The Arm Liposuction Procedure

Arm liposuction removes excess fat under the upper arms to make the arms look more shapely and younger. This surgery achieves results that are not possible with exercise and diet alone. As women age, the skin under their arms loses elasticity and tends to accumulate fat in this area as well. The end result is flabby, shaky armpits that can cause embarrassment and a reluctance to wear short sleeves.

Arm liposuction restores a slimmer appearance to the arms. This can boost self-confidence for women who are embarrassed by their apparently overly muscular arms or their wiggling armpits. Sometimes arm liposuction is combined with an arm lift. This helps to tighten loose, sagging skin, as sometimes happens after losing a lot of weight.

The procedure is performed on an outpatient basis and takes around two hours, although it can take up to 45 minutes or up to four hours to complete. General anesthesia can be used, but more commonly a local anesthetic is used along with a sedative.

To perform the surgery, the plastic surgeon makes small incisions in the arm and then inserts a cannula under the skin. This cannula is connected to a suction cup so the doctor can move the cannula under the skin and vacuum out the fat. To make the job easier, your doctor may inject a saline solution that helps break down fat or use an ultrasound device that works to liquefy fat so it can be suctioned out more easily.

After surgery, you may experience pain and discomfort for a few days that can be relieved with over-the-counter pain relievers or prescription medications. Swelling also accompanies arm liposuction. This can be somewhat controlled by the use of compression bands that maintain light but constant pressure around the arm. This keeps the incisions closed, promotes healing, and prevents swelling.

The swelling should go away within three weeks after surgery. You should be fully healed within approximately four to six weeks. You will probably need to take up to two weeks off work while you recover.

Not everyone is a good candidate for arm liposuction. It is not intended to be a weight loss method. In fact, you must be less than 20 pounds overweight to undergo this procedure. Its main goal is to correct abnormally shaped arms by removing unwanted fat deposits. The end result is that you have slimmer arms that make you look slimmer.

Complications from arm liposuction are rare. However, there are some risks. For one thing, if the surgeon removes too much fat, a woman may be left with masculine-looking arms or lumpy arms. There is also a risk of developing an infection at the incision site. If general anesthesia is used for the procedure, there are also associated risks, such as a reaction to the anesthesia and the risk of blood clots.

In general, arm liposuction is considered a safe procedure and most people are satisfied with the subsequent results. Arm liposuction can restore confidence and make arms look slimmer and younger. For anyone who is conscious about the appearance of their arms, arm liposuction can be a tremendous benefit.