Arm Liposuction versus Arm Lift
June 26th, 2011 Miguel A. Delgado Jr, MD
Liposuction of the arm can help trim arms and create a more youthful appearance, which can provide motivation for regular exercise to maintain fitness. As with other areas of liposuction and body contouring, the skin needs to be in good condition with good elasticity for smooth and even contraction over the area after removal of fat.
Wearing a compression garment for 4 to 6 weeks will reduce swelling and will hold arms in the new shape until the tissues have adjusted. Most patients that have been self conscious about their heavy arms find they enjoy wearing sleeveless clothing and other styles after liposuction. For the cannula to remove unwanted fat, tiny incisions are made in the crease of the armpit and/or near the elbow. The incision sites will fade with time and be almost undetectable.�
For the patient that has a large amount of hanging skin and fat, liposuction alone will not correct this problem but will cause even more redundant skin. This patient could benefit from an arm lift also known as a brachioplasty. As aging takes place, the skin and tissue go through changes and lose elasticity, thickness and adherence to underlying tissue. It is also affected by gravity and at the same time, the deep layers of fat, muscle and bone thin. The amount of elastic tissue and collagen present in the deep layer of the skin decreases. The upper arm is an area of the body where this can be very apparent. The upper arm lift surgery entails an incision usually from the armpit to the elbow; the resulting scar is unavoidable but usually fades over time. San Francisco Bay Area patients are thrilled with their results allowing them to wear clothing that previously they were unable to.
Dr. Delgado performs the arm liposuction or arm lifts procedures under general anesthesia at his Marin Cosmetic Surgery Center in Northern California, an accredited outpatient surgery center.
