The arms can often be an area of concern, particularly for women, as even very slim and toned individuals can experience an accumulation of excess skin and fat along the length of the arms. An arm lift is a surgical procedure to produce a more contoured and pleasing shape to the arm.
After any plastic surgery procedure, it’s important to allow the body adequate time to heal and here we explain what to expect after surgery and a guide to best brachioplasty recovery.
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Our brachioplasty recovery timeline
Recovering from a brachioplasty varies from patient to patient and depends on your body’s individual healing response, your age, your general health and the extent of the procedure.Â
The first 24 hours: a brachioplasty is typically performed as a day case procedure so you’ll be able to return home the same day. A general anaesthetic is used so you may feel slightly disorientated when you return to your room after surgery. We will elevate your arms and there will be compression bandages wrapped around them to reduce any swelling.
The first week: a brachioplasty is not usually considered a very painful procedure and any discomfort is managed with the appropriate painkillers. We recommend avoiding any lifting or stretching so it’s important to have someone on hand to help you post-surgery. Sleeping on your back with your arms elevated on pillows is also advised.
The first month: most patients return to work after two weeks, depending on how strenuous their job is. After a few weeks you should be able to resume all normal activities and exercise fully at six weeks. There may be some stiffness and swelling present in that first month. We advise that you continue to wear compression bandages or a specially designed compression garment to speed up the healing process.
Full recovery: scarring is a factor in any plastic surgery procedure and a brachioplasty does entail lengthy incisions on the arms. These will be very red and raised to begin with but over the next 12 to 18 months should fully fade and flatten. We advise all patients to quit smoking when undergoing surgery as it can result in compromised wound healing and a thicker scar.
Brachioplasty recovery FAQs
You should be able to resume most normal activities and return to work after two weeks although we advise you do not start exercising again for six weeks. The scars can take up to a year or more to heal fully.
Arms can be swollen for a few weeks after surgery which will gradually decrease although subtle swelling can persist for up to eight weeks or more. Wearing the specially designed compression garments and elevating your arms at rest can speed up the process.
We have recently relaunched the Karidis Clinic App, which supports you throughout your patient journey. A successful plastic surgery procedure goes beyond the operating room and the app provide invaluable advice on how to optimise your recovery process as well as sending you alerts for all your post-op check-ups.
At Karidis Clinic, all brachioplasty procedures are carried out by one of the best known body contouring surgeons in London, Mr Alex Karidis.
For UK-leading aftercare, get in touch today.
