Including Liposuction-Assisted Brachioplasty and Upper Arm Liposuction
Dr. Shailesh Vadodaria
Consultant Plastic Surgeon
Congratulations
Thank you for choosing MACS Clinic for your surgery.
Your operation has been carefully planned to improve the contour of your upper arms by removing excess skin, reducing fatty tissue where appropriate, and creating a smoother, more youthful arm profile.
The final outcome depends not only upon the surgery itself but also upon meticulous post-operative care and your commitment to following these instructions.
Please read this booklet carefully and keep it available during your recovery.
What to Expect
It is perfectly normal to experience:
- Swelling
- Bruising
- Mild bleeding through the dressings
- Tightness of the upper arms
- Temporary numbness
- Reduced sensation around the scars
- Mild discomfort
- Difficulty fully straightening the elbows initially
These symptoms usually improve gradually over the first several weeks.
Final results often continue to improve over 6–12 months.
Dressings
Immediately after surgery:
- Your wounds will be covered with sterile dressings.
- A bulky dressing may be applied initially.
- Compression garments will then be fitted.
Please keep the dressings:
- Clean
- Dry
- Intact
Do not remove dressings unless advised.
Compression Garment
Dr. Vadodaria strongly recommends wearing the compression garment continuously for approximately 6–8 weeks.
The garment helps to:
- Reduce swelling
- Improve skin retraction
- Minimise fluid collections
- Improve contour
- Support healing
Remove only for showering unless advised otherwise.
Medications
At MACS Clinic, Dr. Vadodaria routinely recommends:
Oral antibiotics
Please complete the entire prescribed course.
Pain relief
Take analgesics only as required.
Avoid exceeding the recommended dose.
Topical antibiotic ointment
Following your surgeon’s instructions:
Apply a thin layer of antibiotic ointment over the incision after cleansing if advised.
Showering
Usually permitted after your surgeon advises.
When showering:
- Allow clean water to run over the wounds.
- Avoid scrubbing.
- Pat dry gently.
- Replace compression garments afterwards.
Avoid:
- Baths
- Swimming pools
- Jacuzzis
- Saunas
until wounds have completely healed.
Arm Movement
Gentle movement is encouraged.
Avoid prolonged immobilisation.
However, avoid:
- lifting heavy objects
- pushing
- pulling
- weight training
- resistance exercises
- tennis
- golf
- rowing
- climbing
- yoga positions requiring upper body strength
until cleared by your surgeon.
Exercise
Walking is encouraged from the day of surgery.
For approximately six weeks avoid:
- Gym
- Weight lifting
- Heavy household work
- Gardening
- Heavy shopping bags
- Vigorous sports
Resume exercise gradually following medical advice.
Smoking
Smoking significantly increases the risk of:
- wound breakdown
- infection
- skin loss
- delayed healing
- poor scars
Dr. Vadodaria strongly advises:
Stop smoking at least 15 days before surgery and continue abstaining until complete wound healing has occurred.
This includes:
- cigarettes
- cigars
- vaping containing nicotine
- nicotine replacement unless specifically advised.
Nutrition
Maintain:
- adequate hydration
- high protein intake
- fruit and vegetables
- vitamins
Avoid excessive alcohol during the early recovery period.
Scar Care
Scars continue to mature for up to two years.
Once the wounds have completely healed and following your surgeon’s advice:
Begin:
- Silicone gel
- Silicone sheets
These help reduce:
- hypertrophic scars
- keloid formation
- redness
- scar thickening
Protect scars from sunlight using SPF 50 sunscreen for at least one year.
Lymphatic Massage
Once approved by your surgeon,
Deep lymphatic drainage massage may be commenced.
This may help reduce:
- swelling
- bruising
- firmness
- postoperative oedema
Massage should only be performed once healing is appropriate.
Follow-up
Routine appointments are generally arranged:
- Approximately one week
- Approximately six weeks
Additional reviews are arranged whenever clinically necessary.
Warning Signs
Please contact MACS Clinic immediately if you experience:
- Increasing redness
- Increasing swelling
- Pus
- Fever
- Persistent bleeding
- Opening of the wound
- Severe pain not relieved by medication
- Offensive discharge
Emergency Symptoms
Seek immediate medical attention by contacting:
- MACS Clinic
- NHS 111
- your GP
- local Urgent Treatment Centre
- Accident & Emergency Department
if you develop:
- Sudden swelling of one arm
- Marked swelling of both arms
- Severe pain
- Increasing numbness
- Fingers becoming cold or blue
- Chest pain
- Breathlessness
- Collapse
- Calf pain or swelling
Long-Term Expectations
Healing is gradual.
Residual swelling may persist for several months.
Scars usually continue improving over:
12–24 months.
Patience is essential.
Maintaining Your Result
Your long-term result depends upon maintaining:
- stable body weight
- healthy diet
- regular exercise
- avoidance of smoking
Major weight gain or significant weight loss may adversely affect the cosmetic outcome.
Possible Complications
Although most patients recover uneventfully, complications can occur.
These include:
General
- Bleeding
- Haematoma
- Infection
- Seroma
- Delayed healing
- Wound dehiscence
- Skin necrosis
- Fat necrosis
- Deep vein thrombosis
- Pulmonary embolism
- Anaesthetic complications
Scarring
- Hypertrophic scars
- Keloid scars
- Wide scars
- Pigmentary changes
- Thickened scars
- Persistent redness
Cosmetic
- Under-correction
- Over-correction
- Residual skin laxity
- Asymmetry
- Contour irregularities
- Skin rippling
- Residual fullness
- Dog-ear deformities
- Need for revision surgery
- Unsatisfactory aesthetic outcome
Nerve-related
- Temporary numbness
- Permanent numbness
- Altered sensation
- Hypersensitivity
- Rare motor nerve injury
- Temporary muscle weakness
- Permanent muscle weakness (rare)
Other
- Persistent swelling
- Lymphoedema (rare)
- Injury to deeper structures
- Delayed return to normal activities
- Requirement for further surgery
Realistic Expectations
Brachioplasty and arm liposuction are body contouring procedures—not weight-loss procedures.
The aim is to improve arm shape and proportion rather than achieve perfection.
Minor asymmetries exist naturally in almost every individual.
Although every effort is made to obtain an excellent result, no surgeon can guarantee perfect symmetry or complete scar invisibility.
Most patients experience a significant improvement in arm contour, confidence, clothing fit, and quality of life.
Contact MACS Clinic
- Phone: 020 7078 4378
- WhatsApp: 07792 648 726
- Email: enquiries@macsclinic.co.uk
- Website: www.macsclinic.co.uk
- BOOK a FREE Video Consultation: https://calendly.com/macsclinic/free-video-consultation?month=2025-01
