You Have Substantial Upper Arm Skin Laxity

First and foremost, you must be experiencing the problem that a Brachioplasty serves to correct. Laxity, or looseness, with the skin of one’s arms, is a common occurrence after a significant loss of weight and can also occur as a result of a variety of other natural means, such as aging or pregnancy. This excessively loose skin can bring about poor hygiene and thus make you more prone to various infections.

You Have a Relatively Healthy and Stable Weight

As mentioned above, major weight loss is the primary factor that can bring about excessive skin laxity in your arms. As such, remaining at a healthy and stable weight leading up to, throughout, and after your arm lift surgery is absolutely essential. Losing even more weight after a Brachioplasty in Austin, TX, can create more sagging skin, undoing the benefits of your arm lift surgery. Meanwhile, gaining excessive weight once again can damage the skin and cause stretch marks and other scars to appear.

You Are a Healthy Individual Overall 

As with any surgery—both medical and cosmetic—being otherwise healthy is crucial to a successful arm lift surgery with minimal to no negative side effects. That’s why cutting out the smoking of tobacco, even if only leading up to and during your surgery recovery period, is a must for anyone looking to be a good candidate for brachioplasty.

Your Arm Lift Surgery in Austin, TX, Awaits

So, if excessive fat or loose skin under your arms has been putting a damper on your self-image and overall health, then why not consider receiving an arm lift surgery in Austin, TX, under the professional care of Dr. Andrew Trussler? Located conveniently on Bee Cave Road, your Brachioplasty could be just a call away at 512-450-1077.

The post Could You Be a Good Candidate for Arm Lift Surgery? appeared first on Andrew Trussler, MD, PLLC.

Many of us are frustrated and uncomfortable with the skin and fat under our arms. Sometimes called “bat wings,” they can easily make us self-conscious, especially in summer months when our arms and shoulders are on display.

If you’ve reached the end of your rope with your bat wings, science and medicine are here to rescue you. Many people who are frustrated with their underarm skin and fat opt to fix it with a brachioplasty.

Brachioplasty Procedure

Brachioplasties, or arm lifts, tighten and contour the upper arm. The procedure usually takes one to two hours and begins with liposuction to remove excess fat on the upper arm. Following the liposuction, the surgeon will make an incision and tighten the skin.

There are several different types of arm lift surgeries to choose from depending on how much excess skin and fat you have and where it sits on your upper arm. The incision could be small and tucked in the armpit or may extend down to the elbow.

Some patients may opt to do an extended brachioplasty, also called an upper-body lift. This procedure includes the upper arm area but also extends to the outer chest, resulting in a reduction of back rolls on the outer back and chest. Additionally, some patients may take this opportunity to have the surgeon do a breast lift or chest contouring.

Brachioplasties are outpatient procedures and typically do not require surgical drains. Instead, soft compression garments support the arms. After the procedure, patients will want to avoid strenuous activity for one to two months.

Regardless of the type of brachioplasty you have, a scar will remain. However, the markings fade, especially with our provided scar treatment.

Conclusion

Brachioplasty is a procedure for both men and women. To qualify for surgery, you must be healthy and a non-smoker. Before trying any body contouring, patients should be at a healthy, stable weight and have a stable diet and exercise routine.

If you’re sick and tired of the bat wings under your arms and are constantly feeling self-conscious, a brachioplasty might be the perfect option for you. To learn more, call 512-450-1077 for a consultation with Dr. Andrew Trussler.

The post Brachioplasty and Bat Wings: Firming Your Arms appeared first on Andrew Trussler, MD, PLLC.

What Is an Arm Lift?

An arm lift is a procedure called Brachioplasty. It is a technique that involves tightening the skin and muscle of the area between the elbow and the armpit. Sometimes, fatty tissue is also removed to optimize the contour of the upper arm. Understanding that arm lift surgery will result in scars, Dr. Trussler is careful to place incisions where they will be most discreet. This may be the backside or the underside of the arms. Here, scars are not visible unless the arms are raised away from the body. Once the incisions have healed well, patients may engage in a scar-healing program that includes creams, silicone sheets, or other strategies to help scars fade as much as possible.

What Happens During an Arm Lift?

Brachioplasty is performed as an outpatient surgery. At the accredited surgery center, the patient meets with the doctor to go over their procedure as planned during their consultation. The doctor will review the techniques that will be used and answer any last-minute questions. In the operating room, once the patient is under general anesthesia, an incision is made. This may be a short incision near the armpit or a longer incision that extends down to the elbow.

If excess fat is present, liposuction may be performed. This technique extracts subcutaneous fat through a small tube. The muscle and skin are then tightened. After tightening the muscle and trimming the excess, Dr. Trussler places internal sutures to secure the new contour of the arm. These stitches will dissolve over time. The skin is tightened and trimmed to fit against the muscle, and external stitches are used to close the incisions. These may be removed 7 to 10 days after surgery. The arms are dressed and bandaged.

Arm Lift Recovery

Patients should have someone stay with them for a few days after Brachioplasty. Because the arms are bandaged, arm mobility will be limited. Patients may not stretch their arms or lift them overhead for approximately 4 weeks. However, many normal activities can be resumed 2 to 3 weeks after surgery.

Leave bat wings behind for good. Contact our Austin plastic surgery office at (512) 450-1077 to schedule your consultation for arm lift surgery.

The post Don’t Bring Your Bat Wings to the Summer Party appeared first on Andrew Trussler, MD, PLLC.

View More Cases

A brachioplasty or arm lift helps to eliminate excess hanging skin in the upper arm, as well as tighten the skin and reduce the circumference of the upper arm through combination liposuction and skin excision. The skin is removed via a lower upper arm incision which classically is located in the mid inner arm between the bicep and the tricep muscles, however this scar is typically prone to widening and relaxation secondary to the thin nature of the skin in this area. Dr. Trussler places the brachioplasty scar at the bottom of the arm which typically involves thicker skin which allows for improved healing and is not visible when the arm is raised to ninety degrees or when down to the side. Dr. Trussler does use liposuction in combination with the excision of skin to help mobilize the excess skin and decrease the fat circumferentially in the upper arm. The lower arm scar typically heals superiorly secondary to the ability to close the region in layers and the skin in this area is thicker which allows for a stronger and thinner scar.

This brachioplasty technique is done in the operating room with general anesthesia and does take approximately 2 hours. It is done as an outpatient procedure though can be combined with other operations. Recovery is about one week with full healing in 2 to 3 months. Scar care is important with this surgery. Prineo tape is used and stays on approximately 3 weeks, which allows the incision to heal with minimal scarring.

Patients who are self-conscious of their arms will typically transition from long sleeves to short or no sleeves just weeks after their procedure.
Patient satisfaction is very high though the scar is the one point to a brachioplasty that does concern patients. This technique will help to decrease the concern regarding the longer term consequences of the longitudinal scar and appreciate tighter and more contoured upper arms.

If you are interested in brachioplasty surgery, contact our office at (512) 450-1077 or fill out our online contact form today.

The post From Long Sleeves to No Sleeves: Why is a Lower Arm Scar Better for Brachioplasty (Arm Lift) Results appeared first on Andrew Trussler, MD, PLLC.

How an Arm Lift Works

Brachioplasty reshapes the arms by trimming excess skin and tissue from the underside of each arm. This may stretch from the armpit area to the elbow or may extend below the elbow when necessary. The length of arm that needs to be shaped determines the length of the incision. Knowing that incisions result in scarring, Dr. Trussler marks the arms carefully to position incisions where scars will be most discreet.

After incisions are made, internal tissue is tightened using sutures. The excess is trimmed. Skin is then pulled back over the tightened muscle and connective tissue. Excess is trimmed and incisions are stitched closed.

Liposuction may be Involved

The arms are a common area for fat accumulation. To achieve the best results from brachioplasty, Dr. Trussler may also include liposuction in the treatment plan. This technique, which carefully extracts fatty deposits, may be performed first, before tissue and skin tightening.

Outpatient Surgery with General Anesthesia

Brachioplasty procedures are typically performed in an accredited outpatient surgery center. Patients are given general anesthesia that will cause them to sleep throughout their treatment. Under general anesthesia, a patient may have a breathing tube inserted to help them breathe. This is done after they are fully anesthetized so they do not feel a thing. The tube is removed before they wake up.

The arms can be a difficult area of the body to tone when tissue has become lax and thin. Brachioplasty can help. To learn more about this procedure, schedule a consultation in our Austin office at (512) 450-1077.

The post What to Know About Arm Lift Surgery appeared first on Andrew Trussler, MD, PLLC.