Arm Lift

Arm Lift (Brachioplasty)

An arm lift or brachioplasty is a cosmetic surgery procedure intended to tighten and remove sagging skin from the patient’s underarm region down to their elbow. As people get older or fluctuate in weight, there will sometimes develop an appearance of sagging skin underneath the area of the arms. This condition can not always be helped through proper dieting and exercise alone and it is sometimes necessary to have surgery to correct the problem. When this is the case an arm lift is the proper procedure to have. An arm lift is often coupled with liposuction however, it is intended to shape and tone the arm and is not necessarily the best option for strictly losing weight. In fact, an arm lift is quite a common surgery after a patient has lost a significant amount of weight due to dieting or bariatric surgery. Often skin will stretch when a large amount of weight is gained and will not retract after the weight has been lost creating an ideal situation for an arm lift.

How an Arm Lift Surgery Procedure is Performed

An arm lift surgery is performed by making an incision on the inside or back of the arm. Length and exact placement of the incision is up to the discretion of the surgeon and should be discussed with the patient prior to the operation. Liposuction will remove extraneous fat tissue; the excess skin is tightened and removed by the surgeon before he or she closes up the incision. The surgery itself usually takes anywhere from 1-3 hours and the patient is more often than not put to sleep for the operation.

Recovery from an Arm Lift

Recovering from an arm lift is not as strenuous as other operations including a breast lift and a butt lift. There will be mild discomfort to the patient for the first couple of days post operation and there will also be some bruising and swelling which should clear up within 1 to 2 weeks. The patient will be able to take a shower after a week and it is usually safe to return to work by this time. Full recovery of the arms will most likely occur within 2 months of having the surgery.

Cost of an Arm Lift

The average cost of an arm lift is around $3,500 but due to location, specific surgeon and individual patient needs, the procedure can range anywhere from $2,500-$10,000.

For More Information see the General Information Page for Body Shaping.