As more and more people become weight conscious, there is a growing trend to adopt a healthy lifestyle with a regular diet and exercise routine. Everyone wants to look as good on the outside as they feel on the inside. However, ageing, weight fluctuations and lifestyle factors can negatively affect the structure of the body. When someone loses weight, they start to look better physically, which boosts their overall confidence. However, some men and women may experience sagging, particularly in the upper arms. Arm lift surgery (brachioplasty) is preferred to remove excess skin and reshape the area between the shoulders and elbows.
When is an arm lift performed?
Many patients with a lot of weight to lose prefer bariatric surgery, such as sleeve gastrectomy. This involves surgically reducing the size of the stomach. After bariatric surgery, patients are able to control their portions and achieve significant weight loss in a short period of time. Often, after bariatric surgery, the skin does not have enough elasticity to snap back into place once the fat tissue that stretched it has disappeared, Therefore, it leaves sagging skin all over the body, especially on the upper arms.
We all know that ageing can cause many changes in the body, especially in the skin. Over time, skin becomes looser, more translucent and more fragile. A person’s genetics, diet, exercise, habits and lifestyle all affect the rate at which the skin weakens and loses elasticity, and some people show signs of ageing earlier than others. Sagging skin causes wrinkles and puffiness in the upper arms that are visible through clothing. When excess skin is removed and tightened during arm lift surgery, patients can achieve a reduction in the signs of ageing on their upper arms.
A person can be as healthy as possible with a nutritious diet and a vigorous exercise regime, but sometimes they cannot shape their arms. Often the underarm area is not easy to target and many people who have difficulty shaping this area can only do so with surgery.
How is arm lift surgery performed?
Brachioplasty involves making an incision on the inside of the upper arm, usually from the armpit to the elbow. Excess fat is then removed by liposuction. Excess skin is cut away and the supporting tissue under the arm is tightened using internal absorbable stitches. The skin is then stitched back together. Brachioplasty is performed under general anaesthetic or intravenous sedation and takes between 2 and 4 hours, depending on the amount of skin and fat removed. Patients can go home the same day.