2 weeks post op Armpit lift, the compression garment is causing me pain. Is this normal?

Question

I have a big bulge at the elbow and my current garment is loose in this area So for the last couple of nights I have been wearing my normal compression garment which iis firm on the upper arms and adding tubigrip from just above the elbows to the wrist I am waking several times in the night Iwith pain in all my incisions even in the armpit. This does not happen in the day

J. Timothy Katzen, MD, FACS · Answer

The symptoms you describe after your arm lift are not common.  I would suggest you contact your board-certified plastic surgeon as soon as possible. It is possible that you have just normal swelling. It is also possible that you may have a collection of blood (hematoma) or fluid (seroma). After an arm lift or brachioplasty, you will have forearm arms swelling.  When I perform an arm lift, I perform liposuction and the arm lift at the same time. The arm lift surgery takes approximately 3 to 4 hours. I bandage patients from their fingers to their armpit or axilla. Typically,  patients go home that same day.  Usually the forearm swelling should resolve in 3 to 5 days. Approximately seven days after your  arm lift surgery, I discontinue the ACE bandage from the fingers to the elbow. I still continue compression from the elbows to the armpits for another week.  Once the incision is healed, then I place the armlift patient in a arm compression garment. The garment should be worn for 6 to 8 weeks.  The garment serves to minimize swelling or edema and help to flatten the scar.

Anne Taylor, MD · Answer

Hello.IF your garment feels too loose at the elbow, you could try adding an ace wrap there at night. The compression garment should actually feel good, not cause any pain or issues.The one you mention may be a little too tight. The bulge at the elbow may also be the area where less skin is removed, since the pattern of the skin removed is an ellipse, there is always more removed at the middle, versus the two ends-- the armpit and the elbow.Good Luck

Tim Papadopoulos, BSc, MBBS, FRACS · Answer

The symptoms are bit unusual for an arm lift post-operatively. Just to be on the safe side, I would go back to your surgeon to get reviewed. Some things to consider:Exclude an infection. It may be a lymphatic drainage problem that has been made worse from the garment itself being too tight.There may have been too much skin removed in a particular spot causing constriction band and obstruction to lymphatic drainage in the arm.Generally, the arms are placed in bandages for a week or two and then a garment is applied for ~6 weeks which helps with further reduction in swelling and flattening of scars.

2 weeks post op Armpit lift, the compression garment is causing me pain. Is this normal?

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Everything you need to know about Arm Lift

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2 weeks post op Armpit lift, the compression garment is causing me pain. Is this normal?

Answers (3)

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Everything you need to know about Arm Lift

Our mission is to create a world where every investment in modern beauty is Worth It.