Reducing Scars After Brachioplasty (Arm Lift) Surgery

Every surgical procedure results in a scar, which typically heals over time and ideally fades into a fine white line. However, scars from Arm Lift (Brachioplasty) surgery have a higher tendency to develop excessively, sometimes forming hypertrophic or keloid scars. To help minimise scarring, Specialist Plastic Surgeon Dr Eddy Dona provides comprehensive guidance on scar reduction as part of your consultation before surgery. Understanding that visible or abnormal scarring can be distressing for many patients, Dr Dona has created this guide to help you achieve the best possible healing and aesthetic outcome after your Arm Lift procedure.

THE SCARS FROM ARM LIFT SURGERY

The scar length and location from an Arm Lift surgery depend on the amount of excess skin that needs to be removed. If there is only a small amount of loose skin concentrated near the armpit, the scar may be relatively short and confined within the armpit area. However, for individuals with more significant excess skin, the incision may need to extend further down the arm, often from the armpit to the elbow. In cases where there is a large amount of excess skin extending beyond the upper arm and onto the sides of the chest – which is not uncommon after massive weight loss – the incision may need to be extended to provide optimal contouring to this region.

HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE FOR SCARS TO FADE AFTER ARM LIFT SURGERY?

Scars after Arm Lift surgery can take up to 2 years (24 months) to mature, although they will typically start to fade after 6 months. After healing is complete, Arm Lift scars often fade to a fine line but don’t disappear entirely and may be visibly lighter than the surrounding skin.

However, unlike scars in other parts of the body, scars associated with Arm Lift surgery do have a greater tendency of becoming hypertrophic or keloid – thick raised and red.

FACTORS THAT MAY AFFECT SCAR HEALING

Individual Differences

People have different healing abilities, and this also impacts scar healing. Generally, scars after Arm Lift surgery tend to form hypertrophic and keloid scars more often. Hypertrophic scars are thick, raised, and discolored scars that remain within the boundaries of the initial wound. In contrast, keloid scars extend beyond the margins of the initial wound and are darker than the surrounding skin.

Keloid scarring is common in people of Asian, African, and Hispanic backgrounds. If you’ve had a hypertrophic or keloid scar before, or you have a family history of either scar, then you’re also at a higher risk of developing them after Arm Lift surgery.

Your history of scarring is an important topic to discuss with Dr Dona when you come in for Arm Lift surgery.

Finally, younger and healthier people tend to form better scars than older people with underlying medical conditions like diabetes.

Wound Infection

Any interruption in the normal wound healing process caused by an infection puts you at risk of having an abnormal scar. Wound infection prolongs tissue inflammation and the healing response and can cause excessive collagen formation.

Lifestyle Choices

People who smoke or take alcohol excessively are always at risk of poor wound healing and abnormal scarring. Smoking impairs the blood flow and oxygen delivery to injured tissue, while alcohol impairs the normal inflammatory response, thereby causing slower healing and poor scarring.

TIPS FOR ARM LIFT SCAR HEALING

Choose An Experienced Surgeon

Specialist Plastic Surgeon Eddy Dona has extensive experience performing this procedure, which obviously plays an important role in your final scar quality. Experts determine favourable placements and lengths of Arm Lift incisions using the best techniques to keep scars as small as possible. Furthermore, your post-operative plan will be detailed and involve multiple weekly in-clinic post-operative care visits with our nursing team for several weeks. You will receive your post-operative clinic appointment schedule prior to your surgery. This is designed to allow our team of nurses and Dr Dona to monitor your progress, commence post-operative treatments and wound care, and ensure you achieve all the correct recovery milestones.

Avoid Smoking and Eat A Balanced Diet

Smoking will alter the body’s normal healing process, and that’s why non-smokers are considered ideal candidates for Arm Lift surgery because they have better chances at healing normally.

Furthermore, a balanced diet, especially one containing minerals and vitamins like Zinc and vitamins A, C, and E, helps the skin heal well and scars normally. You should also drink lots of water to stay hydrated during recovery because healthy skin is always well-hydrated.

Stay Out of The Sun

UV rays from the sun will affect the necessary collagen formation required in scar formation, along with increasing the final pigmentation of your scar.

Of course, sun exposure will also affect general skin quality and result in accelerated aging and increased risk of skin cancers.

With this in mind, UV protection is vital for general skin health, and especially on healing wounds / scars. You should also apply sunscreen daily and wear long-sleeved clothing to protect your scar.

Leave the Scar Alone

When you wake up from Arm Lift surgery, you’ll be wearing a compression garment on your arm. These tight sleeves control swelling and reduce tension on the wound so that the arm can heal to an optimal shape with minimal scarring. Even after the compression garments are taken off weeks later, you risk worsening a scar if you pick at your skin as it forms scabs along the incision line.

Dr Dona also advises keeping the incision clean by avoiding baths and swimming for a few weeks as part of your rest and recovery after Arm Lift surgery. Infections at any point during wound healing can alter the scar’s final appearance.

SCAR REDUCTION OPTIONS

It’s possible to have an excessive scar after taking all the necessary precautions. However, it’s not the final verdict because there are a few options for scar reduction.

Light Therapy for Scar Reduction

At Bella Plastic Surgery, LED therapy is an integral part of our post-operative care. Typically, you will receive 2-3 sessions per week for the first few weeks at a minimum. LED light therapy can help reduce scar redness and help Arm Lift scars fade faster. Light therapy promotes the healing cells that mature your surgical scars much quicker, thus providing optimal scar formation. Like steroid injections, you need several sessions for the best results.

Silicone Scar Sheets

Silicone has many properties that make it suitable for scar reduction after Arm Lift surgery. First, it improves skin hydration and reduces scar itching and discomfort. It also acts as a barrier to keep out infectious organisms and regulates collagen production. Hence, applying a clean silicone sheet every day can augment the skin’s natural repair mechanism and improve scar healing. Silicone strips exert gentle pressure on the scar, which helps to break down excess collagen production that can lead to raised and hypertrophic scars. Silicone scar sheets can also enhance the appearance of excessive scars, like keloids.

Steroid Injections

Surgeons can inject abnormal scars (keloid scars) with steroids to elicit a natural healing response. This decreases tissue inflammation and slows down collagen growth within the scar. This treatment often helps to soften and flatten raised scars. For the best results, you will often need to repeat the steroid shots every few weeks to months.

Microneedling

Incorporating skin needling into post-operative care after Arm Lift surgery encourages healing and scar quality. Microneedling devices use tiny needles to create micro-injuries in the skin, which trigger the body’s natural healing response, improve scar texture, and reduce discoloration. You will also need multiple microneedling sessions for optimal results.

Scar Revision Surgery

Surgeons may resort to a minor surgery for large scars that refuse to heal properly. All they’ll do is cut out the scar around its margins and close the incision with stitches. However, with keloid scarring, there is still a high risk that this could recur.

HOW SOON AFTER SURGERY CAN I APPLY TOPICAL PRODUCTS ON ARM LIFT SCARS?

You may be able to apply topical products on Arm Lift scars as early as the fourth week, but it’s not always the case. The most important thing to consider is that the wound has completely closed and there are no signs of discharge or redness. Ask Dr Dona before you start applying topical products on Arm Lift scars.