INTRODUCTION TO TRAVERSE CITY ARM LIFT/BRACHIOPLASTYWeight gain and loss cycles, aging and even genetics can influence changes in your appearance, including the upper arm area, which can become droopy, saggy and literally “wave” when you move your arm. Some people call them “bat wings” because they can be so unattractive. It can keep women (and men too) from wearing short or sleeveless shirts due to the embarrassment of the hanging skin and make long-sleeve shirts appear “stuffed” in the upper arm area. An arm lift, called brachioplasty by the medical profession, can reshape the under part of the upper arm to reduce excessive sagging from the armpit to the elbow by removing excessive skin and tissue to redefine the upper arm.

APPROPRIATE CANDIDATES FOR TRAVERSE CITY UPPER ARM SURGERY
The best candidates for upper arm reshaping are healthy adult men and women who are concerned that their sagging upper arms draw too much attention away from the rest of their appearance, and that can be corrected through surgical means. If you have recently lost weight and this has resulted in sagging skin under the upper arm, it’s wise that you lose all the weight you intend to lose prior to this procedure, as regaining weight will tend to undo the results.  It’s important to understand that there will be a fairly long scar from approximately the elbow up to the armpit. This scar will fade with time but it will always be there. However, Dr. Smith’s patients gladly trade their waving upper arm area for a thin scar and a better contour.

HOW A TRAVERSE CITY BRACHIOPLASTY PROCEDURE IS PERFORMED
Dr. F. Matthew Smith performs most of his cosmetic surgeries, including brachioplasty surgeries, in the accredited surgery suite at the Munson Medical Center. With the latest, cutting-edge equipment and a fully trained staff, the Munson Medical Center is an ideal place for his patients.

Because Dr. Smith wants to ensure a well-controlled and safe surgical experience that is comfortable for his patient, general anesthesia is used for arm lift procedures. It’s possible that IV sedation and local anesthesia may be used, depending on the extent of the procedure. This will be confirmed at your consultation at Dr. Smith’s Traverse City plastic surgery office.

Once anesthesia has been induced, an incision is made on the underside of the upper arm, the length of which will be based upon the amount of fatty tissue and excess skin that needs to be sculpted. Liposuction will be used to remove excess fatty tissue and then extra skin will be removed. After tiny absorbable sutures have been used to close the skin’s edges in its new position, the area is bandaged. A compression bandage may be wrapped around the area to minimize swelling and aid in healing.

RECOVERY FROM TRAVERSE CITY, MICHIGAN UPPER ARM SURGERY
You should expect swelling in the arms that may last for a week or more. You will find that for the first few days, ice packs (or frozen peas) are wonderful to reduce any swelling and make you more comfortable, as is keeping the arms elevated. Tylenol is usually enough for discomfort but Dr. Smith will prescribe something stronger if necessary.

Until the arms are completely healed, you may still have swelling and bruising but you can hide this with foundation makeup if you choose to wear short or sleeveless shirts. Dr. Smith advises against any strenuous activities, sports or exercise during the recovery period that might damage the area. In most cases, the final appearance takes about three months, by which time the last remnant of swelling will have resolved.

Dr. Matthew Smith’s Traverse City body sculpting patients have a high satisfaction rate with this procedure. Please call us today for a consultation to discuss your interest in an ear procedure at our Traverse City plastic surgery office.