Is it normal for your arms to still feel hard and bumpy after 3 weeks of armlift?

Swelling, tightness, lumps, bumps, numbness, etc. are common findings after arm lifts and other procedures, especially if you had liposuction performed at the same time. All of these findings can wax and wane during the recovery process but generally they tend to improve over time. Gently massaging these areas can facilitate the process but I would recommend checking with your surgeon to make sure that your incisions are healed well enough to begin the massaging.

Induration and hardness are components of the normal healing process. By now, these concerns should have resolved themselves. If there is anything suggestive of a fluid collection, hematoma, infection, or blood clot, see your plastic surgeon.  Kenneth Hughes, MD, Board Certified Plastic SurgeonLos Angeles, CA

Yes it is possible to have lumps after surgery,  the healing process takes time and you will see these changes occur over time.  At only 3 weeks is possible to experience changes as you describe.

Thank you for your question. It is normal to experience firm lumps after surgery. This is part of the inflammation of your tissues. These should soften and resolve over the next several months.
It is also important to bring all of your concerns to the attention of your Board Certified Plastic Surgeon. He/she will have the best ability to determine if there are any problems with healing.
Good luck!

Thank you for your question regarding bumps and lumps in upper arm after an arm lift or brachioplasty. What you are experiencing sounds normal. This sounds like normal upper arm scar tissue. However, it is very important that you follow up with your plastic surgeon to be sure these bumps and lumps are not hematomas or seromas. Please check with your plastic surgeon, but to break up the arm scar tissue, I would suggest deep tissue massage.  I would do this 2-3 times a day.  In addition, I would suggest you continue to wear your arm garment.  I hope this answers your question regarding bumps and lumps in your upper arms after an armlift. If you have any other questions about healing after an armlift or brachioplasty, please contact my office. Sincerely, Dr. Katzen 

Thank you for your question. You are still very early in the recovery period and it can be normal for there to still be swelling and numbness. It may take 3 months or more for things to settle. Try to be patient and keep close follow up with your surgeon.Best of luck!

Thanks for your question. It can be perfectly normal to have incisions feel hard or bumpy early in the recovery phase. This is a result of inflammation and normal wound healing. This will also improve gradually over time. I suggest you spend some time massaging your incisions and surgical sites, as this will help speed the scar maturation process up. To ensure that your healing is progressing well as expected you should also schedule a follow-up with your plastic surgeon to make sure that massage would be safe. All the best with your recovery. 

Thank you for your question. Yes, it is normal for you to feel firmness and irregularity in the tissue three weeks after arm lift. This can be due to normal swelling, scarring and suture material under the scar. Typically, this will resolve over the next several months. I recommend that you continue to follow up with your plastic surgeon to be sure that things are healing appropriately. Good luck with your recovery.

Yes you are experiencing normal healing as much as can be seen from your photographs.  Please make sure to follow the instructions of your surgeon.
Hope this helps.
Dr. Ali Mosharrafa

Thank you for your question.What you are experiencing is normal as the healing process does take a few weeks to months to complete. Your arm will begin to soften around the 3 months mark, and things should steadily begin to get better from there.Kind regards,