Old age, excessive weight fluctuations, and genetics could result in your upper arms having a sagging or drooping appearance, sometimes called “bat wings”. If you have found that exercises are ineffective in correcting the issue, you may benefit from considering an arm lift surgery. Read on to learn some essential information before deciding to undergo this procedure.

What Is An Arm Lift?

Also known as brachioplasty, an arm lift is a cosmetic surgical procedure used to help improve upper arm definition and tone. It removes excess skin, reduces fat pockets, tightens supportive tissues, and smooths the remaining skin.

Are You a Good Candidate?

Almost anybody with sagging or drooping upper arms can benefit from this surgery, so long as you have good general health. However, you should be at your desired weight, as additional fluctuations could result in the same issue in the future.

Therefore, patients are advised to maintain a stable weight for around six months before the procedure. While many people undergo this procedure for cosmetic reasons, you can also benefit if lax upper arm skin causes discomfort, rash, inflammation, difficulties maintaining hygiene, and low self-esteem.

The Arm Lift Procedure

Your surgeon will begin this procedure by administering local or general anesthesia and making markings to guide the procedure. They then make an incision on the back or inside of your arm to make the scars less visible. The incision size depends on your procedure’s extensiveness. Excess fat and skin will be removed through excision and liposuction.  Supportive tissues will also be tightened using sutures. Finally, tubes will be inserted under the skin to drain excess fluids, and sterile gauze will be used to bandage the arm. You will also be prescribed antibiotics to prevent infection and a compression garment to reduce swelling.

The procedure can take around three to four hours, depending on its intensity and whether there were additional procedures. You should have someone drive you home and care for you the first days after your procedure.

What to Expect Post-Surgery And Results

Following your procedure, your surgeon will provide you with instructions and medications to promote a safe and smooth recovery. These include keeping the compression garment on for two to six weeks, using elevation pillows, changing the bandages, and avoiding strenuous activities. You might experience swelling and bruising, which will disappear after a few weeks. Contact your surgeon immediately if you notice severe pain, dehydration, fever, numbness, excessive bleeding, and fluid buildup.

While you will notice a change in the size and shape of your arm immediately after the surgery, you will see the final results three to six months after all the swelling goes down.

Book Your Consultation Today

At J.Sweat Plastic Surgery, we strive to help clients feel more confident in their skin. In addition to delivering high-quality and safe results, we educate clients on the benefits and risks of their surgeries to help them make informed decisions. Contact us to experience personalized treatments and attention to detail from our highly-trained team.

What is a lower body lift?

There are times after significant weight loss or pregnancy where you can be left with excess skin around the lower body. The sagging skin often accumulates around the lower abdomen, thighs, hips, flanks, and buttocks. By removing this access skin from areas of the lower body that have been most effected by sagging or loss of laxity, more contour can be established as well as a more supple skin appearance.

Who is the best candidate for a lower body lift?

Anyone who would like to improve the appearance of their lower body whether it’s due to weight loss, pregnancy, or general lack of confidence is a good candidate for a lower body lift. However, it is imperative that you are in good health, which means you are a non-smoker and at a stable and desired weight. When performed by a highly skilled surgeon, like Dr. Sweat, a lower body lift can mean better fitting clothes and newfound confidence.

What are the five areas addressed with the lift?

There are five main areas addressed with a lower body lift. Those include:

Lower abdomen

The lower 360 tummy tuck is good at tackling extra skin on and around the abdominal area. The procedure will narrow the waistline and remove sagging skin for a tighter and smoother abdominal area. It will also help to strengthen the abdominal walls

Thighs

A lot of excess skin can accumulate on the upper legs, especially after losing a significant amount of weight. The thigh lift procedure removes excess fat and skin, to achieve a smoother and more toned thigh area.

Buttocks

This is real problem area for skin sagging or even textural concerns. The butt lift will remove excess skin and smooth out the buttocks. A Brazilian butt lift in conjunction with the another cosmetic procedure can contour the area for a more rounded look.

Flanks

The flanks are located on the sides and back of your abdominal area between your ribs and hips. When treated with liposuction, or affected by massive weight loss, the excess skin and fat can be removed in a lower body lift for a smoother and more contoured look.

Hips

The lower body lift will remove fatty deposits and sagging skin around the hip area. Some people have far more sagging in this area than others, or suffer from what is called “hip dips”. Targeted removal via a lower body lift will give a smoother silhouette.

What type of results should be expected?

It is important to go into plastic surgery procedures with realistic expectations. By knowing what to expect from your results and recovery, you set yourself up for the most success and satisfaction. In most cases, a lower body lift will give the desired results of a smoother, tighter, and more contoured body. To maintain these results it is important to follow your surgeon’s post-op recovery instructions as closely as possible.

Downtime associated with a lower body lift can range from six to eight weeks depending upon the procedure, or procedures, you have had performed. You will likely experience pain, redness, and swelling at the treatment site, but this can alleviated with your prescribed pain medication or over-the-counter medications.

Schedule a Consultation

To find out more about Dr. J Sweat and J. Sweat Plastic Surgery Center, you can contact us at (916)400-0822. You can also request a consultation to see if a lower body lift is right for you by filling out our online contact form.

Surgery for weight loss (also known as bariatric surgery) can help you lose a significant amount of weight in a short period of time. The procedure can be life-changing, with benefits to your health, appearance, and self-esteem. However, losing such a large amount of weight can leave you with excess skin and tissue that can be impossible to get rid of on your own. With a body lift procedure, Dr. Sweat can remove this excess skin and tissue to reveal the contour you’ve worked so hard for! Here’s what you need to know about the body lift procedure after massive weight loss:

What can a body lift do?

With weight gain, the skin naturally stretches, and with good skin elasticity, the skin can bounce back with slight weight fluctuations. However, when a large amount of weight is gained and then lost, the skin is left hanging over the body. This results in skin irritation, difficulty wearing tight clothing, and feelings of self-consciousness. Body lift procedures can surgically remove this excess skin and tissue from the body.

What’s included in a body lift?

A body lift surgery is a highly customizable body contouring procedure that allows you to choose what you need based on your concerns. Your body lift with Dr. Sweat might include:

Upper body lift surgery

An upper body lift will target the upper back and bra area. During the procedure, an incision will be made along the back. The tissue in the upper back and bra area is then tightened, and any excess sagging skin is removed.

Lower body lift surgery

The lower body lift can address the abdomen, sides, flanks, lower back, inner thighs, and buttocks. During the body lift for the abdomen, sides, and flanks, an incision is made along the waistline, and skin is removed circumferentially. We’ll also remove excess skin and tighten underlying tissue to create a flat abdominal and back area.

How do I prepare for a body lift?

Preparing for your body lift is an important step in your procedure. Before you undergo the body lift, it is vital to remember that the procedure will only address large amounts of skin and tissue, not fat. If you have not completed your weight loss journey or your weight is still fluctuating, you should hold off on having your procedure. In order to be a successful candidate, you must maintain your healthy weight with a healthy lifestyle and be prepared to do so after surgery. Future weight gain could affect your body lift results.

If you’re bothered by excess skin and tissue after weight loss surgery, contact Dr. Sweat today for a consultation. He can go over your body lift procedure options and determine which techniques are right for you.