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Arm Lift

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Tired of wearing jackets year-round to hide your arms? Upper arm lift surgery can restore a smoother, firmer arm contour, allowing you to go sleeveless with confidence.

INITIAL RECOVERY TIME: 10 DAYS

FINAL RESULTS: 3 MONTHS

Brachioplasty in Richmond, Virginia

Shapely, smooth upper arms are something many people wish for—and spend hours in the gym trying to get. Unfortunately, no amount of toning exercises will help loose, sagging skin on the upper arms. If you are frustrated with loose, flabby skin or “bat wings,” then you may want to consider an upper arm lift.

Arm lift surgery, called brachioplasty, removes excess, hanging upper arm skin to restore a more slender, firm and youthful contour to the upper arms.

Why consider arm lift surgery?

A healthy diet can help you keep your weight in check, and strength-training can tone your muscles. However, a loose, flabby arm appearance is due to excess, stretched skin—something neither diet nor exercise can address. An upper arm lift removes the excess skin and tightens sagging arm tissues, helping you enjoy a slimmer, smoother arm contour. The confidence-boosting benefits are many:

  • You can feel more confident wearing sleeveless dresses and tops
  • Garments with tailored sleeves will fit more comfortably
  • You’ll be able to wave at your neighbor without worrying about your arm skin joining in
  • Results of your toning exercises will be more noticeable

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Before & After Patient Gallery

SEE UPPER ARM REJUVENATION RESULTS

About the Richmond arm lift procedure

Surgery typically involves a lengthwise incision, located on the inside of the upper arm. Dr. Chen removes excess skin and sagging tissues, restoring a tighter, slimmer contour.

The resulting scar can be concealed by most sleeves, and will not be visible with your arms naturally at your side. With proper care, scars should fade significantly and eventually will be more difficult to detect, especially at a distance.

An arm lift is a common procedure to include in body lift surgery after weight loss, helping restore more slender proportions to the upper body. Arm lifts are also popular to help offset age-related skin sagging on the upper arms.

Recovery after arm lift surgery

The length of your recovery depends on the extent of surgery. If you are having an upper arm lift alone, you will be able to return to work about 1 to 2 weeks after surgery. Post-operative pain is minimal. Bruising and swelling are common after an arm lift; these effects subside gradually after the first 3 to 5 days or so. Light exercise, such as walking, is allowed within the first week, but more strenuous activity, including lifting and high-impact exercise, are off-limits for about 4 to 6 weeks. Results are close to their final form within a month or two, and will continue to improve subtly for 3 to 6 months.

How long will arm lift results last?

With the loose, excess skin gone, your new, shapelier arm contour will last for years. However, it’s important to maintain a stable weight. Significant weight fluctuations could result in the skin re-stretching and becoming loose once again. You can help your results look their best by following Dr. Chen’s post-op care instructions and keeping your incision sites protected from the sun (sun exposure can result in darker, more visible scars).

If you have more questions about arm lift surgery, we’d love to help!

Contact us today to schedule a personal consultation with Dr. Chen.