Upper Arm Lift (Brachioplasty)

Many women are concerned about sagging of the upper arms with increasing age. If the problem is due to an accumulation of fat, then liposuction may be all that is required. However, if the skin is of poor quality, and there is not a particularly large collection of fat, then an upper arm lift is recommended.
For Upper Arm Lift, long incisions are made along the inner and under surface of the arm, often from armpit to elbow.

Inner Thigh, Hip and Buttock (Lower Body) Lift

These areas are considered together, as many patients request a combination of these body-lifting procedures. These procedures are becoming increasingly popular, particularly in the United States. A combination of all of these procedures is referred to as a Lower Body Lift.

It is also possible to combine these procedures with abdominoplasty – in a sense a “Whole Body Lift”.

For inner Thigh Lift, long incisions are made along the inner aspect of the thigh and / or in the groin crease. A Buttock Lift usually involves incisions in the buttock crease. And for Outer Thigh or Hip Lift, this involves “high leg” incisions, with scars similar to the cut of a French bathing suit.

Why do patients seek Body Lifting Procedures?

• Patients with excess skin and fat following significant weight loss
• Patients with folds of skin following weight loss.
• Patients with stretch marks, following weight loss.

What to consider at this stage

It is important that before you see the surgeon, you consider what you are trying to achieve from your surgery. In particular, you must understand that Body Lifting procedures are most definitely not a treatment for weight loss or obesity.

Technical Considerations of Body Lifting Surgery

• These operations are generally performed under general anaesthetic
• Both skin and excess fat are removed
• The operations take between two and five hours depending upon the extent of the surgery
• Patients stay in hospital overnight or longer
• A tight support garment is often recommended for two weeks or more
• Sutures are removed after about 10 days
• Expect to take up to two weeks off work
• You should not undertake any strenuous activity or lifting for at least two weeks
• Resume normal activity within four to six weeks
• The results are permanent, so long as the patient maintains his / her weight
• Whilst the scars associated with Lower Body Lift are long, it must not be thought that liposuction is therefore a better option. If the problem is one of sagging skin, then liposuction is unlikely to be of great benefit, and in fact may make the problem worse.
• It may take up to a year for the scars to settle
• Of all the scars created by cosmetic surgeons, those associated with body lifting procedures are amongst the most noticeable. However, most patients consider them well worth it, given the enormously beneficial effects that their surgery produces.

Following the Operation

As with all surgery, you must expect to feel bruised and sore. The treated areas are likely to be swollen. You will have to wear a tight support garment for several weeks. Most patients are able to fully resume normal activity within three to four weeks. Sutures will be removed after ten to fourteen days.

The most important thing to remember is that all body lifting procedures are associated with noticeable scars. As with all scars, they will fade over a period of time. In many patients, they heal to form very faint white lines. However, it is important to remember that no surgical scar ever totally disappears.

Risks & Complications

Cosmetic surgery is amongst the very safest of medical procedures. However, all patients must understand and accept that no surgical procedure is absolutely free from risk.

For further information concerning the risks and complications associated with Body Lifting procedures, please refer to Risks and Complications of Body Lifting Procedures.

At your Consultation, your surgeon will discuss these risks with you.

How long will the results of Body Lifting procedures last?

The very considerable benefits of body lifting procedures last extremely well. By maintaining a sensible weight, and preferably also exercising, the patient will be doing all they can to both maintain and even improve the result of their surgery. Any subsequent significant weight fluctuation may again result in some degree of skin sagging.