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A brachioplasty is a procedure that tightens and removes loose or hanging skin from the arms — also known as an arm lift. This procedure is very popular for its ability to reduce sagging, excess skin on the arms, resulting in a trim and youthful appearance.
Patients seeking arm lift surgery in Houston, TX, should look no further than the Plastic Surgery Institute of Southeast Texas, where our own Dr. Lapuerta has been performing the procedure for over two decades. We are dedicated to providing personalized treatment for an arm lift in Houston to help patients feel good about the way they look.
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"I highly recommend Dr. Leo Lapuerta and his staff. The results are amazing and I could not be more happy!"
Review from B.A. | source: google | Mar 17, 2019
An arm lift, or Brachioplasty, is a form of plastic surgery to address sagging or loose skin on the arms. Weight loss, aging, and other factors that cause the body to change over time are common culprits for this condition, and an arm lift serves to remove excess or loose skin. The skin is then surgically reshaped, resulting in firm and tight arms.
Brachioplasty in Houston can help you feel more confident when wearing sleeveless clothes. Your arms look more toned in swimsuits or short sleeves, and you won’t have excess skin swinging back and forth as you move your arms.
The ideal candidate will be healthy and at their goal weight. Once they have lost all the desired weight, a Houston arm lift can allow them to enjoy the transformation by helping to tone up their triceps. Many patients consider plastic surgery after weight loss to address trouble areas, including the arms.
If your arms have hanging, excess skin and fatty tissue, an arm lift can drastically improve their appearance. There are two primary types of arm lift surgery: a traditional arm lift and a mini arm lift.
During arm lift surgery, an incision is made along the inner arm, from the armpit down toward the elbow. Once this incision has been made, liposuction may be used to remove excess fat, and any loose skin will be trimmed away. Depending on the extent of the surgery, a draining tube may be placed to help control bleeding. In patients with excessive drooping, where there is looseness within the internal tissue structures, a tightening technique will be used internally. These surgical efforts will result in a smaller circumference of the upper arm.
A mini arm lift has a similar surgical technique to the traditional version, but it only uses one small “ellipsis-shaped” incision near the armpit leaving a scar that is only visible when the arm is raised.
Dr. Lapuerta discusses your goals and performs a physical exam before developing a customized treatment plan based on your needs. Because he customizes the procedure for each patient, you can expect better results and recovery time. Additionally, Dr. Lapuerta uses innovative approaches to arm lift surgery in Houston to minimize scarring.
When considering an arm lift in Houston, you want to choose your surgeon carefully. Look for someone who has experience with arm lifts. Consider their credentials and certification and their assessment process.
They should be able to answer all questions you have about the procedure and provide a detailed overview of the procedure and recovery time. Ask for before and after photos of previous patients if they don’t have any on their website.
Dr. Lapuerta has over two decades of experience in plastic surgery, performing more than 30,000 procedures. He is a triple-board-certified plastic surgeon who must take continuing education courses to maintain his certification. He has received numerous positive testimonials by patients who have undergone arm lift surgery in Houston and are happy with their results.
The ideal candidate for an arm lift is someone unhappy with the appearance of their arms due to age or weight loss. All arm lift patients should be in good general health. It is advised that patients avoid smoking at least two weeks before surgery.
This is because smoking cigarettes has an impact on circulation and the delivery of needed blood cells to the wound.
Patients should also have realistic expectations for the results of their arm lift surgery. A consultation with Dr. Lapuerta will allow patients to have a strong understanding of what their arms will look like after they have fully recovered.
According to The American Society of Plastic Surgeons, brachioplasties are among the top 5 cosmetic procedures performed after weight loss. However, many patients who have recently lost weight have excess skin or stretch marks on many parts of their body, not just their arms. Several procedures can address these issues, such as panniculectomy surgery.
It is common for arm lift patients to combine their arm lift with another procedure. Some common techniques often combined during what is known as an “upper body lift” include liposuction, abdominoplasty (tummy tuck), and breast surgery (breast lift). Dr. Lapuerta and his team can help you create a treatment plan that addresses one or multiple lift procedures depending on your goals and your body’s unique anatomy.
If your arms have hanging excess skin and fatty tissue, an arm lift can drastically improve their appearance. There are two primary types of arm lift surgery: a traditional arm lift and a mini arm lift.
Here’s what to expect from the different techniques, during the actual procedure, and afterwards during the recovery period.
During arm lift surgery, an incision is made along the inner arm, from the armpit down toward the elbow. Once this incision has been made, liposuction may be used to remove excess fat, and any loose skin will be trimmed away.
Depending on the extent of the surgery, a draining tube may be placed to help control bleeding. In patients with excessive drooping, where there is looseness within the internal tissue structures, a tightening technique will be used internally. These surgical efforts will result in a smaller circumference of the upper arm.
A mini arm lift has a similar surgical technique to the traditional version, but it only uses one small “ellipsis-shaped” incision near the armpit leaving a scar that is only visible when the arm is raised.
Brachioplasty is performed under general anesthesia in Dr. Lapuerta’s on-site, accredited surgical facility and typically takes around 2 hours to complete.
It is considered an outpatient procedure. If this surgery is combined with another body contouring procedure, then the patient may be required to stay overnight in the hospital. Once patients are healthy enough to be discharged from the hospital, the Brachioplasty recovery process begins.
Following surgery, the arm should be kept elevated to help control swelling and promote circulation. For the first one to two weeks, the arm and other impacted areas will experience some swelling and bruising. Patients may need to wear a compression garment positioned near the incision site to help reduce swelling. This compression garment will help stimulate blood flow to aid the healing process. Once the swelling has gone down, you should be able to see the amazing results of your arm lift.
Patients will experience a slow return of normal function and should expect to miss somewhere between three to seven days of work. However, even after you return to work, arm and hand strength will be weak for the first several weeks as the internal tissues heal.
Light exercise can be resumed approximately two weeks after arm lift surgery, and more strenuous activity can be resumed around four to six weeks after surgery. As always, be sure to discuss these activities with your doctor during post-op check-ups.
Following surgery, patients can then begin to work on building muscle through strength training. Once the arms are healed, patients can resume exercise and weight training. This is a great way to gain additional shape to the arms.
The average arm lift cost is between $5,000-$8,000. Each arm lift procedure is personalized to that specific patient, addressing their desired goals.
It can also be tough to get an exact Brachioplasty cost because the procedure is often performed in conjunction with other body contouring procedures. In those cases, the price will increase.
The best way to get an accurate arm lift cost estimate is by scheduling a consultation with Dr. Lapuerta.
Recovery time
Average Procedure time
Post-op Follow-up
Procedure Recovery Location
1-2 Weeks
2 Hours
1 Week
Outpatient
Though you can expect some discomfort with an arm lift, the pain is manageable when you choose an experienced, board-certified plastic surgeon to perform the procedure. Any pain you experience will be short-lived and can be managed with over-the-counter or prescription medications.
An arm lift is a permanent surgery, which can be affected by weight gain and weight loss. As long as your weight doesn’t fluctuate, you can expect to enjoy the results for a long time. Your arms will change with age, which is normal.
There will be scars at the incision site following arm lift surgery. However, Dr. Lapuerta is an expert plastic surgeon, and he will do everything possible to minimize the visibility of any scarring during the surgery. Patients can expect any scarring to fade over time, and Dr. Lapuerta makes incisions in such a way as to try to make sure the scar is hidden in a place that is not highly visible to the average eye. It is recommended that patients avoid sun exposure during the first year to protect the incisions from any additional discoloration. Most patients believe the scars are a small trade-off for a new, shapelier arm. We will discuss scar care to help assist in the healing process.
Arm lift surgery can provide dramatic results to the upper arms. You can expect these results to last for years or even decades if you follow your doctor’s guidelines. The loose skin won’t return as long as you don’t gain and lose weight.
