Arm lift and thigh lift (Thigh plasty)
After substantial weight loss one often ends up with excess loose skin around the upper arms and /or thighs.
ARM LIFT
An arm lift is a very common operation and a good solution for excess skin in the lower part of the upper arms.
Skin can be weak and overstretched because of weight loss or ageing.
Sometimes this skin can even become an obstacle for comfortable movements, but it is mainly for cosmetic reasons that an armlift is carried out.
Surgery
The armlift takes place under general anaesthetic and lasts for about two hours. The excess skin is removed. In order to remove sub skin fat tissue as well this cosmetic surgery is sometimes carried out in combination with liposculpture. The scar runs from the armpit down to the elbow along the inner part of the upper arm.
Care
The dressing on the wound will need to stay in place for two weeks. After two weeks it will be removed together with the stitches. Arms need to rest for about 4 weeks. After this you can do everything as normal. Even though the greatest care is taken when closing the wound, scars will remain visible. They will become less so, but this can take up to a year. During this time you are advised to protect the scar from the sun.
THIGH LIFT (Thigh plasty)
Excess slack skin at the insides of the upper legs can be caused by serious weight loss, pregnancy, or because elasticity has diminished with age.
Weak overstretched skin at the inside of your thighs, especially when it sags, is often considered unaesthetic. If thighs are heavy, their skin will rub against each other when walking. This causes irritation and is seen as a problem particularly during the warm summer months.
Thigh lift surgery
When folds are not too deep removing skin underneath the groin fold will suffice. The scar will then be below the bikini line. When there is more excess skin also the subskin tissue will need to be removed along the upper leg as far down as 10 cm above the knee. The scar then runs vertically along the inner back side of the thigh. If necessary the plastic surgeon will in both cases apply liposculpture to suck away any excess fat.
After care
Walking will be especially difficult the first few days. For a period of six weeks you will need to wear special tights that will provide extra support for the skin of the thigh area as well as for the scar. It will take some weeks before you will be able to admire the final result of the thigh plasty. Scars will become less visible as time goes by, but this can take years. To encourage healing you can opt for endermology treatment (LPG) which will speed up the process of the skin becoming more firm and more beautiful after the thigh lift.
