- Reduction in upper arm excess
- Better self image/confidence
- Being able to wear short sleeve clothing without being self conscious
Clear Lake
Houston Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery
575 East Medical Center Boulevard
Webster, TX 77598
Phone: (281) 282-9555
Monday–Friday: 8 a.m.–5 p.m.
Med Center/Museum District
Houston Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery
1801 Binz Street #300
Houston, TX 77004
Phone: (713) 521-4777
Monday–Thursday: 8 a.m.–5 p.m.
Arm Lift
Arm lift surgery, also known as brachioplasty, can remove the excess skin and fat deposits, leaving the upper arms with a more pleasing and youthful contour. As a person ages, upper arm skin can become loose and flabby. Arm lift patients, who visit us in Houston, and Webster, Texas, from Clear Lake and beyond, typically desire this procedure if they wish to tighten this skin to achieve a more youthful look. The incision extends from the elbow to the underarm, and sometimes on to the side of the chest. In some instances, we may recommend that liposuction be used alone or in conjunction with an arm lift to remove excess fat in the upper arms.
Upper arm excess in a massive weight loss patient usually crosses the armpit and involves loose skin that extends onto the chest region. Brachioplasty, or upper arm reduction surgery, usually involves reducing the skin through a scar that runs on the inner part of the upper arm, often crossing onto the armpit.
Arm Lift
Before & After Photos
Case: 1 of 7
Case: 1 of 6
Arm Lift Case #14
This is a 36 year old lady who came to us from Buna, Texas. She had undergone a lap band procedure and at the time of her consultation had lost 70 pounds. She is 5’6”, 173 pounds and works for a communications company moving product from their warehouse. She desires cosmetic improvement of several areas of her body due to massive weight loss,... Read More
Case: 2 of 6
Arm Lift Case #128
This is a 47 year old lady who works as a bus driver. She underwent gastric bypass surgery 2 years ago at which time she weighed 358 pounds. At the time of her consult in our Webster, Texas office, she was 5’9” and weighed 185 pounds. Her main concern at that time was her arms. In order to achieve the look the patient was after, the recommend... Read More
Case: 3 of 6
Arm Lift Case #104
This is a 40 year old mother of two who was interested in improving the appearance of her arms. She came in to our Webster, Texas office for her consult. On examination, the surgeon found her to be an excellent candidate for a brachioplasty (“armplasty”). The procedure took place in our private surgical suite and the patient went home the sam... Read More
Case: 4 of 6
Arm Lift Case #171
This is a 68 year old patient who came to us after losing a significant amount of weight and complained of excess skin on her bilateral upper arms. After discussion with the patient, she was deemed to be a great candidate for brachioplasty. The surgery was performed in our private surgical suite in Webster, TX, with the patient able to go hom... Read More
Case: 6 of 6
Keep in mind that each patient is unique and your results may vary.
Arm Lift Standard Procedure Techniques
For patients who have minimal upper arm fat excess, with no skin excess, liposuction alone can be effective. For patients that have some extra skin that is minimal in nature and located near the armpit, an improvement can be attained through a scar limited to the armpit. For patients who present with a lot of upper arm excess, as in the case of most massive weight loss patients, tissue must be removed through a scar that runs from the elbow, through the armpit, and onto the side of the chest.
Meet Our Plastic Surgeons
Each plastic surgeon on our team has the training, experience, and talent needed to provide the natural-looking results patients want while ensuring their safety and comfort.
Request Your ConsultationPre-Operative
If you are a smoker, it is recommended that you stop smoking well in advance of the surgery. Smoking can affect your ability to heal. Certain medications that increase the risk of bleeding such as aspirin, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medications, and some vitamins/homeopathic regimens should be discontinued prior to your arm lift surgery.
Arm Lift Benefits/Advantages/Options
Arm Lift Risks/Complications/Patient Safety
- Bleeding
- Infection
- Unattractive scarring
- Swelling of the hands
- Seroma formation (Seromas are fluid collections that can arise after surgery along the incision line.)
Arm Lift Recovery Process
- We typically wrap the arms or use compression garments.
- The arms are elevated for a few days, above the heart.
- There is usually a low return of normal function of the arms and hands over a couple of weeks.
- You should avoid aspirin and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medications for the first few days after your arm lift surgery. Smoking and exposure to second-hand smoke may impair the healing process and should be avoided.
Frequently Asked Questions
Am I good candidate for upper arm lift?
Arm lift surgery can be performed on a large variety of patients including normal weight patients who simply need a little tightening. However the majority of patients are massive weight loss patients that have stabilized their weight loss and do not have out of control medical problems. They present with excess skin and fat in their upper arms. Many of these patients complain that their arms feel and look like “bat wings.” Occasionally, some older women have a lot of extra skin that is bothersome and would also be reasonable candidates.
Will arm lift surgery be painful?
Postoperative pain is subjective and will vary considerably from person to person. The average patient undergoing an upper arm reduction procedure will usually require a few days of oral pain medication to treat discomfort. Over a 7-10 day period, most people resolve the majority of their acute postoperative pain.
Will there be scarring with arm lift surgery?
Upper arm reduction involves the removal of skin and necessitates the creation of a scar that starts near the elbow, traverses to the armpit and infrequently crosses onto the chest wall. Any scar goes through a maturation process, which takes a year to complete. Most scars are conspicuous, at least initially. We try to place the scar so that with the patient’s arm up in a waving posture, the scar isn’t visible from the front or back. If we are especially successful, we can frequently get the scar to sit so that it is not visible from the front or back with the arm at the side.
What are some typical short-term side effects of having an arm lift?
Immediately after surgery some patients will have a feeling of tightness in the upper arm as the area swells due to the trauma of surgery. Some patients may develop swelling and some tingling of the hands as well. Most of these symptoms resolve with time.
What type of anesthesia will be used for arm lift surgery?
Most arm lifts are performed under a general anesthetic in our fully accredited AAASF facility. See examples of arm lift surgeries in our Photo Gallery.
Payment Options
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