Arm and thigh reduction

Introduction
In arm or thigh reduction surgery, excess wrinkled skin and fat are removed from your upper and inner arms or thighs to firm and tighten the area. Both these procedures leave quite prominent scars.

Your consultation
During your consultation your surgeon should ask about your general medical history. You should discuss the outcome you are seeking and whether this is possible and how much scarring you would find acceptable.
As with any other surgery, the extent of the problem and amount of correction that is necessary would determine how much skin would need to be removed and how extensive the scarring would be. Post-operative scars on the body will always be more visible than scars on the face, although much of the scarring can be hidden in your bodies natural folds.

What to expect from your operation
This surgery is usually done under general anaesthesia. It may be performed as a day case or you may spend a night in hospital after your procedure. As part of your operation, the surgeon may perform liposuction on the inner part of the arm or thigh to reduce volume and mobilise the skin.

After your surgery
You should not experience a significant amount of pain. However, suitable pain relief should be provided by your surgeon/anaesthetist.  Avoid exercise for 1 month after surgery. Gradually resume normal activities after 1 month. If you do sedentary work (office) you should be able to return to work in around 7 - 10 days.

The risks
Bleeding, which is most often manifested as bruising, should not alter at the end result.
Infection (2% to 3% of cases in thigh reduction) can lead to wound breakdown. In most of these cases conservative management using dressings, antibiotic creams, etc., would help the wound to settle down. However, you may require scar revision.
Deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism are also risks with this type of surgery. It is therefore important to mobilise as soon as possible after your operation.