ARM LIFT

What is an Arm lift?

An arm lift is the procedure used to cut out excess skin on the arms and give them a better shape.  Generally these are patients who have had important weight loss or elderly patients who present excess skin on their arms.

Am I a candidate for this procedure?

If you feel your arms have a lot of excess skin. This could be the procedure for you.

What do I need to know about this procedure?

The removal of excess skin on the arms can be achieved in three ways. If the patient has a mild amount of skin, a small incision in the armpit can be used to remove the excess skin.  When the amount of skin is severe (a lot of skin), usually a long incision needs to be made from the armpit all the way down to the elbow. This is the only way to remove all that excess skin and give shape to the arm. In patients with moderate excess skin, the incision would start in the axilla and go down to the mid part of the arm. All these incisions are in the internal aspect of the arm and would be hidden when the arms are at rest.  These procedures are usually accompanied by liposuction to make the arms slimmer as well. It is usually a 2-hour procedure and it can be done under local or general anesthesia.

Are there risks involved?

Every patient that goes into an operating room for surgery needs to be aware that risks do exist.  However, complications in this specific procedure are extremely rare.  Dr. Mejia will go over all the possible risks of this procedure with you during the initial consultation.  It is very important that you are honest with Dr. Mejia about your medical history and habits for things to go as smooth as possible.

What is the aftercare like?

Patients usually go home with a special garment over their arms for 4 weeks.  Strenuous activities or heavy lifting should be avoided for a month.

How much downtime is there?

Patients can usually go back to their normal routine in 1 week.