An arm lift (brachioplasty) improves the shape of the underside of the upper arms. Excess skin and fat between the armpit and elbow are removed, and the remaining tissue is tightened, for slimmer, firmer arms. It’s often chosen after major weight loss or when skin has loosened with age.
If your skin is still firm and the problem is mainly fat, liposuction alone may be enough.
A Good Candidate for Upper Arm Lift
- A person who has significant upper arm skin laxity
- A person whose weight is relatively stable and who is not significantly overweight
- Healthy
- Nonsmokers Individuals with a positive outlook and realistic expectations.
Preparation
- Consult with the surgeon about your goal
- Blood test, physical examination, or a medical evaluation
- Take certain medications or adjust your current medications
- Stop smoking- Stop taking aspirin, anti-inflammatory drugs, and herbal supplements as they can increase bleeding
The Procedure
- The surgery is performed under general anesthesia
- The incisions are generally placed under the upper arms, depending on the surgeon’s preference, extending from the underarm (axilla) to just above the elbow. Then, underlying supportive tissue is tightened and reshaped with internal sutures. Finally, the skin is smoothed over the new contour of your arm.
Post-operative Care
During your recovery from arm lift surgery includes.
- Dressings or bandages may be applied to your incisions, and your arms may be wrapped in an elastic bandage or a compression garment to minimize swelling following surgery.
- Avoid your arm activities that might stretch the incisions for 1-2 months
- Keep the wound clean and dry
- Take stitches off seven days after surgery
- Follow all post-operative instruction and attend all the appointments.
- A small, thin tube may be temporarily placed under the skin to drain any excess blood or fluid. Your incisions will be closed either with absorbable sutures, stitches that will be removed within one following your arm lift.
Recovery
During recovery, need bandage support for your upper arm for 4-8 weeks to decrease swelling. You will have bruising, swelling, and numbness that will be gone in several weeks. You can return to work one week after surgery. But don’t lift or make stretch your arms for 4-8 weeks.
Risks and Complications
Like any operation, an arm lift carries risk. Possible complications include:
- Scaring
- Bleeding
- Infection
- Poor wound healing
- Unsightly scarring
- Fluid accumulation (seroma)- Damage to deeper structures such as nerves, blood vessels, and muscles
- The fatty tissue under the skin might die (fat necrosis)
- Numbness or other changes in skin sensation
- Pain, which may persist
- Anesthesia risk
- The possible need for revision surgery
Arm Lift Scars and Scar Care
An arm lift leaves a long scar, usually on the inner arm from the armpit to the elbow, and sometimes towards the back of the arm. How the scar looks depends on the surgical technique, your genetics and how well you care for it.
Types of scar
- Linear scars: thin and flat, fading over time. This is the usual result.
- Keloid scars: raised, thick, itchy or painful. They’re more common in people with a history of keloids.
Caring for your scar
- Apply silicone scar gel as advised.
- Keep the wound clean and dry.
- Wear your compression garment as instructed.
- Protect the scar from the sun for at least 6 months, as UV light can darken it and slow healing.
Scars usually fade gradually over several months to a year.
Before & After for Arm Lift Surgery
Reviews for Arm Lift Surgery
Video : Arm Lift Surgery
Why Choose Kamol Hospital for an Arm Lift?
- Experience in body contouring after weight loss: Our plastic surgeons regularly perform arm lifts, thigh lifts and body lifts.
- Careful scar planning: Incisions are placed on the inner arm, where they’re least visible.
- Scar care guidance: Silicone gel, compression and sun protection advice to help scars fade.
- Combined planning: An arm lift can be combined with liposuction, a body lift or a breast lift.
- Hospital-level safety: General anesthesia with an experienced anesthesia team, in a JCI-accredited hospital.
- Support for international patients: Partner hotel accommodation, airport and hotel transfers, and Kamol Trip planning.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Do I need an arm lift or liposuction?
If your skin is still elastic and the problem is mainly fat, liposuction may be enough. If your skin is loose or hanging, liposuction can make it look looser, so an arm lift is needed to remove the excess skin. The two are often combined.
Where will the scar be, and will it fade?
The scar usually runs along the inner arm from the armpit to just above the elbow, where it’s least visible with your arms down. It’s permanent but usually fades over several months to a year, especially with silicone gel and sun protection.
How long should I wait after weight loss?
Your weight should be stable before an arm lift, ideally for at least 6–12 months. Further weight changes can affect your result.
When can I use my arms normally?
You can use your arms for light daily tasks soon after surgery, but avoid lifting, reaching overhead or stretching the incisions for 1–2 months. Most people return to desk work after about 1 week.
Can an arm lift be combined with other procedures?
Yes. It’s often combined with liposuction, a breast lift or a body lift after major weight loss. Your surgeon may recommend staged operations if several areas are treated.
Will I have numbness in my arm?
Numbness or tingling around the incision is common and usually improves over several weeks to months.
When can I go back to the gym?
Light activity resumes within a week or two, but avoid anything that loads or stretches the arms — weights, pushing, pulling, overhead movements — for four to eight weeks. Tension across a healing arm incision is precisely what widens the scar, so this restriction is worth respecting even when you feel ready.
Is it worth flying to Bangkok, Thailand for this procedure?
The cost saving on an arm lift alone may or may not justify the trip depending on where you are travelling from — it is a mid-sized procedure. Where it clearly makes sense is in combination: most patients who want an arm lift after weight loss also want a tummy tuck, thigh lift, or breast procedure, and doing several in one trip under one anaesthetic changes the economics considerably. Allow around two weeks in Thailand for suture removal and wound review before flying home.
How long should I stay in Bangkok after an arm lift?
Plan to stay in Bangkok for about 7–10 days. This allows for stitch removal at 7 days and a follow-up check before you fly home. Kamol Trip can arrange accommodation close to the hospital.
