excision in an outpatient general anesthetic operation. Many patients are hopeful that the excess tissue can be removed via liposuction, but the actual amount of fat present in patients with this problem is minimal, and liposuction only empties out the skin more.
Of course, if you have good skin tone, and only loss of definition because of modest excess fatty tissue in the upper arms, ultrasonic liposuction may be able to firm, contour, and obtain a slimmer, more well-defined upper arm for you.
For the patients with a mild amount of loose skin, the scar caused by brachioplasty may be a poor tradeoff for a tighter upper arm. This is because the thinness and healing characteristics of the upper arm area in some individuals leave many patients with thick, wide, hypertrophic scars that are ugly and unsightly when any kind of short-sleeve clothing is worn. The scar can be placed as inconspicuously as possible on the inner part of the upper arm where it is hidden when the arm is at your side, but when the arm is raised, the scar will be visible.
Many patients with a larger amount of excess upper arm skin refuse to wear clothing that reveals the arm at all, but if a visible scar causes the same hesitancy, this surgery may not be for you. Conversely, if you cannot fit certain kinds of sleeves or clothing because of the hanging skin, and can accept the possibility of a visible and often unsightly upper arm scar, brachioplasty can give you a slim and shapely upper arm that can fit comfortably in whatever clothing choices you prefer.
While every patient does not end up with a thick or ugly scar, despite the plastic surgeon’s skill and diligence in suture technique, as many as half of patients do develop bad scars, and this must be taken into account when considering this operation. And although scar-reducing remedies such as Mederma™, ScarGuard™, scar pads, and some laser techniques exist to help improve the appearance of troublesome scars such as these, brachioplasty scars are indeed permanent, and no surgeon or surgical technique in existence can remove or eliminate them completely.
Brachioplasty takes about three hours in the operating room, and after surgery patients are fitted with a snug upper body garment that provides gentle compression to assist in reabsorption of any surgical swelling. A surgical drain may be placed beneath each incision to reduce the accumulation of fluid under the skin flaps and assist in healing; they are usually removed in several days when drainage is less than an ounce in 24 hours. Arm movement is encouraged immediately; exercise and lifting is resumed in two to three weeks.
Complications are few and minimal, but the scars can take months to mature, and may be more visible than anticipated. Still, for those individuals with the desire and willingness to accept the scars in order to achieve a more sleek and defined upper arm shape, brachioplasty is the only procedure of choice.
For more information, or to schedule a complimentary consultation with our plastic surgeons, please call 763-545-0443
