Arm and Thigh Lift

Maintaining a state of health as good as possible and a weight appropriate to your age and height will help with a quick recovery, without complications. If you smoke, quit smoking six weeks before the operation; this will help with healing and reduce the chances of complications.

You should not remove/shave hair from the vicinity of the areas where the cuts will be placed on the skin. Maintaining strict hygiene will help reduce the risk of infection.

Arm lift surgery is usually performed either on an outpatient basis or in a surgery center or hospital, using general anesthesia, so that you are completely comfortable. During this procedure, the plastic surgeon makes incisions on the underside of the arms. These incisions, in most cases, start near the armpit and extend to the area around the elbow. The surgeon will then remove some of the excess skin tissue and reposition the skin on the underside of the arm, tightening and eliminating the flattened and sagging appearance of the skin. The incisions will be closed with sutures, and the arms will be bandaged.

The thigh lift is usually performed under general anesthesia. The procedure involves small incisions in the thigh and groin area. Your plastic surgeon will carefully determine where to make these incisions to minimize the visibility of scars so that you can wear a wide variety of clothing according to your personal preferences.
In some cases, the thigh lift also involves the area around the outer thigh and buttocks. In these cases, the incisions are somewhat longer and may extend from the buttocks to the abdomen and to the level of the groin area. During the pre-surgical consultation, your plastic surgeon will determine what type of thigh lift procedure will be best for you and exactly where the incisions will be made.
In the case of the inner thigh lift, as well as those that extend to the outer thighs and buttocks, the excess skin will be removed, and the remaining skin will be stretched and repositioned to create a smoother and firmer contour.

Immediately after arm and thigh lift surgery, you will wear a support garment that will help compress the surgical area. This garment is very similar to an elastic girdle and will help reduce swelling and support the skin around the surgical area to return to its natural stretch. Inner thigh lift and arm lift can usually be performed on an outpatient basis, while thigh lifts involving the outer thighs and buttocks may require a hospital stay, usually only a day or slightly longer. Any discomfort you experience can be controlled with medication prescribed by your plastic surgeon.

In a few weeks, you will notice that any swelling and bruising will disappear. In most cases, within 5 or 6 weeks, patients who have undergone an arm or thigh lift can resume most daily activities, including exercise. In 4 to 6 months, you will see the final results of your procedure, with a smoother, tighter, and more attractive contour of the thighs. Keep in mind that each person heals at their own pace. Your plastic surgeon will monitor your recovery during several follow-up visits.

• Exposure to direct sunlight or in tanning salons. Exposure to the sun causes skin damage. Exposure of operated areas and suture lines can lead to poor healing and hypo or hyperpigmentation color changes. Patients who want to expose themselves to the sun to tan should inform their doctor and postpone this activity until it is risk-free. The harmful effects of sun exposure also occur when using sunscreens.
• Travel. Any surgical procedure involves possible risks and complications that can delay healing and return to normal life. Please notify the surgeon of travel plans, important meetings planned so that the planning of the operation can be done efficiently. However, there are no guarantees that you will be able to return to planned activities on time.
• Long-term results. Changes in the results of the surgical procedure may occur over time due to aging. sun exposure, weight loss or gain, pregnancy, menopause or other circumstances unrelated to the procedure itself.
  Information for female patients. It is important to inform the surgeon if you are using contraceptives or if you have the slightest suspicion that you may be pregnant. Many antibiotics can decrease the effectiveness of birth control pills.
• Intimate relations after the surgical procedure. Surgery involves the coagulation of blood vessels to stop bleeding and physical activity of any kind can cause the opening of vessels and bleeding and/or hematoma formation. Activities that increase pulse and heart rate can cause additional bruising and bruising, inflammation and the need to open the operation to control bleeding.