Brachioplasty is the plastic surgery term for an arm lift. For large excesses of upper arm skin, there is no better treatment. While liposuction can address excess fat in the upper arm, it cannot reduce loose skin.
For women and men who have lost a significant amount of weight, the upper arm is an area that can be problematic. With weight gain, the skin expands to cover the increased size. This happens any place on the body that fat is stored, not just the upper arms. The arms, abdomen, breasts, thighs, face and back are frequently lifted and tucked after massive weight loss and post-bariatric surgery. The tailoring of excess skin is an important component of cosmetic plastic surgery, and can dramatically improve appearance. If you have lost a large amount of weight, removing the excess skin completes the transition.
Before and After Brachioplasty (Arm Lift)
Right Arm after weight loss and before Arm Lift (Brachioplasty)
Right Arm after weight loss and after Arm Lift (Brachioplasty)
Above is a woman who has lost about half her weight. She was left with a large amount of skin on her upper arms, sometimes referred to as “bat wings”. Brachioplasty (arm lift) before and after pictures are shown. The picture on the left shows the amount of excess skin present before her arm lift. The picture on the right reveals her appearance after brachioplasty. The incision is placed along the inferior border of the arm to keep it out of sight.
After Weight Loss, When is it Time to Consider a Lift?
If you have recently lost weight, or have had bariatric surgery, it is worth giving your body a year to adjust. This gives your skin a chance to contract, and your body’s digestive system a chance to absorb the nutrients you need to heal. If it has been a year, and there is still too much skin, cosmetic plastic surgery can help.
Liposuction is a very safe and reliable procedure. Like any medical procedure, it works best when used properly. For the removal of disproportionate fat, it can’t be beat, but liposuction should not be used as a method of weight loss, and liposuction should not be expected to tighten loose skin.
The Ideal Liposuction Candidate
The ideal liposuction patient is near their ideal body weight and has sufficient intrinsic skin elasticity, so that after the fat is removed, the skin will follow the new and improved contours. Pockets of fat, which form localized and disproportionate bulges, respond best. While some newer modalities of liposuction are claiming to reliably tighten loose skin, the jury is still out.
Skin Tightening Procedures
So how do plastic surgeons reliably tighten loose skin? The most common method is through surgical removal of the redundant skin. Abdominoplasty (a tummy tuck), for example, removes loose skin for the abdomen. A brachioplasty (an arm lift) removes loose skin from the arm. This liposuction video compares what liposuction can do for the abdomen and arms compared to what surgery can do. The recovery and indications for each are also discussed.
Body Beautiful
I recently reviewed the current state of liposuction on KRON‘s Body Beautiful with host Vicki Liviakis. The broadcast was a full half hour, so I have divided this liposuction video into four segments. The second lipo video segment is in this post. Links to the other three parts, and the liposuction introduction post can be found below.
Additional liposuction information is available on the Liposuction Page of DrMele.com. If you have questions about liposuction, you are invited to use the contact form to the left.
Please note: The 800 number in the video below was used for viewers to call in and ask questions during the live broadcast. Please do not call it now. For additional information, or to schedule a consultation appointment, please call my Walnut Creek Plastic Surgery office at (925) 943-6353.
This segment on Liposuction covers:
The areas of the body most commonly treated with Liposuction:
Abdominal Liposuction
Back Liposuction (Muffin Top Liposuction)
Flank Liposuction (Love Handle Liposuction)
Thigh Liposuction (Saddle Bag Liposuction & Banana Roll Liposuction)
Arm Liposuction
Neck Liposuction (Below the Chin Liposuction)
Buttocks Liposuction
Favorable Predictors
Stable weight
Near Ideal Weight
Younger Age
Good Skin Elasticity
Disproportionate Fat
Good Health
Healthy Lifestyle
Before and After Pictures: Lipo vs. Surgical
Arm Lipo Before and After Pictures
Brachioplasty (Arm Lift) Before and After Pictures
Abdominal (Belly) & Flanks (Sides) Muffin Top Lipo Before and After Pictures
Abdominoplasty (Tummy Tuck) Before and After Pictures
How the location of the fat effects liposuction?
Liposuction Garments
Liposuction Recovery
The other segments of this broadcast can be found here:
You have reached the fourth and final part of Post Bariatric Surgery San Francisco. The segments can be viewed in any order, but if you missed the first three releases, links are included at the bottom of the page.
I have had the opportunity to discuss post weight loss plastic surgery live on KRON4‘s Body Beautiful. The 800 number appearing on the video was only for the live show. To contact my Walnut Creek plastic surgery office for additional information, or to schedule a private consultation appointment, please call (925) 943-6353. Alternatively, a contact form on the lower left side of this web page has also been provided for your convenience, or click on this link for an expanded contact form.
Topics covered in this segment of Body Beautiful include:
Arm Lift Surgery, with Brachioplasty before and after pictures.
How do age and health effect plastic surgery?
How do I get rid of my baby pooch? Exercise, Tummy Tuck, both?
How can lumps left after liposuction be corrected?
What is the difference between liposuction and lipodisolve?
Post Bariatric Procedures
More information about Post Bariatric Plastic Surgery can be found on the Post Bariatrics page of DrMele.com. Here are links to video presentations about the more common Post Bariatric Plastic Surgery Procedures, and links to the first 3 parts of the above video can be found at the bottom of the page.
