Is it safe to have a thigh lift and an arm lift at the same time?

Question

Hi, I’ve consulted with two doctors re: thighplasty and brachioplasty. I’m planning a thighplasty in June. Doc 2 ( who I love) said I could do both at same time but would have to be so so so careful in the first three weeks out of surgery. I can arrange for some help, but probably not 24/7 help after the first week or so. Thoughts? Would it be more wise to wait to do arms separately in December? Thank you so much

J. Timothy Katzen, MD, FACS · Answer

Thank you for your question regarding whether it’s safe to undergo a thigh lift (thighplasty) and an arm lift (brachioplasty) at the same time. You are absolutely right—this can be done, and I have safely performed this combination many times for massive weight loss patients. In fact, I featured a patient case on my YouTube channel where we did exactly this: thighplasty and brachioplasty in one surgery. The results were transformative, and the patient recovered beautifully—but only with the right support system in place.

Your second doctor gave you solid advice. Combining these two procedures means that both your upper and lower body will be healing at the same time. That makes even simple movements—like getting out of bed, going to the bathroom, reaching overhead, or pulling yourself up from a seated position—more challenging during the first two to three weeks. Because of this, it’s essential that you have someone with you regularly during that early recovery window. Even if they aren’t medically trained, they need to be able to help with basic daily needs like lifting, mobility, dressing, meal prep, and keeping you comfortable and safe.

If you can arrange for support during those first few weeks, combining both surgeries can be an excellent way to reduce overall downtime, limit anesthesia exposure, and complete your body transformation more efficiently. However, if round-the-clock help isn't possible after the first week, it’s worth considering whether to stage the procedures. You could do the thigh lift first and follow up with the arms in December as you mentioned. That said, many of my patients are able to make it work with a strong recovery plan, a dedicated helper (or two), and the right mindset.

If you do proceed with both surgeries at once, I strongly recommend you prep your space ahead of time: stock up on pillows, pre-made meals, step stools, slip-on clothes, and anything else that makes recovery easier. A hands-free bathroom setup, shower chair, and plenty of wound care supplies are also a must.

Thank you again for your thoughtful question. Yes, you can absolutely have a thigh and arm lift at the same time—as long as you are medically healthy and prepared with the support needed for recovery. I hope I’ve helped clarify your options and what to expect. For more insight, be sure to look at before-and-after photos of patients who had both procedures and watch video case studies to see what recovery really looks like.

Sincerely,
Dr. Katzen
(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.)

Sacha Obaid, MD · Answer

An arm and thigh lift is something that many women wish to have performed at the same time.  The safety of doing these two procedures at the same time will be decided by your plastic surgeon.  Your surgeon must take into consideration several factors: age, height/weight, previous medical history and family medical history.  This is something you will want to discuss with whichever plastic surgeon you choose.  Best of luck to you!

Sam Speron, MD, FACS · Answer

It is very common for women to want an Arm Lift, especially after having had children or weight loss/gain. Pregnancy definitely is hard on the arm areas and this is a comment complaint among women visiting my office. I completely understand the desire to save costs as well as only undergo only one procedure and have them done at the same time. We always ask for medical clearance for all of our patients and if you are healthy, then this can usually be a safe option. Of course, staging them and doing them separately is also a reasonable option and one you can discuss with your particular surgeon.Obviously the body heals with swelling and inflammation and usually that maxes out at two days and then starts getting better. Most of these patients take no pain medicine (because of the nerve blocks given during surgery) and usually feel very comfortable going out in public the same or next days.  I usually call my patients the night of surgery and check on them in person the next day. If everything is fine the next day, I then let them shower and they do not need a dressing over their incisions. At the two week check up, I usually have people start working out and then after six weeks they can do whatever they want. I routinely tell people to take a few days to a week off work. As with any scar on the human body, initially scars are red, hard and raised and it typically takes six months to a year for them to become a soft thin white line. Additionally with recovery, there're many things we do to expedite healing such as nerve blocks during surgery, oral supplements, skin care and scar therapy recommendations, lymphatic massage sessions that are included in our pricing.I strongly feel that it's very important to have an honest conversation with your surgeon about your particular situation, lifestyle, work environment and specifically which procedures you're having done so that you both have the most honest answer about your recovery and are realistic with expectations and results.I would recommend that you see a board-certified plastic surgeon in your area that is a member of both ASPS & ASAPS and performs a lot of tummy tucks and arm lifts and body lifting. Good luck with your future correction!I hope my answer helps and if it does, please take a moment to up vote this answer on the “respond” button on the top right.  Have a great day.

Richard G. Reish, MD, FACS · Answer

Hello and thank you for your question.  The
best advice you can receive is from an in-person consultation.  If you are in good health and can obtain medical clearance from your primary physician, then brachioplasty and thigh lift can be safely combined together into the same procedure.   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 with a qualified board-certified plastic surgeon who
can evaluate you in person.
Best wishes and good luck.
Richard G. Reish, M.D.  FACS
Harvard-trained plastic surgeon

Gary L. Ross, MBChB, FRCS · Answer

Yes this is a common combination surgery. The key is that your op is less than 4 hours to limit risks. Best to discuss the pros and cons with your PS.

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

Many thanks for your question. It is possible to combine these two procedures if you’re fit enough medically to undergo the longer anaesthetic time of the two procedures combined. This is something you should discuss with your surgeon.
Whether you have the thighplasty alone, or in combination with an armlift, you will still have to take things easy for the first three weeks post-operatively. A thighplasty is a difficult procedure to get healed quickly as it’s in a difficult area, in terms of being hot and sweaty therefore promoting infection, walking putting strain on the wound and toileting.
Discuss the options with your surgeon, but they are combined often in many patients if they are fit enough.
Good luck with your treatment.

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