Surgical glue for Arm Lift?

Thank you for your question and interest in surgical glue.The arm lift closure is done with dissolvable sutures placed under the skin. This will hold the repair and secure it even when the arm is moving. Surgical glue is a great adjunct to this repair to hold the skin together. Talk to your surgeon. Most will be willing to apply the surgical glue after the repair.Best of luck and congratulations on pursuing arm lift surgery.- Dr. Bryson G. Richards, MD

Thank you for your question regarding the use of surgical glue in a brachioplasty or arm lift. In this procedure, arm liposuction helps eliminate excess fat and an incision is usually made from the armpit to the elbow to remove excess skin. Subsequently, the tissue layers are brought together under moderate tension.
Traditionally, absorbable sutures are employed to secure the layers. While surgical glue can be added as a finishing touch to the surface of the incision, it's imperative to understand that surgical glue alone is not suitable for holding the wound together due to the dynamic nature of the arm and the swelling associated with postoperative healing.
Although surgical glue offers some benefits, such as acting as a barrier against bacterial infiltration, it's not without downsides. Potential complications like blisters, burns, scarring, and hyper-pigmentation might arise from its use. As a result, many plastic surgeons prefer not to rely on surgical glue as the primary means of wound closure in an arm lift.
Regarding your hip-to-hip hysterectomy, it's crucial to recognize that even if glue was visible externally, several layers of absorbable sutures were likely used beneath the surface to ensure wound integrity. Sole reliance on glue, especially for larger incisions, is uncommon and often not feasible.
In conclusion, while surgical glue can play a supplementary role in wound closure, it should not replace sutures, especially in procedures like brachioplasty where wound tension is a significant factor. It's always best to discuss any concerns or preferences with your chosen plastic surgeon.
Best wishes,

Dr. Katzen

Healing of wounds depends on location, skin type and tension.Typically the more tension the wider the scars. Skin Glue  does have a place in cosmetic surgery  but on areas of tension I would prefer traditional  sutures,.

Many times the skin glue is an excellent alternative to tapes, external sutures or staples for incisions.  I personally like the glue for arm lift incisions because it doesn't get caught in the dressings and is more comfortable for the patient.  However, arm lift scars do not heal the same as hysterectomy scars.  First, they are not in the same anatomical location, which affects healing and second, there is minimal to no tension with a hysterectomy closure compared to an arm lift or even a tummy tuck.  Those procedures involve tightening the skin by removing large pieces of it.  Hysterectomies involve just putting things back where they started.  So while the fact that you made a nice hysterectomy scar bodes well for your scarring in general, unfortunately skin glue is not the holy grail of wound healing and does not guarantee a better scar.  It can be a great method of skin closure, just does not guarantee good healing. I hope this helps.  Best of luck. 

An armlift usually is closed under some tension ,on purpose, in order to optimize the contour.Also armlift wounds swell in a hurry,so glue alone is not enough and would increase risk of wound disruption.With that said,my preferred technique involves a lot of SQ dissolvable stiches combined with the glue on top.It avoids stitch marks which make scars look more ugly,avoids the need for suture removal(ie more comfortable for the patient postop) and in general(although arm scars are not always the greatest)will help to minimize the scars.