Santa Monica Arm Lift doctors
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Raffy Karamanoukian, MD
Los Angeles Plastic Surgeon
1301 20th St St. Johns Medical Plaza - Suite 240, Santa Monica |
14 answers | |
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Steven Svehlak, MD
Los Angeles Plastic Surgeon
9201 West Sunset Blvd. Suite 805, Los Angeles |
2 answers | |
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Gerald Minniti, MD
Beverly Hills Plastic Surgeon
120 South Spalding Drive Suite 330, Beverly Hills |
1 answer | |
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Daniel Yamini, MD
Los Angeles Plastic Surgeon
9201 West Sunset Boulevard Suite 805, Los Angeles |
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Michael Zarrabi, MD
Los Angeles Plastic Surgeon
2001 Santa Monica Blvd. 890w , Santa Monica |
Recent Answers
I had lipo Sept. 09, and this was performed to remove slight wings under my arms. I am 5'6" and weigh 118 lb., but the result was less than desirable. I now have very loose and wrinkled skin that is very embarrassing, and cannot wear anything that reveals my arms. I can pull the skin up on my arm toward my armpit and gather about two or three inches, and my arm is literally thinner at the upper portion than at the lower portion. Is there any procedure that can fix this? Please help!
If you can gather that much skin, my guess is that you were probably a better candidate for brachioplasty (arm lift) than you were for arm liposculpting. Arm liposculpting can be a good choice for those with:
--Elastic skin tone and not a lot of excess skin
--Good muscle tone
-- Fat in their arms that is not excessive, and is localized in a one or more specific areas
If you don't have good skin elasticity and muscle tone, or you have a lot of excess skin, as you described, an arm lift is going to be a better choice. Scars are the greatest drawback of this operation, and will extend from the armpit to mid-way down the arm to the elbow, however, those with extremely saggy skin tend to find this exchange (scars instead of saggy excess skin) very worthwhile.
I am considering a modified brachioplasty. I have attempted to research the technique without success. I was able to inquire on how many layers of sutures and type, incision location but not really the technique. I see some surgeons are able to address the "suspension" while others seem unable to-just by image reviews. I wondering if thats the reason for the extended incision that shows (angles upwards to the shoulder). I want to be as informed as possible for the best outcome. Thank you!
Hello 1mom,
The armpit incision only brachioplasty is effective for only a select few individuals who have minimal laxity or redundancy and excellent skin elasticity. There is no magic. If the skin is lax, redundant, or has poor elastic qualities, it will not be improved without excising that skin that is hanging, which will lead to a traditional T scar. the length of the incision down the arm is dependant on each person.
The quality of the scar can be improved by suture techniques performed during the surgery. A combination of deep and superficial long lasting sutures will support the tissue during it's healing phase and minimize scar spreading. The scar can also be improved after the surgery by reducing the tension on the incision line using a porous, elastic tape that is replaced every couple of weeks for three months. This has had a significant positive effect on the appearance of scars after brachioplasty.
I hope that this helps you. You should consult with surgeons who specialize in body contouring surgery and who are certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery. I wish you the best of luck!
I'm thinking about an arm lift and just wondering what to expect. What's the recovery like after the arm lift? What can I expect in terms of downtime and scarring?
Right after your arm lift procedure, you will be groggy from the anesthesia and pain medications. Patients typically wear bandages in the days following surger. As with any surgery involving anesthesia, you should have someone else drive you to your day-after follow-up appointment.
Swelling and bruising continually improve over the months following surgery, but are most noticeable in the first 1-2 weeks. Endermologie can help reduce post-operative swelling and bruising more quickly.
Most patients are back to work in about a week or so, and can resume moderate physical activity after several weeks to their comfort level. Final results occur in about 6 months, after the scars have matured and had a chance to start fading.
