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Best Approach to Loose Skin and Fat on Upper Arms?

asked 2 years ago by micheled in Seattle, WA
Latest answer by Deason Dunagan, MD
Question viewed 2,798 times
Tags: arms, weight loss

I have lost 115 lbs and still have fat on my upper arms, along with some loose skin that still has good elasticity. This upper arm fat has always been resistant to diet and exercise, and I'm now 44. I am considering liposuction to remove the fat, and am wondering if I should get an arm lift with that, or wait to see how things look after the lipo? I read somewhere that a Dr. said results are better if you do the two separately...wondering what you think?

19 answers to Best Approach to Loose Skin and Fat on Upper Arms?

Arm lift and liposuction to treat loose skin and fat

Based on your photo, I suspect surgery will not meet your expectations unless you combine lipo with a brachioplasty. While it is true that new lipo techniques such as slim lipo offer some skin tightening, considering your photo I do not think that lipo alone will give you the reults you're looking for. Of course, just having the liposuction doesn't preclude you from having a brachioplasty later on if you so choose. Many people prefer to maximize their results and downtime... more

Deason Dunagan, MD
Huntsville Plastic Surgeon

The Best Upper Arm Surgery for you is Brachioplasty

Congrats on your weight loss. But you have enough extra skin and fat on your upper arm that you will need a bracioplasty (arm reduction). Liposuction will be 'whistling in the wind' for you. Brachioplasty will cut off all the excess. The 'trade-off' is that you have to accept a scar on the inner surface of your upper arm. In your case, I think the scar is worth it, but you have decide for yourself. You have so much extra skin that liposuction alone will actually... more

G. Gregory Gallico III, MD
Boston Plastic Surgeon

Liposuction for upper arms

Congratulations on such a great weight reduction. You probably will not get enough benefit from lipoosuction alone, whether laser-assited liposuction or tumescent lipoosuction followed by Thermage external radiofrequency tightening After these procedures, your skin will not retract enough and you will end up seeking a plastic surgeon to do an arm lift, so I would suggest you see a board-certified plastic surgeon to discuss the type of scarring that is expected with the arm lift and other... more

Ronald Shelton, MD
Manhattan Dermatologist

Treatment for redundant arms- arm lift, liposuction, or both?

I admire you for all that weight loss! Your arm will require an arm lift (brachioplasty) for complete treatment. There is absolutely no advantage to staging the procedure. The arms can be debulked with liposuction and the excess skin then excised during the same operation. The consensus at a recent meeting of the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery that Smart Lipo offers no advantage at all over regular liposuction. Also, Thermage, or any other... more

Bruce Genter, MD
Abington Plastic Surgeon

Solutions for Flabby Arms

Liposuction is the fastest way to say good-bye to bulky arms. Usually, a tiny incision is made near the elbow and the cannula is passed all the way up to the armpit. Sculpting of the arm can be done at the same time as an arm lift, avoiding the need for multiple surgeries. Smart Lipo uses laser light to liquefy fat and tighten the surrounding skin. It involves less downtime and side-effects than traditional liposuction and is particularly good for small areas of fat deposits. An... more

Michelle Copeland, MD, DMD
New York Plastic Surgeon

Arm lift

Congratulations on losing all that weight! The rewards are better health, but unfortunately the loose skin on the arms will not get better without cutting out the loose skin.

Steven Wallach, MD
Manhattan Plastic Surgeon

Arm Lift

The beast result will be by doing liposuction and arm lift at the same time. The Amount of the excess skin make liposuction by itself less effective. The scar lenght and postion will depend on the amount of extra skin.

Kamran Khoobehi, MD
New Orleans Plastic Surgeon

Arm lift vs. liposuction for arms vs. both

Based on the picture you have showed, an arm lift is the best option. The main consideration is will additional liposuction help. I think it will help if it is "deflated" first, so a staged approach might be best - liposuction first, let the swelling come down and then do the arm lift. I wish you all the best. J. Vicente Poblete, MD. Avon lake plastic and cosmetic surgeon.

J. Vicente P. Poblete, MD
Cleveland Plastic Surgeon

Brachioplasty or Arm Lift vs Lipo

Judging by your photos I would recommend an arm lift. Liposuction will produce a slight improvement but you already have laxity in the skin and excessive skin as well. So liposuction will not address the loose skin that you have and will need the skin resected. In some patients there is some benefit to staged surgery with liposuction and then a brachioplasty at the second stage. It really depends what the patient expectations are. But with brachioplasty alone... more

Farbod Esmailian, MD
Orange County Plastic Surgeon

Arm lift works for good contour but leaves scar.

Hi. 1) From your picture, you clearly need an arm lift. There is a scar from near your elbow to your armpit, but you should get such dramatic improvement in shape, that I think you will be OK with the scars. And the scars can be put on the inside of your arms. 2) Don't do this in two stages. Fat is removed with a well done arm lift. You do not need separate liposuction.

George J. Beraka, MD
Manhattan Plastic Surgeon

Excess upper arm skin and fat

In your case, it is highly unlikely that liposuction alone will give you a result that you will be satisfied with. Even with ultrasonic or laser lipsuction, the skin will not shrink enough to give a good result. You should consider a brachioplasty with skin excision. I much prefer to do the liposuction and the skin resection together at the same operation.

Kevin F. Hagan, MD
Nashville Plastic Surgeon

Upper arm surgery

What you end up doing will depend primarily on what you will be happy with. It appears as if removing fat is only part of the solution since you have excessive, and probably less elastic, skin as well. There are ways to tighten and remove skin through an armpit only incision, but this will not address the circumferential excess that can only be removed with a longitudinal scar down the inner aspect of the arm.

Robin T.W. Yuan, MD
Beverly Hills Plastic Surgeon

Arm Lift with Liposuction

From your picture, you have a significant amount of excess skin. This will not contract with liposuction alone. What you need, therefore, is an arm lift to get rid of the excess skin and some more fat. Your arm looks pretty normal above the area that is hanging down. If this is so, and the general amount of fat around the outside of the arm is reasonable, you do not also need liposuction. If, however, the outside of your arm is still too full, and removing the hanging portion would... more

Robert T. Buchanan, MD
Highlands Plastic Surgeon

Arm lift, and liposuction

The picture shows excess fat and skin. What the picture does not tell is the quality of the skin and its elasticity. Get at least two consultations with a Board Certified Plastic Surgeons for their opinions and why they recommend one procedure or the other. Brachioplasty will give you a visible scar. Liposuction alone may leave you with excess wavey skin. Evaluate the pros and cons of each and your level of comfort. Then decide.

Samir Shureih, MD
Baltimore Plastic Surgeon

Brachioplasty is the best solution for very loose arm skin

Based on the photograph that you posted, its difficult to assess how heavy your arms are. For patients with heavy arm tissues and loose skin, I recommend a staged arm liposuction followed by arm lift 2-3 months later. The scars appear to be better in this sequence.

Scott Sattler, MD
Bellevue Plastic Surgeon

Arm Lifting (Brachioplasty) in Massive Weight Loss Patients

For the best cosmetic result, you need to choose the best operation for your particular condition. As you well know, everyone losses weight differently. While some people lose all the fat in the arms resulting in a "Bat Wing" deformity of loose skin and no fat, others lose some fat while others lose no fat at all. The less fat in the arms, the more one should lean towards a Arm Lift procedure (Brachioplasty) only. These cases would produce the best results. If there is a small... more

Peter A. Aldea, MD
Memphis Plastic Surgeon

Tucking loose arm flaps

Your photo shows both excess of fat and skin of the upper arm that will not be resolved satisfactorily with liposuction alone. I recommend a combination of liposuction and surgical skin reduction that can be safely done in one setting. Your elasticity at your current age may not be adequate to tuck the incisions into the axilla alone, you should consider a longitudinal ellipse to be excised that would carefully place the closure on the inside surface of the arm. more

Randy Wong, MD
Honolulu Plastic Surgeon

Brachioplasty FIRST!

Thanks for the photo, it helps determine the amount of correct you will need. I recommend a full brachioplasty first than if any residual try lipo. From MIAMI Dr. B

Darryl J. Blinski, MD
Miami Plastic Surgeon

Arm lift only- no lipo

Your question is a common one in my office. You have a severe amount of skin redudancy after your weight loss and this must be addressed. Lipo will not work at all in your case and theoretically can worsen your appearance. On the other hand, you are an excellent candidate for an arm lift as long as you are accepting of the scar which must go to the end of the extra skin - your elbow. This will remove the fat as well as the skin. Good luck more