Brachiplasty Questions

Ok. Who has had brachioplasty? Can I pick your brains"

How much does it cost?
Where did you have it?
How bad are the scars?
Is the scaring worth the tight skin?

I can't afford PS, but I think If I could have one thing done it would be this so that I could wear sleeveless and short sleeves. My skin hangs in pleats and it's so ugly. : (

I've got a ways to go but I agree, my arms bother me more than anywhere else at this point and it is winter so I'm wearling long sleeves anyway.  Will be interested in the answers.

my arms could use some work as well!  a friend of mine had it done....don't know the cost but the scars are really bad.  her arms are tiny now but the scar goes from the bend in her elbow to the center of her armpit.  when i saw it i decided if i have to wear sleeves to cover the scar i'd just as soon keep my money!  (the appearance of the scars might improve.....and.....it would be so nice to go sleeveless!!!  without the hangie down stuff flapping in the breeze)

i can actually live with the arms.....my thighs are my worst area!  they are so bad that i don't think just a thigh lift will do it!  so much stinking skin!  don't see a way to fix it without having incision down my leg to the knee!  but my first procedure will be tummy tuck!  hoping for the end of the year!  told hubby i'm saving my lunch money!

sorry i couldn't help!  best wishes to you!

Oh my thighs and knees are horrible, but I figure I can always hide those with capris in the summer. The arms . . . not so much and anything dressy seems to be sleevless and I'm sick of looking for cute shrugs.

But I did wonder if the scars were worse.

I am hating on my arms too. They are just so wrinkly. I have a friend who had the surgery and her scars were shocking to me. I have recently started lifting weights -- to fill them in a little. I have decided to not consider any plastics until I am 2 years out. I hear so much about how the skin and thickness in certain areas changes. I've decided to TRY and be patient.

I've wondered the same thing about the arm scars and whether I wouldn't just rather wear sleeves.  Now that I'm cleared to start working with light weights again, I'm hoping that will help.

I haven't lost enough weight to be in critical zone except maybe my thighs.  I wish those long legged swim suits from the turn of the century would come back.  :)   I have no idea what my tummy will look like when all this fat leaves.

What I really want is a face lift as that's the part of the body that is the most exposed.  My 60 years and lack of skin elasticity are really showing and it's just sad sad sad.  Last night I took a pic of my face with my iPhone and was horrified at how my neck and face look.  Sad but true.  Hard to hide ones face!  Everyone says things get better with time.  Here's hoping but my face and girls are probably going to get first crack at my son's inheritance.  :)

Pick away!

1. cost - well, insurance covered mine.

2. I had it at Evanston Hospital, just north of Chicago.

3. I was told that the scars would sink to flat by about 8 weeks.  It's 7 1/2 weeks, and they're almost there (originally it looked like I had ropes attached to the back of my arms!).  I'm using silicon strips on them daily for 9-15 hours, which helps them reduce, and will use them until I wind up going sleeveless (and then use them more if I have sleeves on during a particular day.  Per my surgeons, they see benefit in using the silicon for up to 6 months, and in some cases longer).

4. For me, the scarring is worth it because the loose skin was exacerbating a torn/chronically pulled chest wall muscle that wouldn't heal without the breast lift/reduction and brachio (which is why my insurance covered it).  The scar itself goes from just past the point of the elbow, back along the arm, across the back of the armpit, and just about down to the top of my bra side.  It's about 1-2 inches higher than the bra-line back lift scar.

You didn't ask, but I found the brachio to be more painful than any of the other surgeries I had done (of course, thighs aren't done yet - that *could* be worse), but it was more in the sense of sensitivity rather than actual pain/ache.

If you think of other questions - ask!

I also think we all scar differently. In my case, my skin is saggy and my scars are dark. Even my sugery scars are raised red welts still after 10 months. My friend, who had surgery three months before me and was heavier than me to start, has very little saggy skin and her scars are almost invisible. I really think it depends on the individual.

I had my arms done icw TT, BL so do not know how much I paid.  My surgery was 3 years ago.  My scars are not bad.  Dr said fair skinned people do not scar as bad as others.  My arms are a bit baggy still, but I think this is the best they can be.  I can wear sleeveless, but do not wear them much.  I am glad I had them done, but they are not great.  I LOVE my TT and BL

Ruby
RNY  3/2005
262/125/134
hi/lo/today   

Thanks. Just speculating as I don't see me doing it. I'd LOVE to have my neck and jowls done. I think I look 10 years older since my surgery. : (. Not regretting it for a single minute, but it has aged me. It's all a trade off I guess. I feel so much better that I'm willing to look a bit older.