Arm Lift in Dallas, TX

These are safe procedures, but there are some risks involved. An arm lift is open surgery, so it does involve the risks inherent with any surgery: excessive bleeding, poor incision healing, infection, poor wound recovery, reaction an anesthesia, and the like.

Specific to this procedure, these are the risks:

• Scarring — You will have visible scarring, but Dr. Farris does his best to locate the incisions on the bottom of the arm where they are hardly noticed. There is a rare risk that your incisions can become keloid scars, where they are raised and red. This can occur if the incisions are stressed before they have healed.
• Asymmetry between arms — The healing process can be somewhat unequal between arms, although this is not typical.
• Changes in skin sensation — Dr. Farris repositions arm tissues and this can impact your superficial sensory nerves. This is typically only temporary numbness, as your nerves adapt.

If you have excess tissue along your entire upper arm, the arm lift incision would extend on the inside aspect of your arm from your armpit to your elbow area. If the excess tissue is limited, you may be a candidate for a short scar arm lift where the incision is placed solely within the armpit.

Whenever human skin is cut, the collagen sent to repair the area creates a scar. That is simply the healing mechanisms at work. But as long as you limit sun exposure early in the healing process, your scars will fade dramatically over time. At first they will be red, but this will transition to white when they are fully healed. From there the white scars will become more and more faint and far less visible.

There tends to be a higher risk for wide scars in this part of the body compared to other areas. However, if you wear your compression garment and restrict your arm movement to reduce the tension on your incision, you can certainly diminish the risk for this problem.

Although your arm contour is evaluated for suitability for surgery, you should generally have a body mass index (BMI) of less than 30 in order to optimize safety and aesthetic result.

If you have little to no excess arm skin and good tone, liposuction can be considered as a treatment alone for the excess fatty tissue in your arms. If you have excess arm skin, then an arm lift is required. Liposuction can be performed in conjunction with an arm lift in certain cases where there is both abundant fat and skin excess.

Patients can usually return to work in just a week or two. Obviously, this varies with the individual patient. If your work involves lifting, you’ll have to have others do that for you. It will be about 10 days before you can drive. For the first week, you should limit activity to just walking.

You should refrain from any strenuous activity, exercise or heavy lifting for at least four weeks.

In certain cases such as a full-length arm lift, you may need a temporary drain to help collect fluid from the surgical site. This would help prevent fluid collections. Drains are typically removed within one week after surgery.

The need for an arm lift is usually a combination of the aging process and the gain and loss of a good amount of weight. As we age, the skin and muscles of our upper arms slacken. That is a universal event.

Excessive weight gain can often show itself in the upper arms. If that weight is lost, the skin that has been stretched can’t tighten back to its former degree of tautness. This leaves loose, sagging skin.

The key to maintaining the slimmer, contoured upper arms created by Dr. Farris with this surgery is to maintain a healthy weight and to make exercise a part of your life moving forward. This should include weight-bearing exercise across your body, but particularly your upper arms. You will inevitably have some future sagging; there isn’t any way anyone can avoid the changes made with time. But if you keep a healthy weight that sagging will never even approach the amount that made you opt to have this surgery. You’ll enjoy your slimmer upper arms the rest of your life.

These are intended as single procedures. They are not meant to be repeated years down the road. If you maintain a healthy weight and incorporate exercise into your life, there won’t be any need to have another arm lift.

An arm lift procedure typically takes one to three hours, depending on the extent of the surgery and whether you are undergoing any additional procedures.

You should avoid driving until you no longer need pain medication and can comfortably and safely control a vehicle.

Temporary weakness is common during recovery, but most patients regain full strength once fully healed.

It's best to be at or near your target weight before having an arm lift, as significant weight changes can affect the results.

Yes, there are various types, including a mini arm lift, which involves shorter incisions, and a full arm lift, which addresses more extensive skin sagging.

Dr. Farris will provide specific instructions, but preparation usually includes stopping certain medications, arranging post-surgery assistance, and avoiding smoking.

While initial results are visible immediately, final results may take months as swelling subsides and the skin adjusts.

During the consultation, Dr. Farris will evaluate your arms, discuss your goals, and explain the details of the procedure. He will also answer all your questions and offer recommendations for achieving the best results.