I Don't Need an Arm Lift, I Simply Need It Pulled and Tucked Up, Possible?

Brachioplasty is a procedure to tighten loose skin of the arm, often as a result of weight loss.  If the skin excess is minimal, particularly in the upper arm, a mini arm lift is a good option with a scar that can be hidden in the armpit.  However, most patients who are unhappy with the excess skin on their arms would benefit more from a full brachioplasty.  I do about 20 full brachioplasty surgeries to every one mini brachioplasty surgeries.

Included is a video of a standard brachioplasty demonstrating the scar.  A mini arm lift would not include the long scar on the inner arm.

Thank you for your question.  An examination is needed to answer your question to evaluate the degree of skin laxity.  Consult with a board certified plastic surgeon.  Best wishes. 

Unfortunately, the only way to pull up and tuck excess arm skin is with an arm lift procedure. When patients develop hanging skin following aging or weight loss, it's essential that excess skin be removed. Attempts to tuck excess skin without excision will result in gathering of tissue in the axillary region. This would obviously result in a significant aesthetic deformity. Under these circumstances, the only viable alternative for someone with loose, saggy upper arm skin is a brachioplasty.This procedure involves placing an incision from the armpit to the elbow along the inner aspect of the arm. In many cases, a transverse axillary incision is utilized, as well. This approach tightens skin in multiple dimensions and dramatically improves contour.The procedure involves a series of trade-offs between excess upper arm skin and the scarring that's associated with this procedure. Despite scarring, brachioplasty is associated with excellent clinical results and high levels of patient satisfaction.It's virtually impossible to make a specific recommendation without pictures or a physical examination. For these reasons, it's appropriate to consult a board certified plastic surgeon with experience in this area. This surgeon should be able to formulate a treatment plan that addresses your anatomic deformity and achieves your aesthetic goals.

Thank you for your question. With age and/or weight changes, the upper arms can hold a lot of excess fatty tissue and develop skin laxity. An arm lift procedure helps to contour the upper arms by reducing excess skin and fat. The incisions can be hidden in the armpit for those with a moderate degree of laxity or along the vertical length of the upper and inner arm for those with more skin excess. The results are extremely satisfying. I would recommend that you visit with a board certified plastic surgeon in your area to discuss your options in more detail.

Thank you for your question regarding regarding an arm lift.
Without pictures it is very difficult answer your question. You say you do not need an arm lift, but you want a “tuckup in my armpit”. Technically, this is an arm lift. It is called a “crescent brachioplasty”. A crescent area of excess upper arm and armpit skin and fat is directly removed. This type of surgery is optimal because this scar is hidden. However, if you have excess skin and fat the middle one third or around the elbow, a crescent brachioplasty will not help these areas. A crescent brachioplasty only helps the upper one third of the upper arm.

Good luck with your quest for skinnier arms.
If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact my office.
Sincerely, Dr. Katzen

Yes it is possible to do a limited removal of skin from the armpit area. More extensive incisions are necessary to remove excess skin that is evident along the entire upper arm. Whether or not you have lost a massive amount of weight may predict what will work best for you. More weight loss implies more extra skin. Sometimes liposuction alone or even CoolSculpting can alleviate upper arm problems in select patients. Upper arm lifts aren’t very common, comprising less than one percent of ASAPS members’ procedures. I prefer to treat the upper-arm area with liposuction and avoid excising skin and subcutaneous tissue if possible because of the noticeable scar involved. However, some patients may be candidates for skin excision if they don’t mind the scar or don’t intend to expose their arms much. Whenever possible, I confine the scar to the armpit area rather than carry it down the inside of the upper arm.  So good luck as you see a surgeon to see which category you fit into!  "Dr. Joe"

 

It is difficult to determine whether an armlift would be beneficial for you without any photos. If it is just skin laxity in the upper region of your arm, then a limited brachioplasty (armlift) may be of benefit to you. But if the laxity extends to your elbow then a full brachioplasty may be needed. All of this can be determined by consulting with a board certified surgeon that specializes in body contouring procedures. For more information, I have included a link below that may be of help to you. Best of luck.

A brachioplast or "arm lift" can be one of the most rewarding procedures when chosen for the right candidate.  Disproportionate arm volume in conjunction with redundant skin can be extremely frustrating for patients.  In my opinion, to properly address these issues it is often necessary to remove a significant amount of fat from the upper arm extending from the shoulder to the elbow. In addition, there exists redundant skin throughout the circumference of the arm which is best removed through a strategically placed incision down the length of the arm.  Its impressive when you measure the preop circumference of the arm and compare the measurements to the post op numbers.  Tucking the skin in the arm pit will lead to a very limited change, but without seeing any photos, my answer is purely hypothetical. Best of luck

It is possible to remove more skin by extending the incision.  I generally evaluate both the fat and the skin as separate components.  Evaluating these components helps me to decide whether I can do liposuction alone or if a formal skin excision (arm lift) is necessary.

Having a tuck up in your underarm is possible if the amount of skin to remove is limited, but is not as effective as a traditional arm lift.  A traditional arm lift, or brachioplasty reduces excess skin and fat between your underarm and elbow, giving your arms a more youthful appearance.  It would be beneficial to have a consultation with a board certified plastic surgeon, to go over your procedure options and to see which procedure you are the best candidate for.