Should I be worried that my wound is bleeding 4 weeks after my arm lift? (Photos)

This is what I would call a dehiscence. It looks as though it's quite a wide area, and local care would be necessary. However, I would not apply alcohol.  Use an antibiotic treatment when it looks as though it is starting to improve a little. 

A brachioplasty is a great procedure to remove excess skin and fat from the upper arm, but due to the constant movement that happens in that areas as you use your arms it does have a tendency to have some delayed healing. It is not uncommon to pop a couple of stitches and have areas that have to heal in from the edges. The fact that you have some oozing/bleeding when the dressing comes off is actually a good sign. It means that the tissue in the base of the wound is healthy and has good blood supply. The dry crusty spots and scabs look like they have cleaned up from the dressings you have been doing! Once a wound ‘cleans up’ like that it starts to heal in much faster. From the look of things I would bet they are all closed up in a week or two! Certainly keep a close eye on them and let your plastic surgeon know if anything changes or the bleeding increases, but it seems like you are on the right track!

Hello, thank you for your questions regarding bleeding after an arm lift or brachioplasty. I am sorry you had this unfortunate event. From your pictures and limited history, it appears that there are no signs of any infection. I would suggest you follow up with your plastic surgeon. I believe you are doing all the right things. However, personally, I would not use alcohol. I think alcohol is too harsh or stringent to the wounds. I would also suggest you apply a topical moisturizing antibiotic like bacitracin.  bacitracin can help to accelerate healing. As wounds heal, there is an increase in blood flow to the wound. In general, as wounds heal, blood rushes to the wound and thus, bleeding from wounds (like these) can be a good sign. In terms of when will these arm wounds heal, that is entirely up to your own healing capacity. It depends on your age, nutrition level, overall health, and genetics. High protein intake of 100 g or more a day, multivitamins, extra vitamin C, zinc, and magnesium will all increase your wound healing capacity. You may even consider hyperbaric oxygen to accelerate healing. Again, thank you for your questions regarding bleeding four weeks after an arm list or brachioplasty.  If you have any questions regarding wound healing after your arm lift, please contact my office. Sincerely, Dr. Katzen