.--Plastic Surgery: Armlift/Brachioplasty

Loose skin and excess fat at the arms can be a source of great consternation for both men and women following weight loss. For some patients it is of greater concern than any other area. A patient may feel forced to wear long sleeved shirts at all times.

There are three surgical options for the weight loss patient seeking improvement in the appearance their arms. For individuals with excess fat and relatively good skin tone at the arms, liposuction alone may provide a satisfactory outcome. Once again, this is not the norm.

Patient seeking improvement usually have some degree of excess fat and loose skin. When the amount of excess skin is mild, a modified form of brachioplasty or arm lift can be performed. With this technique, the excess skin of the arm and armpit is tightened only from the armpit, leaving a well-concealed scar. This procedure is often combined with liposuction. This operation is effective only in individuals with a relatively small amount of excess skin.

The classic procedure for arm lift involves a scar in the armpit as well as along the inside of the arm. It is often combined with liposuction. This operation is the most effective for individuals with large amounts of excess skin at the arms. The drawback of this procedure is of course the scar along the inner aspect of the arm.

Most patients unhappy with large amounts of skin at the arms are willing to have this scar in exchange for markedly improved arm contour.


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