Brachioplasty or arm lift things you need to know

Flaunt leaner arms without draining your savings. TLC’s brachioplasty payment plans can make it possible. Many people are self-conscious about the presence of excessive fat and skin under the arms, so an arm lift procedure may be ideal for patients who are bothered by the loose skin hanging from their arms.

Loose and sagging skin under the arms is one of the most common complaints of massive weight loss patients. However, it can also be a hereditary issue where genetics don’t play in your favour as you age. The condition can also be referred to as ‘bingo wings’ or ‘bat wings’. Either way, a brachioplasty or arm lift is an increasingly more popular operation that patients undergo to rectify the issue. We asked Dr Gavin Sandercoe, Plastic and Cosmetic Surgeon based in Sydney, to tell us everything we need to know about a brachioplasty or an arm lift.

The main motivation of anyone undergoing a brachioplasty is excess and sagging skin after massive weight loss. Unfortunately, the arms are an area where the skin is notorious for not bouncing back as you’d like after being stretched and no amount of exercise or the perfect diet is going to tighten the loose skin that can cause great distress for the patient.

What does a brachioplasty or arm lift involve?

Dr Sandercoe says that like many operations an arm lift should address several components to achieve the best result and this is why you should only consult with an experienced and appropriately trained plastic surgeon to perform your procedure. Dr Sandercoe says, ‘Addressing one component without considering the others is likely to provide a suboptimal result. Your skin tone, position of fat, muscle position and tone, and any prior scars will help determine which technique or pattern will give you the best results. Additionally, your needs such as the ability to take time off work and sports and the importance of scar position and length should be considered’.

One of the major considerations with an arm lift is where the incisions are to be made and the subsequent scars will sit. It depends on how much excess skin and where it is located as to where the incisions will be made, and it is up to your surgeon to make the best decision to suit your needs. Dr Sandercoe says most patients are more than happy to have the trade-off of some well-placed scars that will fade over time in return for getting rid of their unwanted saggy, baggy arms.

Incisions are generally placed on the inside or the back of your arm and often extend from under the arm to the elbow. Dr Sandercoe says of the scars, ‘Very rarely, a mini-brachioplasty will be recommended. This is appropriate for patients with only minimal skin excess and good tone. The trade-off for a shorter scar, operating time and recovery is that the operation does not address excess skin and stretch marks as well as can be achieved with a longer scar’.

A brachioplasty is often combined with some liposuction

In order to provide the best contour and result a brachioplasty or arm lift will often involve some liposuction to remove pockets of localised fat. In some cases, excess fat may also be surgically removed before the supportive tissues are tightened and reshaped, and the remaining skin is tightened and stitched.

Liposuction alone often does not work for arm reshaping because liposuction does not tighten the loose skin – a brachioplasty or arm lift is the only thing that can address this. Dr Sandercoe explains. ‘It is like wearing an old jacket (or sleeping bag) where the filling has been compressed or worn out, but the layers on either side have not been changed. Liposuction can be combined with an arm lift, but for most people, an arm lift will provide better results than liposuction only’.

Everybody needs a little TLC! Total Lifestyle Credit has over 11 years experience providing consumer payment plans. Finding funds or applying for finance can be overwhelming and daunting. It doesn’t have to be! At TLC we will take care of all the arrangements completely stress free when applying for a brachioplasty surgery loan.

If you’d like more information or would like to arrange a consultation with Dr Gavin Sandercoe you can call his clinic on 1300 112 358.

*This blog is written by Trish Hammond, founder of Plastic Surgery Hub with the help of information from NorthEast Plastic Surgery. We have very gratefully reposted her work to inform and educate our customers. You can find more of Trish’s wonderful articles at www.plasticsurgeryhub.com.au