Brachioplasty will tighten the skin to improve harmony with the lower arm, and it is often done with liposuction in Tampa to improve contour.
Arm lifts require approximately 45 minutes to 1 hour per side to complete, depending upon the need for additional liposuction or extension into the armpit area. General anesthesia is used for patient comfort, and the procedure is performed as an outpatient.
The arm is marked preoperatively in the upright position to assess the quantity of skin to be removed and to determine incision placement. Incision placement is designed to provide the greatest degree of scar concealment, with the arms at ones side. At times, the skin excess may require extension below the elbow crease; however, it is often avoided to minimize scar appearance. The excessive fat and skin are removed in sections, and liposuction is used to smooth out irregularities after removal. Absorbable stitch material is used to provide closure, eliminating the need for stitch removal, and waterproof dressings are applied.
Some temporary numbness of the arms is common, which may be associated with some modest swelling of the hand and lower arm in the early period after cosmetic surgery in Tampa. The use of compressive bandages to the arms, as well as arm elevation, is encouraged. Some patients may require lymph massage to improve swelling. Showering is permissible with the waterproof dressings the next day. Return to work is approximately 1 week, and return to graduated exercise from 2 to 6 weeks. Final scar maturity is on the order of 6 to 8 months. Brachioplasty has a scar revision rate on the order of a 20% to 30% incidence.
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