Upper Arm Lift (Brachioplasty)

Arm Lift Surgery in Tampa

Losing a large amount of weight is a huge accomplishment and will yield amazing health and lifestyle benefits. Don’t be discouraged by excess skin along your arms. Take the final step in reshaping your body and tone your arms with an upper arm lift.

Arm lift surgery with Tampa board certified plastic surgeon Dr. Castor can help to reduce excess skin along your upper arms. Dr. Castor has helped many of his patients achieve slim and youthful contours with arm lift surgery.

Is an Arm Lift Right for Me?

Arm lift surgery is most common with men and women who have lost a large amount of weight and are struggling with excess, hanging skin. However, other factors such as age or genetics can cause skin along the upper arms to sag. Like the tummy tuck, the goal of the arm lift is to achieve a firm, taut appearance through the reshaping of the underlying tissue and removal of excess skin.

This surgery is not intended for the removal of excess fat, but Dr. Castor may recommend supplementing your arm lift with a liposuction procedure for the best results. In some cases, if you are still looking to lose some weight, it may be best to delay surgery.

How is an Arm Lift Performed?

To begin your arm lift, Dr. Castor will make an incision on the underside of your arm, extending from near your armpit to your elbow. From there, he can reshape the underlying tissue and remove any excess. The skin is then re-draped over your arm for a tighter, natural looking contour. Dr. Castor will then remove any excess skin before closing your incisions.

Following your surgery, there will be a faint scar. Dr. Castor’s patients are often thrilled with their results and the new shape of their arms.

Surgery Time: 1-2 hours
Back to Work In: 5-7 days
Results Last: Arm lift results are designed to provide you with long-lasting benefits that can be maintained with a healthy lifestyle and regular exercise.

(These numbers are based on average patient experiences)

How To Prepare For Arm Lift Surgery?

It is necessary to be well-prepared for surgery as well as for the recovery period that comes after. Preparation may come in stages. If you smoke, you will need to quit several weeks before having surgery. It is also very beneficial to focus your diet on healthy, whole foods that provide a balance of lean protein, healthy fats, and an abundance of vitamins, antioxidants, and minerals. Cleaning up your diet before surgery fuels your body with the nutrients it needs for recovery. During the week before arm lift surgery, it is necessary to avoid all medications and supplements that thin the blood. Our pre-op instructions may have a thorough list of products to avoid, such as ibuprofen, aspirin, and vitamin E. This pre-surgery week also needs to start focusing on recovery. You will have needed to arrange sufficient time off based on the type of work that you do. This can range from two weeks to six weeks or more. You also need to fill your post-op prescriptions so your pain-relieving medication is readily available on the day of surgery. In addition to arranging time off work, you also need to prepare a plan at home that includes help with cooking, childcare, and other necessary tasks. We highly recommend that patients have someone stay with them for at least two days following arm lift surgery.

How Much Skin Can Be Removed In An Arm Lift?

The Brachioplasty procedure is tailored to the individual. This surgery can remove a small amount of skin that has become lax with age or it can remove a significant amount of tissue that has loosened due to massive weight loss.

Can You Sleep On Your Side After An Arm Lift?

We advise patients to sleep on their backs after having the arm lift procedure. Regardless of how much contouring you've had done during your arm lift, the surgical area will be sore and tender for a week or two. Proper rest is imperative to optimal healing from Brachioplasty. At the same time, it is necessary to protect the arms from accidental bumps and friction. The ideal sleeping position after arm lift surgery is on your back with your head and your arms elevated. One thick pillow or a few softer pillows behind the neck and head should suffice. Then, each arm can rest on a thick pillow to help fluid naturally drain away from the surgical site. This sleeping position may only need to continue for three or four days. It may be easier to sleep elevated in a recliner than in the bed. It is helpful to begin practicing sleeping on your back before surgery so when it becomes absolutely necessary during recovery, it may not be much of a challenge.

How Long Do Arm Lift Scars Take To Fade?

Initially, your arm lift scars will look red or pink. The skin may look raised or slightly puckered in some places. These are all normal side effects that will improve over time. Generally, arm lift scars improve quite a bit in the first four to six weeks after surgery. However, the tissue around surgical incisions continues to remodel itself over the course of a year. During your follow-up appointment after arm lift surgery, we may discuss scar management options. Some people massage their surgical scars to help desensitize and flatten them. Some people apply silicone sheeting to promote optimal scar recovery. Using these scar management options, most arm lift patients see a remarkable improvement in their scarring over time.

How Painful Is An Arm Lift Recovery?

Having an arm lift can be intimidating. We use our arms in nearly every activity we do on a daily basis. That said, we ensure that our arm lift patients stay as comfortable as possible during recovery. During the initial week of recovery, the arms are heavily bandaged so may feel bulky or awkward. The bandages provide gentle compression that can help somewhat with soreness and tenderness. For the first several days, you will also manage comfort with prescription pain medication. This should be taken as directed. Do not wait until you feel pain to take your medication. Additionally, rest as much as possible. Aside from taking short walks a few times a day, it is best to avoid moving the arms unnecessarily until the soreness and swelling subside. These side effects improve significantly during the first week of recovery. After that point, pain can be managed using over-the-counter medication.

Begin Your Arm Lift in Tampa

Dr. Castor takes pride in seeing his arm lift patients thrilled with their beautiful results. If you are struggling with hanging skin or embarrassing “bat wings,” give Artisan Aesthetics Plastic Surgery and Laser Center a call to schedule your complimentary arm lift consultation. Dr. Stan Castor is a board certified plastic surgeon with offices in Tampa and New Tampa, Florida. Contact Dr. Castor at (813) 971-2000.

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Office Information

5383 Primrose Lake Circle
Suite A
Tampa, FL 33647

OPEN MONDAY - FRIDAY

8:00am - 5:00pm

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We will be out of the office Friday August 25 & Monday August 28 for our annual staff retreat! We will be back in office at 8:30 a.m. on Tuesday August 29. If you need to reach our office please call the office at 813-971-2000 to be directed to our on call service.

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