Brachioplasty - staples or sutures?

Hello,Thank you for your questions regarding the use of staples to complete an arm lift. Every plastic surgeon performs ever procedure slightly differently.  In addition, every patient is slightly different.  Since 2000, I have performed hundreds of arm lifts or brachioplasties.  During my career, I have never had to use staples.  During an arm lift, I perform arm liposuction.  During the same procedure, arm liposuction is followed by opening the upper arm from the elbow to the armpit.  The excess arm skin and fat are removed.  The arm incision is closed with three to four layers of absorbable sutures.  I have never found the arm “skin to be too thin”.  I hope this helps. Again, thank you for your questions about the use of staples during an arm lift or brachioplasty. If you have any other questions about an arm lift, please contact my office.

Sincerely,Dr. J. Timothy Katzen

I generally use dissolvable sutures in my brachioplasty incisions;
however, it is not an incorrect decision to use staples as it is mostly a
function of patient and surgeon decision making. I would recommend you
discuss this with your board-certified plastic surgeon. I hope this
information is helpful to you. Best of luck!

Thanks for your question. When I perform this procedure I prefer using dissolving sutures instead of staples. There isn't anything necessarily wrong with using staples, and they will provide a good scar provided that they are removed in a timely fashion. If they are left in place for too long a duration they will be more likely to leave track marks. It's best to follow-up with your plastic surgeon to ensure that everything is being done to ensure that you end up with faint, thin scars once you have fully healed. 

Thank you for your question.  I do not use staples because I do not like the appearance of the scars.  Arm incisions do have a difficult time healing and often want to widen.  Your plastic surgeon may find that the final results are better with staples.  I would recommend having a discussion them him/her about why they choose the technique they did.  Best of luck!

 Personally  I do not use staples to close arm left surgeries. It is not necessarily wrong to use Staples. Staples do tend to leave track marks  after they are removed. And you are right they can be a lot more uncomfortable. 

Many times staples are used to help close the skin and sometimes these are done instead of sutures because the plastic surgeon thinks the closure may be tight or the skin is not very thick. While uncomfortable, there is likely a good reason your plastic surgeon used them. Follow up with your plastic surgeon is important and you can always ask her/him in person. Sometimes placing an ABD pad can help stop the rubbing of skin in the armpit if staples are bothersome. Best, MMT

Staples would not be my first choice for closing an arm lift incision in any patient. It may be that it was necessary in your case. Ask your PS.