Question
I Had a Bilateral Extensive Brachioplasty 5 Weeks Ago and My Arms are Uneven, What Are My Options?
I had a bilateral extensive brachioplasty 5 weeks ago. I have always had big arms, even as a child. I have lost 110 lbs on my own over the past 2 years and have been looking forward to the day I could wear short sleeves/sleevless shirts. But, one of my arms is bigger and as each week goes by my arm is starting to sag more and more underneath like it did before. I just wanna cry and my physcian doesn’t think theres an issue. He said I need to workout but that didn’t help before. Is there anything I can do?
Dr. Barr’s Response:
Swelling can persist for a long time after upper arm surgery
This swelling can be frustrating. The upper arms and calves can remain swollen much longer than other areas after surgery. I would recommend that you continue with your compression carments, manual lymphatic drainage, arm elevation and scar therapy. Time will usually allow the swelling and the asymmetry to even out. In my patients, if they have very thick arms, I do SmartLipo or ultrasonic liposuction 3 to 4 months before the brachioplasty to get maximal arm reduction and optimal post operative scars. If there is any residual asymmetry after all your swelling settles, your surgeon may discuss a slight reduction in volume by using SmartLipo. It provides great fat reduction and promotes skin tightening. Be patieint, upper arms can take a great deal of time to fully settle. All the Best. Scott Barr, MD, FRCSC, Plastic Surgeon.