What's the recovery like after the arm lift? What can I expect in terms of downtime and scarring?

Hello and great question. Arms lifts are performed as an outpatient surgery (you go home after surgery). The total time you are in the operative room (including anesthesia, prep time, and surgery) is 2 to 2.5 hours.
Arm lifts are a great procedure and significantly improve the “hanging” skin and “tighten” the skin of the arm. The easiest way to think of this procedure is that we (the surgeons) are tailoring the skin on your arm. If you have a shirt that has excess fabric and you want the excess fabric taken in; then you would need to place a seam (also known as a dart) to do it. An arm lift has the same requirements. In order to take in the excess skin and tighten the remaining skin a incision or scar (or you can think of it as a seam) needs to be placed along the arm.
How long does the incision or scar need to be? The incision or scar needs to be as long as the length of the excess skin. This can be halfway down the arm for some individuals or the full length of the arm for others. I think this is extremely important; because some individuals will show before and after photos at angles that do not adequately show the scar. Revising the analogy to a tailor: if you went to the tailor and said you wanted the excess fabric taken in on a shirt, but then you told the tailor you didn’t want a seam opened up or a dart made on the shirt then the tailor would say it is not possible.
How noticeable will the scar be? Healing or scarring is an extremely individual process. If you are a person that makes thick or red scars, then there are different treatments we can do to minimize the scars.
What is downtime? The typical downtime is 1 to 2 weeks. During this time, you will have a compressive garment helping to decrease your swelling and further contour your arm. I like the compressive garment to worn at all times (except when showering) for 4 to 6 weeks.I hope that helps. Best of Luck!

An arm lift  is typically not a painful operation, so patients can go back to work and light duty in a few days. Garment however, should be worn for at least a month. Discomfort is common for 1 to 2 weeks post op, and swelling can take up to 3 months to subside. Scarring would depend on your existing skincare practices, genetics, age, and a few other factors. It would be best to consult with a board certified plastic surgeon who can help discuss your unique situation

Scarring is very dependent on the amount and location of the excess tissue along your arm.  Our goal as plastic surgeons is to remove all the excess skin while giving you the best and most subtle scar possible.  If the excess skin extends to your elbow then that is the length the scar needs to be to remove this tissue.  There are patients in which the excess skin is localized to the upper 1/3 of the arm and can be removed by a short-scar technique.  A consultation with a plastic surgeon would be beneficial to determine your specific needs.  Also, in my opinion, placing the scar within the inside of the arm conceals the scar much better than placing it on the back of the arm.
I place all my patients in a compression garment in which I want them to wear for at least 4 weeks at all times other than showering.  The initial discomfort of surgery will improve over the first week. swelling may persist for 4 weeks but should be completely resolved by 6 weeks.  you can go back to light exercise at 3 weeks.  Hope that helps!