Arm Lift

An arm lift, or brachioplasty, is a cosmetic procedure that removes skin from the mid-to-upper arm to improve its contour and restore its shape. Patients who experience massive weight loss are often left with large amounts of excess skin and tissue once they reach their goal body weight. Arm lift surgery strategically recontours the arm to greatly increase a patient’s overall confidence and self-esteem. Surgeons can also perform this procedure with other surgeries during an upper body lift.

At Plastic Surgery Associates of Santa Rosa, we offer upper arm lift surgery as an intervention for people who cannot manage to tone or tighten their arms with natural methods. Dr. Francisco Canales, Dr. Heather Furnas, and Dr. Eric Culbertson are seasoned plastic surgeons in Sonoma County who are highly knowledgeable in fat removal and skin tightening procedures. If you want to hear more information about how brachioplasty can change the appearance of your upper arms, please contact us for an appointment by calling (707) 537-2111. We look forward to meeting you!

For a standard arm lift, our surgeons place incisions along the underside of the arm to remove skin from the area. They mark this area with long ellipses to approximate the amount of skin to remove and to ensure the final sutures and remaining scars are concealable. Depending on the patient, these incisions may extend past the elbow or lower into the armpit to address loose skin in these areas. The surgeon then carefully removes the skin and loose tissue, reshapes and restores the upper arm, and sutures the incision with precision. (2)

If you are tired of hiding your “bat wings” and would prefer your arms to appear healthy and fit again, you may be a great candidate for an arm lift. You need to be in good overall health so that your skin will recover properly. Some of the key indicators for potential arm lift patients are loose, hanging skin on their upper arms, plus minimal tautness of the skin. You should be at or close to a healthy, stable weight before your surgery. You should also have reasonable, yet optimistic expectations about your results.

In most cases, we perform your upper arm surgery in an outpatient facility, except in cases where we combine and execute several cosmetic surgeries at one time. An upper arm lift can complement other surgeries like a tummy tuck, thigh lift, or mommy makeover when Dr. Canales, Dr. Furnas, or Dr. Culbertson considers it appropriate. An upper arm lift typically requires general anesthesia and often takes 2 to 3 hours to complete. Your surgeon will surgically remove the excess skin, starting at the elbow and continuing to the armpit. They position the incision as discreetly as possible, although it will become a visible scar. In cases where liposuction can eliminate stubborn pockets of fat, your surgeon performs this during your arm lift to improve your results. After pulling the skin taut, they place sutures. Keeping them clean, covered, and supported with compression garments will be an important part of the recovery process.

A surgical arm lift removes loose skin, but only small amounts of fat. You should follow a healthy lifestyle with regular exercise and a balanced diet to avoid a dramatic change in your weight, which might undo your results. As soon as your recovery period ends and your surgeon permits you, we encourage you to start strength training. This is a good way to improve the shape of your upper arms by toning and strengthening the muscles.

No matter what you call your droopy skin or “bat wings” under your upper arms, plastic surgeons Dr. Canales, Dr. Furnas, or Dr. Culbertson see it as a way to improve your appearance with cosmetic surgery. This innovative surgery provides physical and emotional benefits as well. If you are at or close to a healthy, stable weight but still cannot get rid of the skin and flab that hangs off your arms, please contact us online or call (707) 537-2111 to book a consultation with us.