Service
Arm lift
After weight loss or with age, the skin on the inner side of the upper arm loses elasticity and hangs when the arm is raised. An arm lift (brachioplasty) removes the excess skin and, where needed, fatty tissue.
What concerns does it address?
How is it done?
The incision runs along the inner side of the upper arm, from the armpit towards the elbow, in a place that is hidden when the arm is at your side. With a smaller excess, the incision can stay in the armpit. Liposuction is often done along with the skin.
The scar
This is a procedure where the scar cannot be hidden in a fold — it is long and on the inner side of the arm. The decision about the procedure is therefore always a trade-off: skin that hangs against a scar that shows when the arm is not at your side. This is discussed openly at the examination.
When is the procedure not suitable?
The procedure is not done until your weight has been stable for at least six months, because further loss would loosen the skin again. It is not suitable when the problem is excess fat without loose skin; liposuction is then enough. It is not done with lymphoedema of the arm, after removal of lymph nodes from the armpit on that side, or with active skin infections in the armpit, because the drainage of lymph from the arm is already impaired. Smoking, uncontrolled diabetes and clotting disorders increase the risks that come with a long scar.
General reasons for postponing a procedure (pregnancy, breastfeeding, inflammation, a clotting disorder, smoking): When is a procedure postponed?
Anaesthesia
Before a procedure under general or regional anaesthesia, you are seen by the anaesthetist, who works full time at the clinic; the same doctor is also present during the procedure. The anaesthetic assessment and the anaesthesia for larger operations are included in the price of the procedure. What happens before, during and after anaesthesia is described on the Anaesthesia page.
Risks
Occasional — widening of the scar, temporarily reduced sensation of the skin, a collection of fluid.
Expected, and rare but serious → Risks and complications: what is the course of healing, and what is a complication?
Specialist and team
Specialty: plastic, reconstructive and aesthetic surgery.
When the procedure is done under sedation or general anaesthesia, the anaesthesia is led by a specialist in anaesthesiology, resuscitation and intensive care who works full time at the clinic.
In the operating theatre, the surgeon is assisted by head nurse Martina Šereg, with the help of nurses Kristina Jurešić and Mateja Tomorad, and in recovery the care assistant Mirjana Kovačić is with you. Martina also looks after preparation, scheduling and contact after the procedure.
Who will operate is decided at the examination, based on the findings and the type of procedure. You know the name of the surgeon before the procedure and meet them at the examination.
What happens at the examination?
The first examination lasts 30 to 45 minutes on average. The surgeon examines the area you are concerned about, asks about illnesses, medicines, allergies and previous operations, and talks with you about what you expect. If the procedure is appropriate and likely to help, you receive a plan: which procedure is proposed, under which anaesthesia, what recovery looks like and what is included in the price. If the procedure is not needed or would not give you what you expect, you will hear that at the examination too.
What if the result is not as agreed?
The result of a procedure is assessed at a follow-up visit, once the swelling has gone down and the scar has matured, not in the first weeks. If it differs from what was agreed at the examination, the same surgeon carries out the correction.
→ Poliklinika Barbel's correction policy
In the same visit
- Liposuction — liposuction is often done along with the skin, in the same procedure.
Frequently asked questions
When can I raise my arms above my head? In the first days the arms are rested. Your doctor confirms the timings at the examination.
Will the scar show in short sleeves? With short sleeves and your arms at your sides it is not visible; it shows when you raise your arm.
Do I wear a compression garment? Yes, compression sleeves for four to six weeks on average, day and night. They reduce swelling and help the skin settle against the arm.
When can I drive? You can drive once you can turn the wheel without pain, on average after a week to ten days.
Will my arm be swollen? Swelling of the forearm and hand is normal in the first weeks, because the scar temporarily makes it harder for lymph to drain. It eases with the arm kept raised and with compression. If the swelling lasts longer than two months, get in touch to arrange a follow-up visit.
How much does the result depend on care after the procedure? The larger the procedure, the more it depends on it, but it always does. Healing takes weeks and months and happens almost entirely at home, so the instructions you receive when you go home, about the wound, physical activity and the scar, are part of the procedure, not a recommendation.
Who is with me if I stay overnight in the clinic after the procedure? You stay overnight when the doctor judges it necessary and this is agreed with you. You then spend the night in a room in the recovery unit, which has a bed, a television and a bathroom. A nurse is with you all night and a doctor is on call. The overnight stay and night care are included in the price of the procedure.
→ How long do you stay in the clinic after surgery?
Medical review: doctors of Poliklinika Barbel · October 2026.