Arms can be particularly frustrating for almost everyone as we age and especially for weight loss patients. Whether it is a very full arms or loose, crepey skin, most women struggle with arms. Unlike the rest of your body, it is often hard to stay cool while having your arms covered. For most women, who enjoy tank tops, it is especially bothersome to see. During the summer, the arms are typically not hidden. As a board-certified plastic surgeon specializing in breast and body contouring procedures, I have performed many skin reduction procedures such as an arm lift at our San Antonio practice.
In general there is confusion over whether liposuction alone, liposuction with skin tightening and / or skin excision, or only skin excision are the right choice for patients. Below is general summary for each procedure. It is best to have several consultations with board-certified plastic surgeons to determine the right procedure for you or if any procedure is right for you. For an arm lift with skin excision, typically the scar is visible and sometimes patients prefer to not have the scar.
Liposuction continues to be the most common cosmetic surgery in the United States. This is due to its overall effectiveness and relative easy recovery. Additionally, it can usually be combined with other cosmetic and reconstructive surgeries with acceptable risk. Liposuction is process of suctioning our the fat to contour the body. For the arms if you are looking for less volume or to remove excess fat, this may be the procedure for you. One has to be very careful though that the liposuction will not lead you with loose or sagging skin.
If the skin on your arm is not crepey and does not have stretch marks, you may be a great candidate for arm liposuction with skin tightening. Skin tightening does not involve excision of skin but uses a device (J Plasma, Bodytite, etc.) to shrink the skin thus providing some skin tightening to offset the liposuction. It you already have excess or crepey skin it most likely will not significantly correct this.
This is what is typically referred to as an Arm lift procedure—also called brachioplasty—tone and define the upper arms. It’s not a one-size-fits-all procedure, and Dr. Albright use several different surgical techniques to perform arm lifts, depending on the extent of correction that’s needed. For example, Dr. Albright may make an incision that stretches from the elbow to the armpit (which I often combine with liposuction) to create dramatic improvements. On the other hand, a mini-arm lift may be all that’s needed for a patient whose excess skin is limited primarily to the uppermost area of the arm. It’s also a technique Dr. Albright uses if a patient wants to avoid more extensive scarring.
Typically this is for extreme weight loss patients who do not retain fat in their arms and have hanging skin. Through a few different procedures, Dr. Albright can remove the skin.
You can see the results of some actual arm lift patients in our before-and-after photos. To discuss your options, call or text our office to schedule a consultation at the plastic surgery practice in San Antonio at (210)670-5302
