What Are Bicep Implants?
The bicep implant procedure originated over 15 years ago and was originally intended to address asymmetry issues in people who sustained an injury from an accident, cancer; or had a congenital defect. Today, the procedure is performed for functional and aesthetic purposes. Functional reasons can include asymmetry, congenital defects, and restorative issues from injuries, as mentioned. In aesthetic applications, the procedure is specifically beneficial to those who can’t achieve the upper arm toning they desire.
Bicep implants will create muscular definition because of the placement of the implant—and one can expect to gain as much as one-inch (1”) in circumference in increased mass/fullness in the upper arm area when the procedure is completed and healing has occurred.
Who Would Be A Candidate For Bicep Implants?
Bicep implants can create muscular definition and increased mass/fullness in the upper arm area, but it does have its limitations. In all cases, candidate selection includes, among other tests, a detailed review of the patient’s vascular sufficiency, nerve disorders or entrapments, skin and tissue evaluation, and lastly, candidate expectations.
This procedure is performed for functional and aesthetic purposes. Functional reasons can include asymmetry, congenital defects, and restorative issues from injuries. Aesthetically, it is specifically beneficial to those who desire larger bicep muscles or more definition in the bicep muscle—even if they can’t achieve these goals after extensive muscular/weight conditioning.
About The Surgical Procedure and Recovery Time:
A 3-4 cm (approximately 1 ½ inch) incision is made in the axilla (the arm pit), and a small pocket is formed in the sub-muscular plane within the bicep muscle to help prevent implant migration or rotation. A soft, solid silicone implant is molded by the surgeon to custom fit each patient; then it is inserted into the pocket that was formed. The fascial incision is repaired and the skin incision is then closed. The patient can typically see the visual change to the area immediately after surgery, while in recovery.
Discharged from the surgeon’s office after surgery, the patient will have their arm(s) wrapped in elastic compression bandages. These will help reduce the amount of body fluids that may seep into the surgical area and prevent seroma formation (fluid pockets under the skin). The patient is instructed to limit usage of their arm(s) and avoid any form of heavy lifting the first few days.
Dressings are removed followed by a gentle exercise program and/or physical therapy within 1-2 weeks to enable a full and comfortable range of motion of the arm(s). Generally, within a week or two, physical use of the upper body muscles may be resumed and in 4-6 weeks full muscular activity may be recommenced. Read more about how the Bicep Implants Surgery is Performed.
What Are Potential Risks & Complications?
Surgical risks are not excessive, but include infection, seroma/hematoma formation, bleeding, asymmetry, implant migration, capsular contraction, wound dehiscence, scarring, and muscle and/or nerve damage.
Important Questions to Ask Before Choosing your Surgeon:
To begin, you must realize that there are few surgeons who perform bicep implant surgery of this kind. The fact is… it’s a unique procedure and few surgeons perform it on a regular basis. The key is to find someone fully qualified, that performs the procedure a few times per month.
Bicep augmentation is a unique operation that requires aesthetic skill… more so, than most people realize. Here’s why—
1) Due to the stress placed on the muscles in the upper arm during common, everyday activities such as lifting, grabbing objects, forward arm contraction, implants placed in this area will be subjected to intensive movement. Thus, the likelihood of an implant shifting or migrating after surgery is a concern.
Therefore, it’s vital to have a surgeon who’s gained the expertise from performing dozens of bicep implant procedures—so they know how to successfully pick the proper area of the muscle within the fascia . . . then form the implant pocket to accommodate the implant avoiding nerve damage. Lastly, an experienced surgeon will know how to anchor the implant so there is virtually no chance of shifting or moving out of place. When sculpted and placed correctly the implant eventually becomes an integral part of the muscle and is indistinguishable from surrounding muscle tissue.
2) Another important consideration is what the expectation is, after the procedure is completed.
Again, you should realize that bicep implants can be semi-solid, silicone and/or gel prosthetic devices. So, they must usually be modified, and shaped before insertion, to some degree. So, having the right visual eye, or expertise to properly shape the implant with a scalpel before insertion for each individual body type is also critical.
Questions to Ask Your Prospective Surgeon Before You Decide to Have Bicep Implants:
- How many bicep implants did the surgeon you’re considering do last month? How many in the last three months? Bicep implant procedures require that the surgeon isn’t merely a ‘visitor’ to this type of surgery…but, someone who is a ‘regular’.
- Ask the surgeon if you can speak with his most recent few bicep implant patients. Surgeons who perform this procedure regularly won’t have a problem letting you speak with their former patients.
- Ask him if he’s ever had any complications from implant shifting, or infection.
Before & After Photo Gallery