Arm lift, truly how painful is recovery?

Question

I'm about to pull the trigger becayse weightlifting isn't helping to tighten skin. How truly painful is recovery and esp post operative pain? How long till a tank top from procedure? Thanks.

Joseph Michaels, MD · Answer

Most of my patients recover very well after this procedure. There is some discomfort, but most are off pain meds in a couple of days. Arm elevation is critical postop to minimize swelling and this will minimize your discomfort as well. Reocvery will also depend on whether you do a short scar or full arm lift. There are actually more range of motion limitations with the short scar than the long scar. My patients are usually in a tank top a few months later. The arm scar can be redder longer compared to other body incisions and can take up to two years to fade. Pull the trigger :), patient satisfaction in my practice is immensely high from this procedure.

J. Timothy Katzen, MD, FACS · Answer

Hi Theresa, thank you for your question about an arm lift. First, an arm lift is also called a brachioplasty. However, an arm lift is really an arm reduction, not just an arm lift. Second, pain is subjective. That means some patients feel pain after an arm lift, whereas some patients barely feel any pain after an arm lift. In general, the majority of my arm lift, arm reduction, brachioplasty patients have some pain for three to five days. Most arm lift patents take pain medciation for several days then taper and discontinue their pain medications by day five to seven. There are several types of arm lift: crescent arm lift, mini-T arm lift, and the full arm lift from the arm pit to the elbow. Most arm lift procedures take 2 to 3 hours to perform. Most arm lifts are performed under general anesthesia. If you have any more questions regarding the arm lift, arm reduction, or brachioplasty, please contact my office. Pplease seek an experienced, board certified plastic surgeon with significant experience performing these types of arm lifts. Do your research. Make sure your chosen plastic surgeon has performed at least 100 arm lifts. Make sure 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. (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 and American Academy of Cosmetic Surgery.)

Paul Tulley, MD, MBBS, FRCS(Plastic) · Answer

Pain and discomfort is normally easily controlled after brachioplasty. During the procedure a long-acting local anaesthetic is injected into the operative field which minimises pain post-operatively. Any discomfort is normally easily controlled with simple painkillers for a few days. A compression garment is also warn post-operatively to keep swelling to a minimum. 
The time at which a sleeveless top can be worn will vary from patient to patient, and also whether a full or mini-brachioplasty has been performed, but would normally be at around 6 weeks post-operatively.

Ali Mosharrafa, MD · Answer

The pain following an armlift is very well tolerated by patients with the use of narcotics short term.  Tank tops are usually worn by my patients at 2-3 months post op.
Hope this helps.
Dr. Ali Mosharrafa

Tom J. Pousti, MD · Answer

Thank you for the question.
The arm lifting procedure is a great procedure to remove excess skin and adipose tissue of the upper arms.  It is a very well-tolerated procedure; in my experience most patients benefit from use of pain medication for a week or less.
 I ask my patients  to keep arms elevated for one week after surgery and avoid heavy lifting for the first month after surgery.As always, careful selection of plastic surgeon will be important. Ask to see lots of examples of his/her work achieving the types of outcomes you would be pleased with.
 
I hope this helps.

Jon Ver Halen, MD, FACS (license suspended) · Answer

Hello and thank you for your excellent question. The amount of time you take off after a brachioplasty can be as little as 2-3 days, up to 5-7 days, depending on the extent of the surgery. We also recommend that you take 3 weeks off from upper extremity exercises, and and wear your compression garments for at least 3 weeks after surgery. I usually recommend 6 weeks before you start wearing a tank top. Of course, you will need an in-person consultation to evaluate you for this procedure. Preoperative visualization and surgical simulation with the Crisalix system may help with your decision. Any treatment plan should be based on a detailed discussion with equal input from both you and your surgeon.    Make sure you specifically look at before and after pictures of real patients who have had this surgery performed by your surgeon and evaluate their results.   The most important aspect is to find a surgeon you are comfortable with. I recommend that you seek consultation in person with a qualified board-certified plastic surgeon. Good luck! 
Best,
Jon Ver Halen, MD FACS

Arm lift, truly how painful is recovery?

Answers (6)

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