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Are You a Good Candidate for an Arm Lift Surgery?
You would be a good candidate for an arm lift surgery if you have
loose skin hanging from the bottom of your arms. You may notice that
the upper, inner part of your arms is not stretched and may sag when
you raise your arms to wave or may move back and forth when you clap
your hands. You may have lost a significant amount of weight that
left you with extra skin. You may feel that the overall volume of
the upper part of your arms is not big, they may look acceptable in
a tight long-sleeved shirt, but when not supported the skin sags
giving you an undesired droopy look. An arm lift surgery can correct
these issues. An arm lift can be performed in the late twenties if
significant weight was lost, however generally most candidates
opting for an arm lift are over 35.
Preparing for Your Surgery
Before your surgery, Dr. Metwally will perform a complete evaluation
with you. You may have excess skin or excess skin with fat deposits.
Dr. Metwally will evaluate your case, tell you whether or not you
will need liposuction with your arm lift surgery and explain to you
in full detail the procedure that best serves your case. You will
need to arrange for someone to drive you to and from our center the
day of the surgery. You should wear loose fitting clothes and bear
in mind that your outfit may get soiled. Do not wear jewelry,
contact lenses, or bring valuables to the operating room. Remove all
body jewelry from pierced body parts.
Duration of the Surgery
It takes Dr. Metwally around 2 to 2 and a half hours to perform an
arm lift surgery, depending on whether or not liposuction will be
performed simultaneously.
Anesthesia Used
The surgery is usually performed under general anesthesia (you will
be asleep throughout the procedure). You will be ready to leave
after 2 to 3 hours from the completion of your surgery.
During Your Surgery
During your surgery an incision will be made varying in length
according to the location and amount of skin removed. The incision
usually starts at the inside of the arm beneath the armpit till the
elbow. In cases with less skin, the incision extends from the arm
pit till half the distance between the arm pit and the elbow. Excess
skin and fat are then removed and the incision is sutured.
After Your Surgery
After your surgery your arms will be covered by a light dressing for
3 to 5 days. You will have some pain for the first 2 days. Dr.
Metwally will prescribe to you an antibiotic along with a pain
killer to prevent infection and alleviate pain.
You
may have drains to drain any fluids from your arms for 2 days. You may shower after
the dressing is removed. At this point you will be asked to wear a
compression garment for 4 weeks. Your arms will be a bit swollen and
if liposuction is performed some bruising will take place. The
initial swelling may take up to 2 weeks to subside. The stitches are
removed after 2 weeks from your surgery. Most people are able to go
back to work after a week from their surgery. Sports that require
vigorous arm movement or weight lifting should be avoided for a
month.
Seeing Your Result
How soon the result starts to show often varies from one person to
the other depending on many factors. Some people heal faster than
others for reasons like age, skin color and skin type. Other factors
are related to the level of correction made in the surgery like the
amount of fat and excess skin removed and the surgeon’s skills.
According to Dr. Metwally’s observation of his own patients, most of
them start seeing results as early as the 7th day of the surgery and
the final result usually takes 8 weeks. The scar from the incision
fades gradually reaching a thin white line from 12 to 18 months. The
result from a good arm lift is usually everlasting unless you gain
and then loose a significant amount of weight.
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