Arm Lift

An arm lift reshapes the under portion of the upper arm, from the underarm region to the elbow. Loose skin is a concern to most women especially after weight gain or loss. As one ages, the skin on the arms loses its elasticity and begins to sag or dangle. An arm lift or reduction procedure, otherwise known as a brachioplasty, addresses the excess fat and skin on the underside of the arm, reducing the size of the arm while creating a nicer contour. In those with excess fat on the arms, the surgeon begins with liposculpture. The physician carefully removes excess fat to sculpt the arms into a more normal beautiful appearance. The doctor takes off excess skin using various techniques. The surgery has a tremendously high success rate. However, one of the greatest drawbacks of the procedure is the scaring on the upper arms. Several other techniques can reduce the size of the arms while removing the excess skin. In the appropriate candidates, the technique hides the scars in the underarm region so they are not immediately visible. In others, the doctor places the incision on the inside of the upper arms such that the scar is not visible. Unlike other procedures in plastic surgery, these scars may not be acceptable to some patients. The procedure starts with liposculpture of the arms in those with excess fat. Using a very small narrow cannula or tube, the doctor carefully removes small pieces in order to sculpt each arm. Using markings made before the procedure, the surgeon makes incisions at the underarm or along the inside of the upper arm to guide the removal of the excess skin. The doctor finishes the procedure by re-draping and closing up the entrance mark on the skin. The surgeon closes up many layers of the skin in order to minimize scarring and to ensure that the final scar will remain as thin as possible. Before the completion of the surgery, the doctor injects a long-acting anesthetic into the surgical sites to minimize post-operative pain. In recovery, a nurse applies a compression garment to the arms.