Arm Lift in Marylebone, London

An arm lift is a body contouring procedure (often for people who have already lost a significant amount of weight) rather than to achieve overall weight loss. If you are planning to lose weight or are overweight, it might be better to postpone having an arm lift. Mr Khoda will assess you and advise you about your options during your consultation.

The procedure takes between 60 and 90 minutes, depending on the extent of surgery. If arm lift surgery is performed in conjunction with other procedures, the overall surgery time is longer.

An arm lift at BK Aesthetics involves a general anaesthetic and an overnight stay in hospital.

Most of our patients take 3 weeks off work to recover, during and after which time Mr Khoda recommends the following:

• Wait 48 hours before showering
• Wait 4 – 7 days before showering to keep the dressings dry
• Be careful or ask for help when using your arms for 4 weeks
• No heavy lifting or strenuous activity is allowed for 6 weeks
• Wear the support garment provided for 6 weeks to promote healing
• Driving is not allowed until you can safely perform an emergency stop
• Gently massage the post-surgical area to maximise lymphatic drainage

Discomfort after an arm lift is usually minimal and can be managed using either prescription painkillers or over-the-counter pain relief medicines such as like Paracetamol. Aspirin and Ibuprofen are to be avoided, as they thin the blood and promote bleeding.

As you recover from arm lift surgery, you should expect:

• Moderate swelling and bruising, which should resolve in a matter of days or weeks.
• Your sutures will dissolve and your bandages will be removed after a week.
• Hands and wrists can swell after arm lift surgery. To minimise this, keep your arms elevated on pillows whenever possible.
• 2 – 4 post-operative visits are usually required, but more could be needed for scar management purposes.

If you smoke, are taking blood-thinning (anti-coagulation) medication, are overweight or planning on losing weight, or have significant health problems, Mr Khoda will assess you carefully and might advise you to wait before undergoing arm lift surgery, or even to avoid it altogether.

All surgeries can lead to complications, but Mr Khoda works in a safe and consistent manner to minimise any risks. He uses the non-touch technique, avoiding skin contact with any part of the wound or any substance or surface that will come into contact with the wound, such as the inner surface of dressings. The most common complications with surgery are bleeding, haematomas, infection, numbness, alteration in nipple sensation, and the need to return to theatre for further procedures. Surgery also presents a risk of deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism.

Some of the potential complications specific to arm lift surgery are bleeding, pain, slow healing, infection, excessive scarring, asymmetry, numb or sensitive skin, uneven skin contour, fluid build-up, and puckering of the scar ends. The risk of stretched scarring is high as this is a mobile surface that will stretch the scar. It is vital to follow Mr Khoda’s advice on scar management to reduce this risk.