Arm lift: what should you know about brachioplasty?

• What to do before the surgery?

  Some preparations are necessary before proceeding with the arm lift procedure itself. The first is indispensable, namely the preoperative consultation with the surgeon who will perform the operation.

  During this consultation, the surgical procedure will be thoroughly examined. Throughout the discussion, the practitioner will describe all the stages of the brachioplasty and provide the patient with as much detail as possible. The preoperative interview is also the time when various pieces of information necessary for the smooth running of the operation will be collected by the doctor. This could include the patient's medical history, any allergies, or any ongoing medication treatments. The interview will conclude with an analysis of the results and the professional's decision on whether or not to proceed with the operation. To supplement the results, the patient will need to undergo certain tests such as a blood analysis, an X-ray, or an allergy substance test.

  The two other preoperative stages involve physical preparation (adopting a healthy lifestyle, free from alcohol and tobacco) and mental preparation.

• How does the procedure take place?

  Brachioplasty, or arm lift surgery, unfolds in several key stages. The procedure begins with the administration of anaesthesia, which can be general or local, depending on the technique chosen by the surgeon and the patient's needs. Once the anaesthesia is administered, the practitioner makes incisions, usually located on the inner side of the arms, extending from the armpit to the elbow. These incisions allow access to the tissues to be removed. The next step is reshaping : the excess skin and fat are carefully removed. In some cases, additional liposuction is performed to remove persistent fat deposits and further refine the silhouette. The remaining tissues are then repositioned and sutured, to give the arms a firmer and more toned appearance. Finally, the operated area is protected by a bandage or dressing, to promote good healing and limit the risk of infection.

• How does the postoperative follow-up proceed?

  For the healing process to reach its conclusion, meticulous and personalised postoperative monitoring is required. Postoperative care is self-administered, which means that all instructions given by the surgeon must be followed to the letter, whether it involves wearing a compression garment, taking medication, or caring for the incisions.

  Plan for several postoperative consultations with the surgeon who performed the operation. These check-ups are necessary to monitor the progress of healing and to take appropriate action if it is proceeding abnormally.

The expected outcomes of an arm lift procedure include firming of the arms, enhancing their appearance and contour. The results may be noticeable immediately after the procedure, but are best observed at the end of the healing process. It's important to note that results can vary from one individual to another, depending on the patient's response to the procedure.

A study conducted on 24 patients suffering from skin laxity in the arms over the past two years has highlighted the effectiveness of L-shaped brachioplasty treatment. The L-shaped brachioplasty begins with an elongated elliptical incision, located on the lower half of the inner arm and extending to the deltopectoral groove, the area between the shoulder and the chest. A second, shorter ellipse starts from the armpit and descends at a right angle towards the chest, creating an inverted L shape. The V-shaped space formed between these two ellipses is then mobilised to lift the posterior axillary fold, the fold located at the back of the armpit. At the end of the procedure, the arm, the axillary region and the upper chest are firmed and reshaped, leaving a discreet L-shaped scar that strategically crosses the armpit.

The session lasted approximately 90 minutes for both sides and the treatment follow-up lasted 6 to 28 months. According to the study results, the majority of patients reported a significant improvement in elasticity and reduction in arm volume. However, the results of this study alone cannot confirm the effectiveness of the lifting treatment as the patient count is too low and the measured results were self-evaluated.

Arm lift surgery, although it is a procedure aimed at aesthetic improvement, remains a full-fledged surgical operation. As such, it can be accompanied by potential complications, such as bleeding, risk of infection, difficult scarring or slow healing. Asymmetries may appear between the two arms, as well as temporary numbness due to damage to small nerve endings. It is also possible for pigmentation disorders to occur at the level of scars or operated areas due to inflammation, immune response and damage to melanocytes. All these complications, although rare and generally well-managed, are systematically discussed with the patient during the preoperative consultation, so that they can give informed consent to the procedure.