Can a breast enhancement and arm lift be done at same time?

Hi E. Susan,
Thank you for your question regarding whether a breast enhancement and arm lift can be done at the same time. The answer is yes, a breast augmentation or enhancement and an arm lift can be performed at the same time. Arm liposuction is carried out from the armpit to the elbow during a longitudinal brachioplasty. Next, a cut is made between the triceps and the biceps. The brachioplasty scar is somewhat concealed while your arms are held at your sides, which is why it is positioned in this groove. Fat and extra skin are removed from the arms from the armpit to the elbows. Your arms are re-draped with the skin of your arms. Drains are typically not necessary. Arm lifts take three to four hours to complete and are best done under general anesthesia. Give yourself two weeks to heal. Your compression garment must be worn for approximately six weeks.
Breast augmentation takes about 1 to 2 hours to complete. The breast portion of the surgery may take longer if a breast lift is required. An anchor mastopexy takes about 4 hours to complete. Even if an anchor mastopexy or breast lift is needed, the anchor mastopexy can be performed with an arm lift or brachioplasty. I hope that I have answered your questions regarding the arm reduction, and specifically, can a breast enhancement and arm lift be done at the same time? If you have any more questions regarding the arm lift, arm reduction, brachioplasty, arm scar revision, or arm crease fat grafting, contact an experienced plastic surgeon. To obtain an accurate assessment of what exactly you need, schedule a free virtual consultation. Most plastic surgeons offer free virtual consultations.
Since an arm lift can be a challenging surgery, please seek an experienced, board-certified plastic surgeon with significant experience performing these types of lifts. Do your research. Make sure they have performed at least 150 arm lift procedures. ensure they have the before-and-after pictures to prove it. Carefully examine their before-and-after pictures and check their reviews on RealSelf. Sincerely, Dr. Katzen, MD, MBA, FACS, FICS, FASMBS, FASBPS (Plastic Surgeon, President of the American Society of Bariatric Plastic Surgeons, certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery, Fellow of the International Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, American College of Surgery, International College of Surgery, and American Board of Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery, and member of the American Society of Plastic Surgery, American Academy of Cosmetic Surgery and RealSelf Hall of Fame.)

The short answer to your question is yes, a breast enhancement surgery and an arm lift can be done during the same surgery. That being said, there are different types of breast enhancement surgeries and different types of arm lifts. You should discuss all of these options with your surgeon, and also make sure that the the surgery center or hospital where it is being performed has the appropriate certification for these types of surgeries to be performed. Depending on the type of arm lift and breast enhancement surgery you are having performed, I would anticipate that your surgery would last somewhere between 3 hours on the shorter end vs. 6 hours on the longer end. I would specifically discuss this with your surgeon. Additional questions worth asking would be: does that facility have the ability to monitor patients overnight? And does the surgeon have admitting privileges at the hospital or at a nearby hospital?

In healthy patients, it is not uncommon to perform multiple procedures at the same time including breast enhancement and arm lift. The benefit of one surgery with a single recovery time is enticing to many patients. The risk of longer procedures, need to be compared to the benefits of simultaneous surgery vs staged.

Thank you for your question!

Yes, combining a breast enhancement and arm lift (brachioplasty) in a single surgery is commonly done and can be a great option for the right candidate. Combining procedures means one anesthesia, one recovery period, and less overall downtime compared to staging them separately.

Longer procedures carry slightly higher anesthetic risk, so your surgeon will want to ensure you are in good health and that the combined operating time is within a safe range.

Best to speak with your surgeon to better assess your individual candidacy and know what to expect for your specific anatomy and goals!

Yes, technically a breast procedure and arm lift can be performed during the same operation in selected patients. However, in most cases, I do not generally recommend combining them, especially when a breast lift or augmentation is involved.

The main reason is recovery and postoperative comfort. After breast surgery, arm movement already becomes somewhat limited and uncomfortable during the first healing period. Adding an arm lift at the same time can make daily activities, positioning, dressing, and recovery significantly more difficult because both surgical areas rely heavily on arm mobility.

There is also the consideration of:
• longer operative time
• increased swelling and tension
• more demanding recovery process
• potentially higher risk of wound healing complications

For these reasons, I more commonly recommend staging the procedures separately to allow safer healing and a more comfortable recovery experience, particularly in patients undergoing larger lifts or more extensive contouring procedures.

That said, the final decision depends on:
• your overall health
• extent of the procedures
• skin quality
• recovery tolerance
• surgical plan and priorities

A detailed consultation would help determine whether combining them would be appropriate and safe in your specific case.