An arm lift is considered when the following conditions occur

• Excessive loose and sagging skin of the upper arms
• Significant looseness of the skin, where liposuction cannot improve the appearance.
• The skin of the upper arms is not tightened adequately with exercise alone

• Candidates who have not had a mastectomy or operations in the axillary lymph nodes
• Candidates without multiple infections of the sweat gland.
• Candidates who are physically healthy, psychologically healthy and have realistic expectations from the procedure
• Candidates who seek improvement rather than perfection

• Bleeding, infection
• Heavy scarring and numbness
• Persistent swelling of the arm
• Nerve injury that can result in numbness and change in feeling

• During the initial consultation, a thorough discussion on the expectations of the patient is understood
• The surgeon shall perform a medical evaluation to rule out factors that may affect the procedure such as uncontrolled high blood pressure, blood clotting problems, or the tendency to form excessive scars.
• Photographs are taken for further comparison after procedure.
• The doctor discusses and advises on options of anaesthesia, surgery, type of facilities and cost with the patient.
• The patient must inform doctor of any previous injury or surgery, allergies, infections, smoking habits, recreational drugs and medications being taken.
• The doctor provides guidelines on eating and drinking, smoking, taking or avoiding certain vitamins and medications
• Steroid injections may be given before the surgery to reduce swelling
• Vitamins may be prescribed to promote healing
• The patient must arrange for transportation and assistance to leave for home after the surgery.

• This operation is usually done as an outpatient under general anaesthesia or local anaesthesia with sedation.
• An incision is made that runs from the armpit to the elbow, along the inside of the arm.
• The excess skin and tissue are removed and the incisions are sutured.
• The upper arm is either wrapped or placed in an elastic sleeve to reduce swelling.

Length of surgery: 1-2 hours

The surgery is done as an outpatient procedure.

• Patients may experience some numbness and temporary discomfort around the incision, which can be controlled with prescription medication.
• The arms are either wrapped or placed in a compression garment at the end of the procedure to assist in the natural shrinking and tightening of the skin and to help reduce swelling
• Sutures are usually removed within the first 2 or 3 weeks.
• The bandages are removed in 1-7 days.
• Initial healing usually occurs in 10 to 14 days.
• Swelling and bruising gradually disappear over 3 to 4 weeks and all swelling is gone in 3 to 6 months.
• The scars fade in 6 to 24 months, depending on the skin.

• The patient must protect the incisions after surgery.
• The hands may be kept elevated to increase comfort.
• The compression garment must be worn for six weeks following the procedure.
• The first three weeks - for 24 hours per day,
• The second three weeks - for 12 hours per day.
• Light activity is possible within 7-10 days and will become more comfortable over 2-3 weeks post-operatively. 
• The patient must refrain from heavy lifting (anything greater than 10 pounds) for the first three weeks and any type of vigorous (aerobic) activities for at least four to six weeks. 
• The patient can return to work within a week or two.

The final result typically takes about three to six months to show.