About Upper Arm Lifts

New Horizons Plastic Surgery, Dr. H. James Webb, FACS

When it comes to flabby arms, dieting and exercise can't always cure them because certain fats are resistant due to genetic tendencies. Even if you do manage to get rid of excess fat in the arms, the other problem of loose skin cannot be fixed with any amount of work.

An upper arm lift is also known as brachioplasty and is intended to tighten the hanging skin in the upper arms. Ideally, patients should have healthy, elastic skin. An upper arm lift can dramatically reshape your arm to bring it back in line with the rest of your body.

The main goal of an upper arm lift is very similar to other lifts in the body. Incisions are made to allow for the skin to be stretched and excess skin is removed. Sutures are then used to pull everything together tighter.

The Upper Arm Lift Procedure

An upper arm lift can be a lengthy and complicated procedure compared to other cosmetic surgery procedures because the arm can accumulate more skin and fat by proportion than other areas of the body. The upper arm lift surgery can take several hours depending on the severity of your individual needs.

In some cases, the upper arm lift can be accomplished using only liposuction and won't require any incisions to be made. More intense upper arm lift surgery will use an incision placed in the crease of the armpit or down the inside of the arm. These incisions will be used to lift the skin, tighten the arms, remove excess fat and tighten arm ligaments. Following the upper arm lift procedure, the skin is sutured shut and a pressure garment or elastic bandage is applied to promote healthy healing.

Recovery

Upper arm lifts, especially in combination with liposuction, can produce dramatic results in the contour of the arm. The scars resulting from an upper arm lift are not considered "mature" until a year, or even two, after the surgery, and typically are not dramatic or even readily noticeable. Some individuals choose to have a scar revision after their upper arm lift surgery, in order to further reduce the appearance of scarring.

The content of this page is for informational purposes only and shouldn't be taken as medical advice. If you need personalized medical advice, please schedule a consultation with New Horizons Plastic Surgeon Dr. Webb.