Arm liposuction is a procedure to remove the fat from the arms, usually the upper arm and shoulder area.

Liposuction is a good option for minimal to moderate fat removal that does not required skin tightening or excision (arm lift / brachioplasty). 

The Procedure:

It can be formed in the office under local anesthesia and oral sedation, or under general anesthesia at a surgery center.  

The procedure will take about 1 to 2 hours. Two very small inconspicuous incisions are made in one of the folds of skin near the elbow to hide the scar. A small incision is sometimes placed near the shoulder if needed.  Tumescent numbing medication as well as a medication to reduce bruising are injected into the fat. The fat is then removed with a small 2 mm cannula.

The result is a sleeker, smoother, thinner arm that you can be proud to show off in public.  A compressive wrap is placed once the procedure is completed that will need to be worn for about 4 weeks.

There are a number of reasons people consider arm liposuction. The best candidates are those that:

• Have realistic expectations of what can be achieved
• Are healthy and have remained at their current weight for more than six months
• Are unhappy with the stubborn, excess fat on their upper arms
• have good skin tone and elasticity
• Want to have a slimmer arms
• Want to have smoother, more youthful looking arms

After surgery you should rest at home and let yourself heal. Dr. Chang will send you home with a detailed recovery plan. There are a number of different ways to help aid recovery:

• All patients will wear a compressive arm wrap for about 4 weeks. A bulky surgical wrap is worn at first. This is replaced after a week with a more light-weight sleeve that can be worn out in public under clothing.
• Final results should not be expected for at least 3 to 6 months. The arms are presentable in about a week. The results may be visible to you at this time although be prepared for swelling and bruising.
  
• Most patients are presentable without drawing attention in 1 to 2 weeks.
• Sutures if any are removed in 10 to 14 days.
• Strenuous exercise should also be avoided for 2 to 4 weeks to help in the recovery process.
  
• Apply aquaphor ointment to exposed sutures and incisions should be applied twice a day until the sutures are removed.
• Most patients will take 3 to 7  days off work.
• Pain is minimal to moderate.

As with any surgery, there are associated risks. Only you can decide whether arm liposuction can achieve your goals and whether the recovery and risk is acceptable to you. Complications are rare but can include:

• Contour irregularities
• Excess skin
• Local bleeding or bruising
• Liposuction will often cause minor contour irregularities
• Relapse
• Infection particularly from the absorbable sutures
• Loss of sensation although rare
• Widened or thickened scar
• Asymmetry (unevenness between two sides)
• Delayed wound healing with skin or tissue necrosis
• Extra skin at the ends of the incisions
• Under-correction
• Over-correction

Unsatisfactory results may require additional procedures. Patients will generally be responsible for any associated facility fees. 

The fat cells that are removed are permanently removed from your body and will not grow back.

However, if you gain weight (around 10% or more of your body weight) following liposuction, the remaining cells will expand and grow larger and new fat cells will grow in the area liposuctioned and in other areas of the body.

Even with this kind of weight gain, the treated area still tends to look better than it did pre-liposuction.

The cost of arm liposuction will depend on whether or not additional procedures are performed such as an arm lift or liposuction in other areas. The type of anesthesia (local vs general) will also change the cost. See the price card below for more information.

There are a number of other surgical and non-surgical procedures that can be performed with arm liposuction. These include:

• Arm lift or brachioplasty
• Body liposuction
• breast augmentation or lift

There are!

Nonsurgical alternatives to liposuction are available if there is only minimal to moderate fat present. In general, they are effective but not as effective as liposuction.

Nonsurgical Options:

• Coolsculpting
• Kybella

The most significant benefit of either Coolsculpting or Kybella is that they are non-surgical, they are relatively painless, and they do not require any down-time.