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An arm reduction involves removal of excess skin between the armpit and the elbow but may on occasion extend to the armpit or lateral chest wall, or even beyond the elbow. The length of the scar is related to the amount of excess skin the patient has. There is the rare patient in whom a more minimal procedure is performed with only an incision in the armpit. Axillary Arm Tuck
This lesser procedure known as an Axillary Arm Tuck achieves an improvement of only the more proximal arm and is frequently performed along with liposuction of the remainder of the arm. Although the incision and subsequent scar are shorter and confined to the armpit the degree of improvement is less. The decisions regarding the extent of the procedure are made during consultation with Dr. Murphy.
Recovery
Arm reductions are performed with either general or sedation anesthesia depending on the extent of the procedure, and are frequently combined with other procedures elsewhere on the body. Recovery of just an arm reduction is typically fairly pain free with early return to most activities. When combined with other procedures the recovery is usually dictated by the other procedure. Generally some sort of compression garment is worn for a number of weeks to help reduce swelling and promote earlier recovery. One of the easier to use forms of compression suggested to Dr. Murphy by one of his patients is tube socks with the toe cut off. They offer moderate compression and tend to stay in place.
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