Brachioplasty (Arm Lift)

Who can do it?
Plastic Surgeon

What is an Arm Lift?
A surgical solution to the dreaded ‘bingo wings' problem, a brachioplasty(arm lift) operation removes excess fat and skin from the upper arms to produce a tighter, smoother look.

Who is suitable for an Arm lift?
Like most of these ops, brachioplasty(arm lift) is not an alternative to losing weight and most surgeons prefer you to be within 15 per cent of your ideal weight before they will operate on you.

An arm lift procedure is ideally suited to those who have lost weight and have excess skin as a result. There are also a few medical conditions that may preclude you from surgery, so a full consultation with the surgeon who will perform the operation is essential to determine whether brachioplasty(arm lift) is right for you.

What's an Arm Lift procedure like?
Arm lift surgery generally takes around two hours and is performed under a general anaesthetic. The surgeon will make a cut along the inner upper arm - depending on how much excess skin you have and where it is distributed, this could extend from the arm pit all the way to the elbow, although that is worst case scenario and it is possible to hide the scar in your armpit if the skin and fat that needs removing is just at the very top of the arm.

Once the incision has been made, excess skin and fat is removed, muscles are tightened and the wound is closed with stitches. Some surgeons prefer to make the cut in a zig-zag fashion, as this can speed up the healing process.

What happens after an Arm Lift?
You should expect to stay in hospital for a day or two after the op, to allow the effects of the anaesthetic to wear off.

After that it should take about one or two weeks to get back to normal activities, and you should leave it at least six weeks before attempting any vigorous exercise.