Brachioplasty Chicago
Also known as an arm lift, Brachioplasty is a surgical procedure that restores the shape of the upper portion of the arm, from the armpit to the elbow, where stubborn fat and excess skin are usually most problematic.
Several factors can lead to deposits of excess fat and sagging skin in the upper arm. Aging is typically the most common; over time, the skin loses elasticity, and pockets of fat become more difficult to eliminate. Heredity, weight loss, and dramatic weight fluctuation can also lead to excess skin and fat in the upper arm.
AM I A CANDIDATE FOR BRACHIOPLASTY?
You may be a candidate for Brachioplasty if any of the following apply to you:
- Sagging skin under the upper arm
- Loss of shape and definition in the upper arm
- Excess deposits of fat in the upper portion of the underarm
Candidates for Brachioplasty should be in generally good physical health, non-smokers, and not have any medical conditions that impede the healing process. If you believe that you might be a candidate for Brachioplasty, schedule a consultation with the Plastic Surgery Clinic of Chicago.
WHAT TO EXPECT FROM YOUR CONSULTATION
During your consultation, you will speak with a board-certified plastic surgeon about your aesthetic goals. Your surgeon will examine your arms and discuss treatment options based on your aesthetic goals and body type. Be prepared to discuss your full medical history, including any preexisting medical conditions and previous surgeries.
Your plastic surgeon will review the entire process with you, through recovery and including any potential risks associated with Brachioplasty. If you have any questions that are not covered by your surgeon, the consultation is the best time to ask.
HOW BRACHIOPLASTY IS PERFORMED
After general anesthesia is administered, the plastic surgeon will make incisions, usually on the inner part of the arm or underside of the upper arm. Depending on the extent of the procedure, the incision may run from the armpit to just above the elbow.
If excess fat is an issue, the plastic surgeon will use liposuction to remove fatty deposits before reshaping the underlying tissue of the arm and tightening muscles. Internal sutures are used to hold the tissue in its new shape. The skin is then contoured over the arm, and any excess can be removed. The incisions will then be closed with absorbable sutures.
RECOVERY AFTER BRACHIOPLASTY
The results of an arm lift will be apparent almost immediately following the procedure. Your arms may be wrapped in compression bandages to minimize swelling and help the tissue maintain its new shape. A drain may be placed at the incision sites to remove any excess fluid.
Your plastic surgeon will prescribe pain medication and issue-specific instructions for post-surgical care. Swelling and bruising are normal following a Brachioplasty, and will usually subside in four to six weeks after the surgery.
POTENTIAL RISKS OF BRACHIOPLASTY
Any surgical procedure involves some potential risks. The risks associated with Brachioplasty may include:
- Bleeding
- Infection
- Hematoma (blood clot)
- Changes in skin sensation
- Skin discoloration
- Scarring
At the Plastic Surgery Clinic of Chicago, we take every precaution to avoid potential complications by employing the safest and most innovative techniques. You can further reduce the potential for risk by carefully following all instructions from your plastic surgeon, both before and after a procedure.
WHAT DOES BRACHIOPLASTY COST?
Although costs will vary according to geographic area and specific procedure type, the general cost of blepharoplasty in the United States is around $3,000, according to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons.
The Plastic Surgery Clinic of Chicago always provides a detailed breakdown of costs after an initial consultation. If the reason for undergoing eyelid surgery is a functional one, your health insurance provider may cover some of the cost. You should contact your insurance company before scheduling an appointment with us. The average cost of Brachioplasty in the United States is around $4,250, according to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons. However, this expense can fluctuate depending on your geographic location, the plastic surgeon performing the procedure, and the extent of your aesthetic goals. Be sure to discuss all associated costs with your surgeon during your consultation. Most medical insurers will not cover the cost of Brachioplasty because it is considered a cosmetic procedure.
SCHEDULE A CONSULTATION
If you are bothered by excess fat or sagging skin on your upper arms, brachioplasty may be the best option for you. Call the Plastic Surgery Clinic of Chicago to schedule a consultation with a board-certified plastic surgeon that specializes in aesthetic surgery of the body. We will walk you through every step of the procedure and will be happy to answer any questions you may have.
All surgical procedures by the Plastic Surgery Clinic of Chicago are performed at top hospitals in Chicago and CMS or AAAASF-certified surgical centers for safety.
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Beautiful and natural breast augmentation for this athletic and active patient. Periareolar incision, dual plane sub-muscular placement, 250 cc gel implants, and post-op 6 months. Posted with permission.
#plasticsurgery #plasticsurgeon #cosmeticsurgery #breastaugmentation #gummybear #gelimplants #chicago #chicagoplasticsurgery
Buccal fat pad removal can be an effective way to reduce the size of the cheeks and narrow the lower 1/3 of the face. This is a great example of how buccal fat pad removal can achieve facial balancing. In this case the patient’s facial configuration went from round to more heart-shaped and angular. Additionally, in the after photos, the face appears less bottom heavy and the maximal width of the face is at the cheek bones and not around the mouth. Posted with permission.
#plasticsurgery #plasticsurgeon #cosmeticsurgery #buccalfatpad #buccalfat #chicago #chicagoplasticsurgery
Imagine how much more you could physically do if you lost 10-15 lbs of excess abdominal skin. In this case we did liposuction of the abdomen and flanks and an abdominoplasty. The patient didn’t want liposuction of the back or 360 degree liposuction, which we typically perform in these cases. Happy for this patient and her dramatic transformation. Posted with permission.
#plasticsurgery #plasticsurgeon #cosmeticsurgery #tummytuck #abdominoplasty #liposuction
How much younger does this mid-70 year old patient look? 10 or 15 + years younger? This patient underwent an eyelid lift, facelift, neck lift and facial fat transfer. Pay close attention to the eyes, jawline and neck. Look at the angular jawline and youthful neck that we were able to create post-operatively. Posted with permission.
#plasticsurgery #plasticsurgeon #facelift #deepplanefacelift #necklift #eyelidlift #chicago #chicagoplasticsurgery
Happy for this patient and her 6 week post-operative result from a breast augmentation. We placed a 400 cc gel implant, in a sub-muscular plane, and through a periareolar incision. Posted with permission.
#plasticsurgery #plasticsurgeon #cosmeticsurgery #breastaugmentation #gelimplants #mastopexy #gummybear #chicago #chicagoplasticsurgery
Happy for this patient and her transformation. This patient is transfemale who underwent facial feminization. Can you tell what surgeries were performed? Still have to perform the tracheal shave. Posted with permission.
#plasticsurgery #plasticsurgeon #craniofacialsurgery #FFS #facialfeminization #chicago #chicagoplasticsurgery
6 month follow-up on a mastopexy augmentation case. The patient’s goals were to have her breasts lifted and the volume restored after pregnancy. No patient has perfectly symmetric breasts, which is normal. This case was challenging because of the asymmetries of the nipples; trying to lift, augment, and level the nipples all at the same time is difficult. Many variables to control but the post-operative photos demonstrate improved symmetry with all of the patient’s goals achieved. Posted with permission.
#plasticsurgery #plasticsurgeon #cosmeticsurgery #breastaugmentation #mastopexy #breastlift #gummybear #chicago #chicagoplasticsurgery
6 month follow-up on a challenging revision rhinoplasty case. The patient had 3 prior rhinoplasty surgeries by another surgeon and was not happy with the aesthetics of the dorsum or tip. In the pre-operative profile views, you can see a dorsal hump, under-projected tip, and abnormal alar-columellar relationship. On frontal view, there are asymmetries of the dorsal aesthetic lines and C-shape deviation of the nose. The goal of the surgery was to make the nose straighter, improve the dorsum and tip proportions, increase tip projection, and improve the alar-columellar relationship. Look closely at the post-operative profile views and how the tip, nostril and columella appear. Posted with permission.
#plasticsugery #plasticsurgeon #cosmeticsurgery #rhinoplasty #revisionrhinoplasty #chicago #chicagoplasticsurgery
Many ways to do a breast augmentation but the periareolar incision is a great option because the scar becomes imperceptible as the scar matures. This patient is 6 months out from a breast augmentation and the access incision we made was at the bottom border of the nipple areolar complex. It’s hard to see the scar at this point and the scar gets even better at the 12-18 month mark. Also, nipple sensation is unaffected after surgery. The other incisions that plastic surgeons use include an incision underneath the breast, at the breast fold, or the armpit. Each incision has their pros and cons but the periareolar is my preferred approach.
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Challenging #gynecomastia case where the patient had grade 2/3 gynecomastia or male breasts with excess skin and significant asymmetries. The challenging part of this case relates to how to manage the excess skin and achieve a symmetric result. Do you remove the excess skin which will leave scars or try to contract the skin with minimally invasive techniques? In this case I performed liposuction, removed the breast tissue through a nipple incision, and performed #Renuvion to facilitate contraction of the skin. Posted with permission.
#plasticsurgery #plasticsurgeon #cosmeticsurgery #gynecomastia #liposuction #Renuvion #chicago #chicagoplasticsurgery
Nasal reconstruction for a patient who had a full thickness defect or hole of the left nostril after Mohs surgery to remove a basal cell carcinoma. The patient was missing all three layers of the nose and if you look closely, you can see into the nose and visualize the septum. We re-built the nose using tissue from his forehead or a #forehead flap. In the post-operative photos, you can see a nice reconstruction of the nostril with restored form and function. Additionally, the reconstructed side is symmetric with the unaffected side. Posted with permission.
#plasticsurgery #plasticsurgeon #cosmeticsurgery #rhinoplasty #nasalreconstruction #chicago #chicagoplasticsurgery
3 month follow-up on this patient who wanted improvement in the projection of her chin and definition of the jawline. The patient has retrogenia or a small chin and underwent #chinaugmentation with a #genioplasty. In the pre-operative photos, you can see the chin is short and recessed and therefore I moved the chin forward and down. In the post-operative photos you can see improvement in the projection of the chin, a more defined jawline and neck, and a more balanced lower 1/3 of the face. This case highlights the advantages of a genioplasty versus a chin implant, a chin implant cannot lengthen and advance the chin to the same extent that a genioplasty can. Posted with permission.
#plasticsurgery #plasticsurgeon #cosmeticsurgery #genioplasty #chinaugmentation #craniofacialsurgery #chicago #chicagoplasticsurgery
Gym or surgery? This patient underwent hi-def liposuction or abdominal etching to improve the contour of the abdomen and to define the abdominal muscles. In the post-operative photos, the patient has natural washboard abs. Posted with permission.
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Long term follow-up on a revision mastopexy augmentation case. The patient had a previous augmentation with gel implants and wanted the implants removed, breasts lifted, and re-augmented with fat but downsized. The patient underwent explantation of the implants, a capsulectomy, a breast lift, and fat transfer to augment the breasts. In the post-operative photos, you can see the breast/nipples are lifted to a more aesthetic position and we were able to maintain volume, although smaller, with fat transfer alone. This patient has a very natural result using only fat from her abdomen to restore volume. Posted with permission.
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1 year follow-up on a primary rhinoplasty. This patient’s goals were a straighter profile, smaller and more refined tip, and a nose that was not drastically different. In the post-operative photos you can see the dorsal hump was removed and the nasal bones narrowed, the tip was refined, rotated, and projected more. Overall, still her nose but more refined and aesthetic. Posted with permission.
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Early follow-up on a #facialmasculinization surgery for a trans male who wanted to improve the contour of the lower 1/3 of the face and neck. The patient underwent a sliding #genioplasty, custom #mandibularimplants, and #neckliposuction to achieve his goals. We used computer software to design the cuts in the bone and #3Dprinting to make the custom mandibular implants. Can you see the improved contour of the chin, jawline, and neck in the post-operative photos? Posted with permission.
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1 year follow-up on a patient who wanted fuller and more symmetric breasts after having deflation with pregnancy. The patient is athletic and therefore it was very important to her to have a smaller augmentation that appeared natural. The patient underwent a breast augmentation with gel implants (250 cc) through a periareaolar incision and in a submuscular plane. Posted with permission.
#plasticsurgery #plasticsurgeon #breastaugmentation #gummybear #breastlift #cosmeticsurgery #chicago #chicagoplasticsurgery
This patient had a full thickness nasal defect of the left nostril after a skin cancer was removed by our Dermatology colleagues. Even though the wound is relatively small, this is a challenging reconstruction because all layers of the nose have to be rebuilt without making the reconstructed area bulky and noticeable. Also, you have to make the area strong enough so that the nostril doesn’t collapse as the area heals and scars. Posted with permission.
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A 1 year follow-up on a patient who wanted a rhinoplasty to remove the dorsal hump and improve the aesthetics of her tip. In this case the dorsal hump was removed, the nose made straighter, the tip refined, and the tip rotated and projected more. Her new nose fits her face without overtly changing the ethnic features of her face. Posted with permission.
#plasticsurgery #plasticsurgeon #rhinoplasty #ethnicrhinoplasty #nosejob #cosmeticsurgery #chicago #chicagoplasticsurgery
Proud of our research team for getting this important manuscript published in the #1 plastic surgery journal in the world. In this study, we looked at the published literature to develop guidelines on how to treat visual impairments related to droopy eyelids and excess skin of the eyelids.
#plasticsurgery #plasticsurgeon #cosmeticsurgery #blepharoplasty #eyelidlift #chicago #chicagoplasticsurgery
