3 Reasons Dr. Claytor Performs Arm Lifts with Local Anesthesia
Creating sleek, sculpted arms with an arm lift (brachioplasty) requires meticulous skill and advanced surgical techniques. While many surgeons use general anesthesia, Dr. Brannon Claytor has redefined the arm lift experience for his patients by performing the procedure, which removes excess skin and tightens underlying tissue, with only local anesthesia to numb the surgical area and an oral medication for relaxation. Below, we explain the top three reasons why this approach benefits patients.
1. Repositioning during surgery
One of the unique advantages of local anesthesia during an arm lift is that it allows patients to remain responsive during the procedure. This responsiveness enables you to reposition your arms as needed—a critical aspect for achieving a natural and balanced outcome.
Adjusting arm positions in real time helps Dr. Claytor view the arm’s appearance from every angle. He ensures the optimal amount of skin (and fat if needed) is removed and the remaining skin and tissue is reshaped to provide outstanding muscle definition and skin firmness along the triceps and biceps, as well as the inner and outer arms. Dr. Claytor incorporates this level of customization to refine arm lift results so that they best meet each patient’s aesthetic goals and create a symmetrical, beautifully natural final outcome.
“I would highly recommend it! I waited 13 years to do it, and I would not hesitate to do it again!”
—Actual arm lift patient
2. Less post-surgery discomfort and recovery
An unexpected yet significant benefit of performing an arm lift with local anesthesia is the reduction in post-surgical shoulder soreness. Under general anesthesia, patients are unconscious and thus cannot feel any unintentional discomfort that position changes by the surgeon or medical team may create in the shoulders after long periods of time. Remaining in this fixed position, immobile for the duration of the surgery, may lead to stiffness and discomfort in the shoulder and neck areas after the procedure.
With local anesthesia, however, patients can intermittently rest their arms during the operation as needed to minimize strain on the shoulder joints. This approach enhances the patient’s comfort during surgery, and also accelerates recovery by reducing muscle fatigue and soreness. Dr. Claytor’s patients report feeling more mobile and recovering faster than expected in the days following their procedure.
3. Communication with the care team
As transformative as arm lift results are, we understand that the surgery part of the experience can make some patients anxious. The opportunity to remain awake and feel no pain greatly reduces much of the pre-procedure anxiety patients may have. During surgery, Dr. Claytor’s patients are able to talk to him and the medical team at all times. Only the surgical area is numb, so when patients would like to rest their shoulders, they can simply tell the care team. Knowing they can communicate, ask any questions, be fully aware of their surroundings, and feel no pain is quite reassuring to anyone considering an arm lift in Bryn Mawr.
Avoiding general anesthesia also reduces the risk of complications associated with being fully sedated, such as nausea, grogginess, and extended recovery time.
Patients appreciate the quicker return to normalcy that local anesthesia offers, as it eliminates the lingering effects of heavy sedation.
Dr. Claytor’s approach to arm lifts: Drain-free recovery & minimal disruption to your routine
In addition to performing arm lifts under local anesthesia, Dr. Claytor’s advanced arm lift techniques do not require post-surgery drains to collect fluid build-up from the surgical sites. Surgical drains are sutured in place and require regular draining by the patient or caregiver. Drains can be cumbersome during recovery as they may limit certain body positions—they are usually worn for 1-3 weeks—and may cause infections or other complications. Dr. Claytor does not use drains in other plastic surgery procedures as well, such as a drainless tummy tuck.
Dr. Claytor also uses compression garments and surgical wraps sparingly so that patients aren’t confined for weeks, as is typical protocol for some plastic surgeons. Combining modern techniques and a thoughtful, gentle surgical approach makes Dr. Claytor the premier choice for those looking for arm lift surgery in Philadelphia.
If you’ve been considering an arm lift to restore tone and confidence in your arms, we invite you to schedule a consultation at our Bryn Mawr plastic surgery center. Dr. R. Brannon Claytor is a board-certified plastic surgeon with extensive experience in arm lift procedures, in addition to being one of Newsweek’s America’s Best Plastic Surgeons and an 8x Philadelphia Magazine Top Doctor Winner. Call us today at 610-527-4833 or visit our website to learn more about the transformative possibilities of arm lift surgery!
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Video Transcript »
Our gorgeous patient, how old are you again?
39!
39! So young, so beautiful. She had an awesome brachioplasty, also known as an arm lift. She had an incision along here. Go ahead and flex against me. Look at this phenomenal definition! See this beautiful biceps and this groove between her biceps and her triceps? Just fantastic. And let’s look at the other side and see the same. Do the same. Look at that incredible definition—outstandingly beautiful! And the nice deltoid groove between the biceps and the triceps and this beautiful shape and contour where she’s got very tight and snug in her armpit here, and then this beautiful shape and contour out to here.
Can I have you spin around so that we can see you from behind and do the same? You can just see this beautiful shape and contour here. Then we’ll go over to this side. See the absolute same. Tremendous, tremendous symmetry.
Spin back around. Thank you so much. So, what was the best part of this operation?
The tumescent anesthesia,
Doing it under local?
Yes!
Wasn’t it fun?
It was fun!
Chatting with all the nurses…
And I feel like my recovery was a lot quicker because of that. That’s just my opinion.
I totally agree. I totally agree because while I’m operating on you, I can reposition you and move you around. You remember how I bring your arm down during surgery to give you a rest? Cause if you’re asleep, you know, you can’t tell that your shoulder’s aching while you’re up there the whole time
Right!
This way, I’m able to work, contour, and create this beautiful, beautiful contoured axilla.
Do you still use underarm deodorant?
I do, just for choice, but I found that I don’t actually need it.
Right, because we take a fair amount of the hair from that area. We take some of the actual armpit tissue out as part of it, so we can give you that snatched axilla.
Did I have you wrap for very long afterward?
I was wrapped for maybe three days.
Three days!
And how many drains did we have?
Zero.
No drains! Yeah, I think it’s totally unnecessary. And then wrapping, I think, is just a hassle and a nuisance.
How quickly did you get back to full activity?
Full activity? Well, to be honest with you, I had surgery on Thursday. By Saturday, I was washing my own hair. Maybe that’s a little quick, but I was. I was back fully but doing remote work within a week, and then full activity within, I would say, two and a half weeks.
Wow. I tell people a month, so you were even more accelerated than the average patient. That’s fabulous!
Is this something that you would recommend to a friend?
I would highly recommend it! I waited 13 years to do it, and I would not hesitate to do it again!
Fantastic! High five! Thank you so very much.
Thank you!
Thanks so much. Arm aesthetics right here!
