Compression garments after brachioplasty

It should feel supportive without cutting into the skin, folding over the incision, restricting breathing, or causing changes in the hand's colour, warmth, sensation, or movement.

Brachioplasty reshapes the upper arm by removing excess skin and sometimes fat. Postoperative swelling is expected, and a correctly fitted garment applies even support around the treated area. Seams, fasteners, and rolled edges can create concentrated pressure, particularly near an incision or the armpit.

The recommended design may be a sleeve or a garment that crosses the chest or back. Size can change as swelling settles, so a garment that fitted at discharge may later need reassessment. Compression prescribed for lymphoedema has a different purpose and fitting process from routine postoperative support.

Put it on exactly as demonstrated, smoothing the fabric rather than pulling sharply across the wound. Check the skin, incision, fingers, and garment edges whenever it is removed. Keep dressings in place as directed, wash the garment according to its care label, and have a clean alternative if the clinical team recommends continuous use.

Follow the personalised schedule for wear, bathing, sleep, exercise, and garment breaks. Do not place extra bandages underneath, alter the garment, or choose stronger compression on your own. If it repeatedly rolls, leaves deep grooves, rubs the incision, or slides out of position, ask the surgical team or garment fitter to check the size.

Remove or loosen the garment if your written postoperative instructions allow it, and contact the surgical team promptly for new numbness, tingling, cold fingers, colour change, increasing hand swelling, blistering, broken skin, or pain that improves when pressure is released.

Urgent assessment is needed for sudden breathing difficulty, chest pain, fainting, heavy wound bleeding, rapidly expanding swelling, or an arm that becomes markedly cold, pale, or difficult to move. Fever, spreading redness, pus, a bad smell, or worsening wound pain can indicate infection and should be reported without delay.

Before leaving the clinic, ask which garment and size to use, how many hours to wear it, when it may be removed, and how to protect the incision. Find out who can refit it as swelling changes and what to do if a drain, dressing, or sore area sits beneath the fabric.