Brachioplasty. How long after the surgery should I keep my arms elevated?

Every surgeon will have their own "recipe for success" when it comes to arm lift surgery. I can only tell you what works for me!Arm elevation is recommended for about 1 week in my office. I like to wrap patients for 2 to 3 weeks just with ace wraps because it is more comfortable and leads to less swelling of the hands. After 3 weeks, I recommend Embrace Scar Defense and and a compression stalking.As I mentioned, I'm very happy with this protocol, but more importantly, so are my patients. Please view the photo gallery below of the arm lift technique (posterior approach) I prefer to use on most patients.

Swelling is a normal response to brachioplasty and other procedures. This process usually peaks somewhere between 36 and 48 hours post-op. During this time, elevation of the arms helps to limit the amount of post-op swelling which in turn speeds up the rest of the recovery. After the first few days, once the swelling has come down from its peak, elevation is less important but still helpful.