What is the cost of brachioplasty in Tunisia?
The cost of brachioplasty in Tunisia ranges from £1,700 to £2,500, compared to £4,900 in the UK. This all-inclusive fee covers general anaesthesia, care, and accommodation. The procedure lasts approximately 2 hours, with 1 night of hospitalisation included in a certified clinic.
📊 Price table 2026
| Procedure type | Price in Tunisia | Price in the UK |
|---|---|---|
| Standard brachioplasty | £1,700 - £2,150 | £4,000 - £5,300 |
| Brachioplasty + Vaser liposuction | £2,050 - £2,850 | £4,900 - £7,100 |
| Mini arm lift (short scar) | £1,500 - £1,950 | £3,100 - £4,400 |
| Complete bilateral arm lift | £1,950 - £2,600 | £4,400 - £6,700 |
What is brachioplasty?
An arm lift, or brachioplasty in Tunisia, is performed to create a more toned contour of the arm. Due to ageing or weight loss, skin loses elasticity, leading to folds and sagging along the underside of the arm. During this procedure, excess skin is removed, reducing the flabby appearance of the arms.
Is brachioplasty right for me?
Brachioplasty may be suitable if you are an adult bothered by the appearance of your arms. Many patients complain of having “bat wings” or arms with hanging folds of skin.
This procedure can be performed on women and men in good general health. If you feel uncomfortable wearing sleeveless shirts or revealing the upper part of your arms, you may be a good candidate for arm lift surgery.
How long does brachioplasty take?
The aim of an arm lift is to reshape the upper arm, especially the lower part where excess skin and fat tend to hang. As this surgery focuses on a specific and relatively small body area, it is not as complex as other body lifts. It is performed under general anaesthesia and usually lasts two hours.
An incision is first made in the armpit or along the inner arm. Then, excess skin is removed, and excess fat may be eliminated using traditional surgical techniques or liposuction. Finally, the remaining tissue is sculpted, and the incision is closed with sutures.
How long is recovery after an arm lift?
After arm lift surgery, patients typically need to take about ten days off work, although recovery time can vary widely depending on the nature of their job and the amount of arm movement or lifting required.
During the recovery process, a compression garment must be worn to support the tissue as it heals into its new contour.
Keep your arms elevated as much as possible. Common side effects include tenderness, pain, bruising, and swelling; many patients also report a temporary feeling of tightness in the skin. Heavy lifting and other strenuous activities should be avoided for at least six weeks to two months.
FAQ - Frequently Asked Questions
Where is the scar, and does it remain visible?
It runs along the inner arm, from the armpit to the elbow depending on the excess to be removed, and it is permanent. Authors working on this surgery often begin their publications with this point: scarring is the major concern of brachioplasty[1].
How much does brachioplasty cost in the UK?
Expect around £4,900 in the UK, compared to £1,700 to £2,500 in Tunisia. Other procedures have their own prices, detailed in our guide to cosmetic surgery in Tunisia. The Tunisian price is a package: flights not included, but stay and follow-up included.
Is arm liposuction enough?
It removes fat, not skin. If the skin is loose, liposuction alone will leave the arm flabby. It is skin elasticity, not fat volume, that decides between the two. The surgeon assesses this elasticity during a consultation, not from a photo.
Which complications are most common?
An analysis of 32 malpractice cases in body contouring surgery places infection or sepsis first, in 40.6% of cases, followed by scarring and prolonged pain, each in 31.3%[2]. These are legal cases, not complication rates.
What if a complication occurs after returning to the UK?
Seroma, wound breakdown, and infection often appear after returning home, once the package has been consumed. The literature advises that patients operated abroad know who will manage a revision[3].
Is a pre-operative assessment required?
After a sleeve or bypass, pre-operative optimisation is mandatory: smoking cessation, stopping herbal supplements, and nutritional assessment[4]. A short package does not always allow this. This assessment is specific to patients operated after weight loss.
Can it be combined with another procedure?
It is possible, but the literature prefers staged procedures: long operations carry increased morbidity[4]. A thigh lift is therefore often scheduled separately. The second procedure can be discussed at the same appointment.
Sources & References
- Nisi G, Giardino FR, Giudice M, et al. The "Jaws" Brachioplasty: An Original Technique. Journal of Clinical Medicine. 2022. View source
- Reese A, Navarro A, Kozlowski K, et al. An Updated Analysis of Body Contouring Malpractice Cases. Annals of Plastic Surgery. 2024. View source
- Tay JQ, Lo S. Complications of cosmetic surgery tourism. ANZ Journal of Surgery. 2022. View source
- Kokosis G, Coon D. Safety in Body Contouring to Avoid Complications. Clinics in Plastic Surgery. 2018. View source
