Arm Lift

• To remove excess skin that’s formed after a significant weight loss either due to a gastric bypass operation or diet and exercise.
• To improve the contour of your arm.
• To remove the skin of the arms affected by the stretch marks.
• To get rid of “bat wing” appearance of your arms.
• To address excess skin of your arms and the side of the chest.

Dr. Rayham performs Brachioplasty / Arm Lift procedures in an ambulatory surgery or hospital settings in Manhattan/NYC, Brooklyn or Staten Island, New York. This procedure generally lasts from one to three hours with the patient under a general anesthesia and asleep. You will generally be able to go home the day of your operation, unless you have medical reasons necessitating an overnight observation in the hospital.

The procedure is performed by placing an incision on the inner side of your upper arm. All attempts are made to place the incision in such a fashion so that final scar is not seen with the arm pointing down. The length of the incision is dependent on the extent of laxity and the amount of extra skin and tissue present. For patients who are candidates for a conservative approach the incision can be hidden completely in the armpit area . Sometimes incision is extended from the armpit to the upper third of the inner arm. For those who have a significant amount of extra skin and tissue the incision can be extended further down the arm. Patients with excess skin and fat extending from the arms to the sidewalls of their chest benefit from “L-Brachioplasty” technique. Extra skin and fat is removed and multiple layers of sutures are placed to hold the skin edges together. Sometimes prior to placing incisions liposuction of the arms is performed for better contouring of your arms.

Your procedure will usually last from one to three hours. Upon completion of your operation bandages will be placed around your arms to provide support and minimize the movement of the arms and the resultant discomfort. You may experience some pain associated with the surgery which is usually controlled well with pain medications. Upon discharge you will have prescriptions for pain medication that you will take as needed, and antibiotics that you will need to take for several days to decrease chances of infection. The sutures will be removed in about a week to ten days time period. You will go home with two tube drains, one in each arm, which will be removed within three to five days. Immediately after the surgery you should restrain from moving your arms above the shoulders. You should be able to resume your regular activities in about two weeks, although you should abstain from heavy lifting and strenuous exercise for several months. Upon completion of healing process maintaining proper diet and exercise routine should assure a long lasting result. The biggest drawback of this operation is possibility of forming visible scars on the inner side of your arms. Strict adherence to the instructions given to you post-operatively by Dr. Rayham should minimize the visibility of the scars and give you the best possible results.

Dr. Rayham encourages his patients to refrain from smoking for several weeks before and after the surgery. While complications are rare, Dr. Rayham will discuss the risks of your procedure with you prior to proceeding with surgery. If is important to be well-informed ahead of time. You can minimize potential problems by carefully following the directions given to you after surgery.

If you live in New York or nearby, you can either go home the day of your brachioplasty procedure or stay overnight in the hospital. Our out of town patients normally stay in New York, either in the hospital or in one of our recommended hotels, overnight and can be driven home the next day following their postoperative check-up with Dr. Rayham. If you need to fly home, Dr. Rayham would prefer you to stay in New York for at least one more day to minimize the discomfort associated with traveling. You should avoid driving for at least a week or until you feel comfortable moving your arms and no longer take narcotic pain medications.