Dog ear near elbow after Arm Lift surgery. (photo)

I am sorry you are having this problem after your armlift or brachioplasty.  From your description of what your plastic surgeon stated, this sounds like a seroma. A seroma is a collection of serous fluid.  After an armlift or brachioplasty, it is not uncommon to develop a seroma around the elbow. The treatment is two-fold. The first is aspirating the fluid with a needle. This is a relatively painless in-office procedure. This may have to be done two or three times to completely remove the fluid. The second form of treatment involves compression. I believe it's essential to use arm garments for 4 to 6 weeks after an arm lift or brachioplasty. This will help to compress the arm and minimize fluid accumulation. This minimizes the recurrence of the seroma. In addition, arm garment compression helps to flatten the scar and minimize the chances of an arm keloid. .

Definitely no cause for alarm.  The swelling usually settles at the lowest point and it takes months for it to resolve.  When the swelling goes down and the skin tightens it is unusual to need to do anything to correct it.  I would wait at least 6 months and even if a little fullness remains it can be corrected with minor procedures. Enjoy your new tighter arms.

Relax it's more common than you think. It's still too early to draw any conclusions. This raised area is often called a dog ear but you must wait at least 3-4 months. Concentrate on the positive and hopefully your arms are thinner. Good luck