Brachioplasty (Arm Lift) in Atlanta, GA
Brachioplasty or arm lifts are increasing in popularity. For patients with excess in their upper arms, a brachioplasty is the best option to tighten the skin and create a beautiful arm contour. Here in Atlanta, the summers are hot! Patients want to feel comfortable wearing short sleeve shirts and sundresses. The arm lift can give them the confidence to show off their “guns” that in the past have been hiding under too much skin.
If you’ve lost a significant amount of weight or have found your skin in this area has become lax over time, Dr. Alderman provides cosmetic arm lift surgery in Atlanta, GA, near Buckhead.
Can You Benefit from an Arm Lift?
All ages can benefit from this procedure. The optimal patient is the one who has put in the time and effort to achieve the optimal body weight and strengthen the arms, but who cannot visualize their efforts due to the excess skin. One of Dr. Alderman’s most memorable patients was a young lady in her 30s who had lost a significant amount of weight, was working out at the gym every day, but was depressed because she could not see the results of all of her hard work and felt self-conscious in short sleeve shirts.
For patients who have worked diligently to achieve a healthy weight, this procedure can provide a significant boost in confidence as a reward for all of their hard effort. Weight loss and achieving better health make many patients feel beautiful, and brachioplasty can provide a gorgeous arm contour to match the rest of your figure. Dr. Alderman cherishes creating these amazing moments for her arm lift patients and their families.
Request a Consultation
If you’re in the Atlanta area and have any questions about an Arm Lift or wish to schedule a consultation on an Arm Lift with Dr. Alderman, please contact our office.
Request a ConsultationHow do I Decide between Arm Liposuction and Brachioplasty?
Dr. Alderman helps patients choose their approach to surgery after careful consideration of the scars. If she thinks she can make an improvement with liposuction only, that is the recommended treatment method so patients can benefit from minimal visible scarring. Liposuction will remove any unwanted excess fat in the upper arm with minimal scars. Liposuction is a same-day, minimally invasive treatment and is recommended whenever possible.
However, liposuction will not tighten the arm skin and is not the preferred procedure when a significant amount of weight has been lost. Many patients are frustrated when weightlifting and exercise tone their arm muscles but the surrounding excess skin covers up all of their hard work. Brachioplasty (which can be performed with liposuction of the arms) is the best way to tighten the sagging skin and improve arm contour.
The Brachioplasty Procedure: Incision Placement
Brachioplasty can be performed through a standard incision that generally extends from the elbow crease to the axilla (armpit). The specific details of scar placement are discussed with the patient at consultation. In a small percentage of patients, a “limited-incision” brachioplasty (sometimes called a mini arm lift) can be performed if the skin excess is limited to the most upper part of the arm near the axilla. In either case, a detailed postoperative scar regimen will be implemented to optimize surgical results.
Meet Dr. Alderman
Dr. Amy Alderman is a nationally known, board-certified plastic surgeon located in Buckhead near Atlanta. As a female surgeon and mother of two children, she provides a unique perspective to patient care. Each surgical plan is individually tailored to each patient’s needs and lifestyles and is aimed at enhancing her patient’s natural beauty and restoring confidence. She is known for her personal approach to patient care and has unparalleled commitment to patient safety, which can be attributed to years of education, professional experience and involvement in national patient safety initiatives.
Meet Dr. AldermanRecovering from your Arm Lift Surgery: Achieving Ideal Results
In general, this is not a very painful procedure and can be performed in an outpatient setting. Most patients require pain medications for only three to four days after surgery and can return to work about a week after surgery with lifting restrictions. Patients will wear a compressive garment for four to six weeks to control swelling. Typically patients can return to the gym and more strenuous physical activities within six weeks. Patients will be provided a comprehensive scar treatment plan to minimize the appearance of the incisions.
A drain is rarely required if liposuction is not performed in conjunction with the arm lift. If liposuction is performed, it is often helpful to have a drain placed in the surgical site so that excess fluid can be removed and not create undue tension on the skin closure. The drain is usually removed four to seven days after surgery.
Dr. Alderman goes to extra lengths to provide a meticulous closure and achieve the best scar possible. You will be in a scar management program for four to six weeks that will help keep your scars narrow and flat. Other treatment modalities can help improve the scar color, but in general, scars fade over 6 to 12 months to a fine line similar to the patient’s natural skin tone.
Are you dissatisfied with the appearance of your arms? Call us today to schedule a consultation to find out more about a brachioplasty/arm lift in Atlanta with Dr. Alderman.
View Gallery
Be sure to view our Before and After Photo Gallery of Brachioplasty procedures to see real patient results at North Atlanta Plastic Surgery.
Dr. Alderman’s National Efforts on this Topic
Chairperson of the Body Contouring Section for Aesthetica, a national cosmetic surgery meeting sponsored by the American Society of Plastic Surgery
American Society of Plastic Surgery Patient Safety Committee
ASPS Aesthetic Surgery Advisory Committee
Vice Chairperson, ASPS Education Aesthetic Council
Managing the Unfavorable Scar: When to Perform Surgical Revision. Challenging Complications in Plastic Surgery Symposium: Successful Management Strategies. Washington, DC, July 2012.
VTE Prevention in Cosmetic Surgery. Georgia Society of Plastic Surgery Annual Meeting, Aug 2013, Brasstown Resort, GA.
Patient Safety: Prevention of VTE in Cosmetic Surgery. QMP Aesthetic Surgery Symposium, Nov 2013, Chicago, IL
DVT Prophylaxis in the Breast Patient. ASPS Management of Complications in Plastic Surgery Symposium. March 28-29, 2014,Chicago, IL
The Complex Scar: New Strategies to Improve Appearance. Aesthetica, June 2016, Washington, DC.
Advances in Post-Bariatric Body Contouring, December 20, 2007, University of Michigan Bariatric Program.
Pannucci, C, Alderman, AK. Venous Thromboembolism and the Aesthetic Surgery Patient. Essentials of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery.
Alderman, AK, Kerrigan, CL, Lemaine, V, Pusic, AL, Vidal, DC. Evidence Based Medicine &Health Services Research in Plastic Surgery. In Plastic Surgery 1st Edition
Alderman, AK, Chung, KC. Outcomes for Surgical Guidance in Plastic Surgery: Measuring Outcomes in Aesthetic Surgery. Clinics in of Plastic Surgery, 2013:297-304.
Alderman, AK, Kerrigan, CL, Lemaine, V, Pusic, AL, Vidal, DC. Evidence Based Medicine &Health Services Research in Plastic Surgery. In Plastic Surgery 4th Edition
Kassen, AF, Cano, SJ, Alderman, AK, et al. The BODY-Q: A Patient-Reported Outcome Instrument for Weight Loss and Body Contouring Treatments. Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery Glob Open 2016;4:e679, April 13, 2016.
Arm Lift in Atlanta FAQs
During your brachioplasty recovery, you may have bandages applied to your incisions and your arms wrapped in a compression garment to minimize swelling. We will give you specific instructions on caring for the surgical wounds, which medications to take orally to aid healing and reduce pain, and a list of specific concerns to look for and when to follow up with Dr. Alderman.
In most cases, health insurance policies do not cover an arm lift. But if you need help with the cost, Dr. Alderman offers financing options to help you achieve your cosmetic goals.
Many factors can contribute to arm lift recovery duration. Your medical history, sex, age, and occupation can affect how long it takes for you to feel 100% yourself. Patients who are active and practice healthy habits established well before their operation are better able to handle their surgery and its recovery phase.
Dr. Alderman typically asks her patients to wear compression garments three to four weeks after arm lift surgery. However, you might need to use compression for a little bit longer, depending on your unique situation.
If liposuction is not part of your arm lift procedure, you probably won’t need drains. However, Dr. Alderman may use drains when performing brachioplasty in conjunction with liposuction to remove excess fluids without creating undue stress on the surgical site. You can usually have the drains removed four to seven days after your surgery.
We advise you not to participate in strenuous activities for a few weeks after surgery. That means no lifting your arms above your head, no driving, and no exercises that put pressure on your arms.
Dr. Alderman will customize your arm lift procedure based on your specific surgical goals. Different variables will affect your final price tag, which we will review with you during your consultation. When you receive your quote, you can choose how to proceed.