Because of aging and constent weight gain and weight loss there might be sagginess in the arms and the skin might lose its elasticity. This can cause discomfort when raising the arms or when wearing short-sleeved clothes. In case of saggy skin, arm lift surgery is the most effective treatment method. Depending on the amount of extra skin, the removal incision is done in the form of a thin line extending to the armpit or sometimes to the elbow.
| Anesthesia | General |
| Operation duration | 1 hour |
| Hospital stay | 1 night |
| Recovery duration | 1 week |
| Istanbul stay duration | 5 days |
| Corset use duration | 4 weeks |
Frequently asked questions
Does an arm lift procedure leave a scar?
Patients who have very saggy skin will have a scar under the arm, sometimes as a thin line up to the elbow, and patients who don’t have a lot of sagginess, will have a scar in the armpit skin fold. The scars appear red for the first 3-6 months, but become less obvious by fading over time.
What should you pay attention to before an arm lift?
- You have to stop using products and medications such as blood thinners (aspirin, Coumadin), painkillers, vitamins, weight loss pills and herbal teas 10 days before the surgery because they cause bleeding during and after surgery and you should not use them 1 week after surgery.
- If you have a chronic disease such as heart failure, diabetes, asthma, thyroid (goiter), high blood pressure, you should be taking your medications regularly and you have to get confirmation from your doctor stating that you can undego the surgery. You should have an examination and a recent analysis done to confirm your medical condition.
- It is recommended to stop smoking and hookah as early as possible before surgery, as it will negatively affect wound healing.
- You should not consume any alcohol 1 week before the operation.
- You should stop using contraceptives 1 month before the operation as they increase the risk of clot formation in the legs.
- You should inform the doctor in case you have a flu infection, fever, rash or any illness develop within a few days before the operation. If seen necessary, your surgery will be postponed.
- You should stop eating and drinking 8 hours before the scheduled surgery time. If you use blood pressure medicine, diabetes medicine, thyroid medicine, etc you have to consult with the surgical team and take your medicine with very little water.
- You should take off your contact lenses, earrings, necklaces, hair clips or piercings etc. on the day of surgery.
- You should not have any nail polish or make up on the day of the surgery.
What should you pay attention to after an arm lift operation?
- After a liposuction, you should use a corset for four weeks to prevent fluid accumulation and help the skin tightening during the healing process. The corset should also not be removed even when lying down.
- You will remain in the hospital for 1 night after the operation. You will be able to go back to your daily activity 5-6 days after the operation.
- You might feel tightness in your arms up to 1 month post-op. This feeling will go away after about 1 month.
- You should not do any heavy arm activity during the first few weeks.
- All the stitches are esthetic and melt away which is why we won’t be removing any of them after the operation.
- You should use Thiocilline cream on the incission line for the first 10 days post operation and use Siliscar cream afterwards for two months to reduce the appearance of the scar.