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Non Surgical Skin Tightening for Arms?

asked 3 years ago by imakeupyourface in chicago il
Latest answer by Tom J. Pousti, MD
Question viewed 13,599 times
Tags: weight loss, alternative, massive weight loss, non invasive, non surgical

I had Gastric bypass surgery about 8 years ago and lost 100lbs. Since then, I’ve experienced “loose skin”…EVERYWHERE!! I hate it!! I’m just as self conscious in clothes as I was 100 pounds ago. I’d like a complete body lift but that is definitely NOT in my budget. I’ve been considering mesotherapy or some other non surgical alternative on my arms because I’d like to at least feel comfortable in short sleeves (since the lower half of my body is a DEFINITE case of “nip/tuck”). I’m looking to tighten the skin, I’m sure I could afford to rid my arms of some fat, but primarily it’s the loose skin I’d like to focus on. Any recommendations? Experiences? Comments?

18 answers to Non Surgical Skin Tightening for Arms?

+1

Arm lift / body lift

Your only option is skin and tissue removal to get the best results. As someone who specializes in plastic surgery after weight loss, I have seen too many women who havehad other less invasive procedures with no imporvement. In fact, they are usually damaged and then really need Plastic Surgery. The skin of a weight loss patient is totally different than a non-weight loss patient. It ofetn has breakage of the dermal layer and collagen and thus does not contract after liposuction,... more
Siamak Agha, MD, PhD

Orange County Plastic Surgeon

www.drsiamakagha.com

+3

Unfortunately, surgery is your only option

After massive weight loss, the degree of excess skin and loss of elasticity can only be improved with excisional surgery. There really is no other way to make any real change. The best plan would be to keep your weight down, meet with an excellent plastic surgeon and plan a long term program for total body improvement stage by stage and budget for it. You can direct the plan according to which areas bother you most and get these done first.
Richard P. Rand, MD, FACS

Seattle Plastic Surgeon
+2

Surgery for excess skin on arms

There are no effective non-surgical options for rejuvenated the excess skin on the arms after losing so much weight. The problem lies in the amount of skin and this cannot be tightened with removing this skin. The scars are present, but can be hidden so they are not in direct view.
Ankit Desai, MD

Jacksonville Plastic Surgeon
+2

What's wrong with surgery - it works!

Many patients have an unreasonable aversion to surgery in these cases whereas the truth is that it is the most successful method of treatment.  Financial issues aside - skin tightening tecniques are very effective for these problems.  You will be dissapointed with non surgical "experimental" treatments.
David Shuter, MD

Jupiter Plastic Surgeon
+2

Surgery for arm skin excess

Minimally invasive skin tightening simply doesn't, unfortunately, offer the amount of tightening massive weight loss patients need. Of the different types of arm lifts, there are lifts performed in the armpit crease and lifts that extend down the arm. For more severe problems, the lift with an incision extending down the arm provides the best solution (since it decreases the circumference). The trade-off is a scar and nice arms vs. no scar but excess skin in the arms, so... more
Brent Moelleken, MD

Beverly Hills Plastic Surgeon
+1

Non-Surgical Skin Tightening for Arms?

Thank you for the question and congratulations on your successful weight loss. Unfortunately, there is no effective nonsurgical “skin tightening” procedure. Arm lifting ( brachioplasty) be the only way to improve the contour of the upper arms by directly excising the “loose skin”. In person consultation with a well experienced board-certified plastic surgeon will be helpful. Best wishes.
Tom J. Pousti, MD

San Diego Plastic Surgeon
+1

Non-surgical options for loose arm skin are worthless

For massive weight loss patients with loose arm tissues, there is no non-invasive therapy (Thermage, Zeltiq, external laser etc) that is going to tighten your arm tissues in a satisfactory way. You need an arm lift. Consult a board certified surgeon in your area that does a lot of them.
Scott Sattler, MD

Bellevue Plastic Surgeon
+1

Massive weight loss leaves a lot of skin excess

Following the massive weight loss, what is remaining is skin and not fat. The only option left is to remove that skin surgicaly. Minimal skin excess could be handled by some non surgical techniques like radio frequency.
Hisham Seify, MD, PhD

Los Angeles Plastic Surgeon
+1

Getting rid of the sagging arm skin. Brachioplasty or arm lift

Great question. There are really no good non-surgical methods for getting rid of excess upper arm skin. I would recommend waiting until you are ready for a brachioplasty rather than trying something that likely will not deliver the result you expect. There a couple different kinds of brachioplasty techniques which can combine liposuction and an upper body lift. This is a very common area of concern in the post-bariatric patient and can be combined with other procedures. The incisions can... more
Andrew P. Trussler, MD

Dallas Plastic Surgeon
+1

There are no safe and effective non-surgical options for tightening skin after large weight loss

Hi there- First of all, you should be congratulated on your weight loss. Unfortunately, the large amount of skin that results from large weight losses such as yours cannot be safely managed without surgery. In fact, many of these "less invasive" treatments are of unproven safety or increase your risks... Be careful. Your best bet is to find a surgeon certified by The American Board of Plastic Surgery and visit for a consultation. How best to find one you like and can trust? Read this: more
Armando Soto, MD

Orlando Plastic Surgeon
+1

Only plastic surgery will help loose skin after bariatric surgery

When you have loose skin after loosing a lot of weight after bariatric surgery, only a surgical procedure will effectively improve your contour. Yes, there will be scars, and yes, these are expensive and serious procedures. Non surgical methods of tightening have negligible effects even on people who have not had bariatric surgery, so trying to correct the loose skin on someone who has had massive weight loss after bariatric surgery with these methods is an absolute waste of money. Anyone... more
Douglas J. Mackenzie, MD

Santa Barbara Plastic Surgeon
+1

Mesotherapy doesn't work

The only way to tighten loose skin is surgical excision. Mesotherapy does not work (junk medicine). If surgery is not in your budget, then do not waste your money on procedures that do not work. Save your money until you can afford the surgery.
Samir Shureih, MD

Baltimore Plastic Surgeon
+1

Non surgical body lift

Given the massive weight loss, I would suggest you save your money and wait to have the correct surgical procedures. Mesotherapy or non surgical skin tightening is a waste of money especially with all the weight loss and the extra skin that you have. Good luck.
Farbod Esmailian, MD

Orange County Plastic Surgeon
+1

Nonsurgical Arm Skin Tightening

There really is no nonsurgical means of tightening arm skin following massive weight loss.  An arm lift is the only way of correcting this problem.  Mesotherapy is a very controversial procedure that claims to remove fat, but does not claim (as far as I know) to tighten skin.
John Whitt, MD

Louisville Plastic Surgeon
+1

There is no alternative to remove loose skin except surgery

Limelight is an IPL that treats general red tones, broken capillaries, and age spots anywhere on the face and neck. One to three treaments spaced out at least 4 weeks apart are recommended for optimal results. Very effective!
Robert B. Pollack, MD

La Jolla Plastic Surgeon
+1

Arm Lifts After Weight Loss

In some patients who have a moderate amount of excess fat, and pretty good skin tone, you can get away with liposuction. Techniques like using the laser (SmartLipo) and using a circumferential approach can generate some decent skin tightening, However, if you have the saggy "bat wings" or very little fat (As in patients who have lost a lot of weight) there are really no alternatives othere than the long arm scar.
John LoMonaco, MD

Houston Plastic Surgeon
+1

Non Surgical arm lift

Dear IMUYF I hate to chime in with the other reputable plastic surgeons on this website but I have to agree. I have seen many 100# plus weight loss patients and have never been able to get by without a standard incision type brachioplasty. The reason for this is that you have skin excess around the arm as well as down the length of the arm. There are no nonsurgical techniques that will give you what you need. Thermage cannot do that much and mesotherapy should be mentioned in this... more
Steven Schuster, MD

Boca Raton Plastic Surgeon
+1

Non surgical arm tightening

Hello, Arm lift surgery works but can be involved and leaves scars. The scars can be hidden but will be present. Non surgical options right now just are not effective. If you try one consider it an experiment.
John P. Di Saia, MD

Orange Plastic Surgeon

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