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How Long Do Arm Lift Results Last?

If I get an arm lift, how long would the results of the surgery last?  Would there be anything that could happen that would make the saggy skin on my arms come back after the arm lift?

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+4

Brachioplasty - An Upper Arm Lift

Brachioplasty (Upper Arm Lift) With advancing age, and sometimes following major weight loss, the upper arms can become 'flabby', with excess skin that sags when the arm is held upright. Many patients I see with this problem will wear only long-sleeved shirts and dresses. In some patients the problem is primarily excess skin, in others it is mainly excess fat, and many it is a combination of both. Brachioplasty is designed to remove excess upper arm skin (and some cases, fat... more
Michael Law, MD
Raleigh-Durham Plastic Surgeon
+3

Arm lifts give long-lasting results

An Arm Lift, or Brachioplasty, removes excess skin and fatty tissue from the upper arm when there is too much loose skin to depend on liposuction alone to give a nice result. Sometimes liposuction is included with the procedure, depending on each patient's needs. As long as your weight does not change, you should expect the results to last for many years.
Bruce Genter, MD
Abington Plastic Surgeon
+3

Arm lift surgery gives nice contour, if you are will to put up with the lengthy incision

Arm lift surgery will give a nice contour to your arms, especially if you have excessive or redundant skin. However, in order to get nice, predictable and lasting results, you will likely have an incision running down the length of your arm from your armpit to your elbow. The skin will initially appear very tight, but as the swelling from the surgery resolves over several weeks, the skin will appear more natural again. Your body will continue to age, including your skin. This may lead to... more
David Shafer, MD
New York Plastic Surgeon
+2

Arm Lift

The results on an arm lift is permenant if you have an extended arm lift with an incision that runs from your arm pit to your elbow. However, the process of ageing means that you may develop future arm laxity, albeit fat less significant.
Siamak Agha, MD, PhD
Orange County Plastic Surgeon
+2

Prettier Arms - Pretty Permanent

Brachioplasty or Arm Lift is an excellent surgical treatment for loose, hanging skin of the upper arms. Generally, it requires an incision running the length of the inner upper arm between the elbow and armpit, in the groove between the biceps and triceps muscle. This scar is essentially invisible when your arms are at your sides, and even if you are wearing a sleeveless or short-sleeve blouse, the scars are generally a very acceptable trade-off against the "bat-wings" of saggy, loose... more
Athleo Louis Cambre, MD
Los Angeles Plastic Surgeon
+1

Upper Arm LIfting

Thank you for your question. The arm lift procedure that removes excess fatty tissue and skin with an incision along the underside of the arm usually has lasting results. As we age, our body changes and so you may notice differences in your arms as well as other parts of your body. Also, if you gain / loose more weight, that will also change things as well. I hope this helps.
Tom J. Pousti, MD
San Diego Plastic Surgeon
+1

Arm lift surgery

How long will the results last?  It really depends upon numerous factors. If you have very poor quality skin you  may see residual laxity and certainly this will get worse as you age.  In addition, if your weight fluctuates alot it may get worse.
Steven Wallach, MD
Manhattan Plastic Surgeon
+1

Arm Lift surgery results are permanent

Arm lift results are long term. However, if you have a genetic predisposition to sagging skin, you may need a touch up within several years. 
Raffy Karamanoukian, MD
Los Angeles Plastic Surgeon
+1

Arm Lift Results Are Long Lasting

The good news is that the results from Brachioplasty (arm lift) are very long-lasting: lifelong for most people undergoing this procedure. Although rare to require another arm lift, it could be a consideration if there is a great deal of further weight loss.
Paul C. Zwiebel, MD
Denver Plastic Surgeon
+1

An arm lift result should last a long time

My experience with arm lifts shows that patients with skin laxity and without fatty arms have the best results. The scars are better, and the results appear to last longer. Like a good facelift, and arm lift relies on tensioning the deeper connective tissue of the arm, and closing the skin with minimal tension. combining liposuction with an arm lift appears to promote swelling and edema of the arm, and likely mars the long-term result of the scar. For patients with heavy arms, it makes... more
Scott Sattler, MD
Bellevue Plastic Surgeon
+1

Arm lifts can last a long time

The result that you'll receive from an armlift is a permanent improvement over never having undergone surgery. It also helps if you maintain a stable weight. However as you age another, say, 20 years, you certainy will have some relaxation of the skin. But your arms will still look better than they'd look without the surgery.
Deason Dunagan, MD
Huntsville Plastic Surgeon
+1

Arm lift or brachioplasty longevity depends on the type of surgery and skin

Great question that I get asked frequently. In general, plastic surgery procedures can turn back time on your body but cant stop time. This combined with the amount of skin removed and the condition of your skin all relate to recurrence. As well, mini-brachioplasties/arm lifts can be over extended to an inappropriate candidate and lead to an early recurrence as well. Tightening the arm in some cases is like tightening a rubber band and there will be relaxation in the skin after. This should... more
Andrew P. Trussler, MD
Dallas Plastic Surgeon
+1

Arm Lift results theoretically permanent

Assuming that your weight is basically stable, the results of arm lift are theoretically permanent. However, if an arm lift is performed as a young patient, the effects of aging and decreased skin elasticity will eventually loosen the result somewhat. This is how God made human beings however and is an unchangeable fact of life. This would still occur even without the arm lift and your "hanging skin" would be even worse.
David Shuter, MD
Jupiter Plastic Surgeon
+1

Brachioplasty Length of Results

The result obtained from brachioplasty or arm lift can be permanent. It really depends on the patient and their skin type, but more importantly the weight control.  As long as the weight does not fluctuate after surgery, the results can be permanent.
Farbod Esmailian, MD
Orange County Plastic Surgeon
+1

How long will the benefits of an arm lift last?

Hi there- With an arm lift, or brachioplasty, what you are trading is the loose, floppy skin and fat on the back of your arm for a long (hopefully thin) scar. Because the excess skin and tissue are actually being surgically removed, the result should be permanent, barring a large weight gain and weight loss in the future. Hope that helps!
Armando Soto, MD
Orlando Plastic Surgeon
+1

Arm Lift results lasts for a long time!

With an arm lift, or brachioplasty, fat is liposuction and excess skin is removed. Over time the skin will lose elasticity as it does with aging. However, if you maintain your weight, the results should be longlasting.
Marisa Lawrence, MD
Atlanta Plastic Surgeon
+1

Arm lift results longevity

If you maintain your weight after an arm lift (brachioplasty), the results will be long-lasting. It's difficult to say the results will be "permanent" because skin is constantly undergoing changes due to gravity and the aging process. However, if performed properly in a good candidate, the results should last for many years. The most important factor is to be at a stable body weight, before and after the procedure, so your skin laxity does not change significantly. Most patients... more
William Bruno, MD
Beverly Hills Plastic Surgeon
+1

Arm lift is very effective and could last for a long time

The Arm lift is the only technique available for removal of the excess arm skin following massive weight loss. The reccurence of the skin sagging is not expected except if the patient gains the weight back and looses it again!  
Hisham Seify, MD, PhD
Los Angeles Plastic Surgeon
+1

Arm lift results

The arm lift is a skin removal and tightening procedure that should last a very long time. If your weight is fairly stable, the results will be mostly permanent. As in any skin tightening procedure, some relaxation will occur over time, but not nearly as great as the laxity you had before the surgery.
Dean Fardo, MD
Atlanta Plastic Surgeon
+1

How long do arm lift results last?

Great question. The "duration" of any plastic surgery procedure depends BOTH on the materials you work with and their subsequent "maintenance". If your skin is damaged (stretch marks, tanned or tanning both, you or your spouse smoke etc) the skin will have a slight relaxation after surgery. If you do not take care of your self (tanning booths, smoking, poor eating, or weight gain) the results will suffer further. but, on the whole, the results of a Brachioplasty in well... more
Peter A. Aldea, MD
Memphis Plastic Surgeon
+1

Arm Lift Longevity

The results of an arm lift or brachioplasty should last for a long time, assuming there is no significant weight gain or loss.  Sun damage can also shorten the benefit.  The scar can be noticeable and one always trades an improvement in contour for a possible visible scar.
John Whitt, MD
Louisville Plastic Surgeon
+1

Results should be fairly permanent

If you were to have significant weight fluctuations. gaining and loosing more than 20 lbs might cause loose skin to reappear. Aging may have a smaller role. Assuming your weight remains stable you should have a long lasting result. Hope this helps.
Robert B. Pollack, MD
La Jolla Plastic Surgeon
+1

Results last as long as your weight stays the same

If your weight changes again, your results may not last. Mainly, if you loose weight or gain more weight and then loose weight your results may change. Other than that, your results should last. Your arm will age normally, as a normal arm does and get a little loose over the years. Keep in mind that you should probably wait about 3 months after surgery to see the permanent results.
Usha Rajagopal, MD
San Francisco Plastic Surgeon
+1

Results of arm lifts may vary

IF you have lost all the fat in your arms and the problem is only loose skin, the results of an arm lift will be longer lasting. If you still have a moderate amount of fat in the arms, the results will be much shorter lasting. The reason for this is that the arm skin is very thin and doesn't have superb elasticity in patients who need arm lifts in the first place. Consequently, retained fat will tend to stretch out the result much more than if the fat has been lost prior to surgery. ... more
Richard P. Rand, MD, FACS
Seattle Plastic Surgeon
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