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What is a Brachioplasty?

asked 4 years ago by anon
Latest answer by Larry S. Nichter, MD, MS
Question viewed 3,324 times
Tags: under arms

What is a brachioplasty?  Somebody was talking about it on this site, and I don't know what it means.

34 answers to What is a Brachioplasty?

+1

Brachioplasty is an arm lift

In patients who have loose, sagging skin under their arms, commonly referred to as “bat wings”, an arm lift or brachioplasty can improve the arm contour. In these patients, the arm lift procedure tailers the skin to fit the underlying arm by surgically removing excess skin and fat. Brachioplasty reduces the excess skin that makes clothing fit improperly or makes you feel uncomfortable in short sleeves.
Siamak Agha, MD, PhD

Orange County Plastic Surgeon

www.drsiamakagha.com

+6

Brachioplasty

Brachiplasty, an arm lift, is a surgical procedure to remove loose skin and excess fat deposits in the upper arm. With age or weight loss, upper arm skin can become loose and flabby. The procedure can be performed under iv sedation or general anesthesia.
Kris M. Reddy, MD, FACS

West Palm Beach Plastic Surgeon
+2

Arm Lift and Brachioplasty Explained

Candidates for Surgery Candidates for an Arm Lift also called a brachioplasty procedure, have excess skin hanging from the upper arms creating the “bat wing” effect. This may be because of weight loss or genetic reasons. Intended Result Reduce the amount of excess, sagging skin and fat on the arms to create a slimmer arm contour. The results are highly dependent on the expertise of the Plastic Surgeon and one of the reasons that many patients... more
Larry S. Nichter, MD, MS

Orange County Plastic Surgeon
+2

Brachioplasty is the Medical Term for Arm Lift

Brachioplasty is the term used to describe an arm lift. The procedure is used when one develops loose skin in the upper arms, sometimes also referred to as "bat wings". From El Paso, Las Cruces, New Mexico.
Frank Agullo, MD

El Paso Plastic Surgeon
+2

Brachioplasty

As mentioned below, a brachioplasty is commonly known as an arm lift, and it is a trade off of a better contoured arm with significant scars. The scars are positioned in a location to try and hide them but they will always be visible. Brachioplasty can be a very good operation for people who have lost significant amounts of weight. Insurance, unfortunately, does not typically cover an arm lift. I hope this helps.
Steven H. Williams, MD

San Francisco Plastic Surgeon
+2

Brachioplasty and Arm Lift: Reducing unwanted skin and fat

Brachioplasty procedures are becoming increasingly common with massive weight loss patients. The decision to perform a brachioplasty is based on the following criteria: Amount of skin redundancy Amount of volume excess - fat in the upper arms Quality of the skin Options for surgery include a vertical scar along the inner arm, a crescent scar hidden in the armpit, or a combination of the two. In patients with a history of poor scars, the procedure is generally avoided. However, in... more
Raffy Karamanoukian, MD

Los Angeles Plastic Surgeon
+2

Brachioplasty is an "arm lift"

A brachioplasty is an "arm lift" procedure done to remove excess skin and fat from the upper arm. Other than in patients who have had massive weight loss, this procedure is relatively rarely performed because of the rather visible scars that are involved. The skin in the upper arm is very thin and the scar, while carefully placed in the inseam of the upper arm, has a tendency to spread and become wide and unsightly despite the surgeon's best efforts. This is still acceptable in patients... more
Richard P. Rand, MD, FACS

Seattle Plastic Surgeon
+2

Brachioplasty or 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 as well) and requires an incision... more
Michael Law, MD

Raleigh-Durham Plastic Surgeon
+1

Bracioplasty is the medical term for arm lift.

Brachioplasty means arm (brachio) molding (plasty). In Plastic Surgery we use the word brachioplasty when we are referring to arm lifting or removal of excess upper arm skin.
Laurie Casas, MD

Chicago Plastic Surgeon
+1

Brachioplasty

Thank you for your question. Arm tissue relaxes with age, gravity and weight loss. The drooping of skin is from a stretching of the anchoring system of the arm and loss of supporting fat. Patients are very unhappy with this “loose hammock” appearance. Brachioplasty (arm reduction surgery) can remove excess tissue and reduce the circumference of the upper arm. Surgical correction depends on the amount of extra skin and how loose the supporting tissues have become.... more
Tom J. Pousti, MD

San Diego Plastic Surgeon
+1

Brachioplasty for Excess Skin in Upper Arms

A brachioplasty is essentially an upper arm lift. In this procedure, the excess hanging skin and fat in the upper arm is removed. Its the procedure used to correct the common "bat wing" of skin that manifests in patients who have lost a significant amount of weight. 
C. Bob Basu, MD

Houston Plastic Surgeon
+1

Brachioplasty

 A brachioplasty is an arm lift usually confined to the upper arm and involves removing excess skin and fat of the upper arm to improve the contous.
Steven Wallach, MD

Manhattan Plastic Surgeon
+1

Arm lift procedure

Its the surgical procedure that is done to tighten the redundant arm skin usually after massive weight loss
Nawarah Alarfaj, MD

Saudi Arabia Plastic Surgeon
+1

Brachioplasty

Following weight loss, many patients are frustrated by the size of their arms. Their body can often fit into smaller sized clothing, but there arms cannot. A brachioplasty is an excisional porcedure that removes the excess skin and fat from the upper arm. The incision often continues into the armpit region and can also recontour that area as well. It is frequently combined with posterior arm liposuction to give the best contour. Depending on whether the of laxity is... more
Joseph Michaels, MD

Bethesda Plastic Surgeon
+1

What is brachioplasty?

As we get older or lose weight, skin in the lower portion of the arm can become loose and saggy. In order to remove this unwanted skin, we can perform a procedure called brachioplasty, or arm lift. This procedure is designed to reshape the under portion of the arm back to its youthful shape by removing excess skin and fat. During the procedure, the surgeon will make incisions in the skin (from the underarm region to the elbow), remove the unwanted skin and fat, and stitch the skin back... more
Kenneth Bermudez, MD

San Francisco Plastic Surgeon
+1

A Brachioplasty is the removal of excess skin from the arm...

A Brachioplasty is the removal of excess loose skin of the upper arm.  Usually patients that have had a great deal of weight loss benefit from this procedure .  Liposuction of the upper arms can be combined with this procedure to achieve a nice result.  Consult your plastic surgeon to see if you would be a candidate for this procedure.  
Shain A. Cuber, MD

Marlboro Plastic Surgeon

www.AssociatesinPlasticSurgery.com

+1

Brachioplasty is a fancy term for an arm lift

Arm lift (Brachioplasty) is a procedure designed to contour arm laxity- there are some very reliable techniques that will give good results. My observation is that women with a substantial amount of skin laxity without heavy/fatty arms tend to have the best result long term - in terms of longevity of the result and scar quality.
Scott Sattler, MD

Bellevue Plastic Surgeon
+1

Arm Lift

A brachioplasty is an arm lift, usually involving the tissues of the upper arm. These are more common in women who have lost a great deal of weight. The scars can be positioned to make them less visible but are long and can be unsightly. Best Regards.
John P. Di Saia, MD

Orange Plastic Surgeon
+1

Brachioplasty is an Arm Lift

Brachioplasty is the medical term for an arm lift. This operation is performed for the excessive "flapping" skin and fat between the armpit and the elbow in the upper arm. A brachioplasty is done in two ways: With liposuction or by surgical removal of skin and fat. Liposuction requires good skin tone to allow for contraction of the skin after the fat is removed. This technique leaves minimal scars. Surgical removal of skin and fat allows for greater degrees of correction... more
David Bogue, MD

Boca Raton Plastic Surgeon
+1

Brachioplasty is a reshaping of the arm

Brachioplasty is reshaping the arms. It is a host of many procedures ranging from liposuction, short scar arm lift, scar in the arm pit and short distance in the upper arm, a T-shaped scar, to the full arm lift with the scar hidden inside the arm from arm pit to elbow. A combination skin reduction and liposuction can be done as well.
Samir Shureih, MD

Baltimore Plastic Surgeon
+1

Different Types of Arm Lift

Brachioplasty is removal of excess skin on the arm. There are two ways to tighten and remove the skin. One way is to place a incision in the arm pit along the crease. This removes small amount of skin and may work for patients who dont have significant amount of skin to remove. The other was is to perform an extended brachioplasty or what is termed L brachioplasty. This involves an incision along the chest wall extending on the arm along the inner aspect of the arm up to the elbow. This... more
Farbod Esmailian, MD

Orange County Plastic Surgeon
+1

What is a Brachioplasty?

Hi there- A brachioplasty is a procedure in which excess fat and skin is removed from the upper arm by excision (with a scar either behind the arm or on the inside of the arm), by liposuction, or by a combination of the two. In my practice, we are doing fewer of these nowadays, because the VASER ultrasound liposuction device is so effective in this area of the body.
Armando Soto, MD

Orlando Plastic Surgeon
+1

Brachioplasty is arm lift

A brachioplasty is an arm lift procedure. It is used mainly to address removal of excessive skin and fat. The increased popularity of these procedures came after the increased number of massive weight loss patients.
Hisham Seify, MD, PhD

Los Angeles Plastic Surgeon
+1

What is brachioplasty?

Brachioplasty is the procedure that is performed to get rid of "bat wing". Usually it is peformed after significan weight loss, such as in patients who have undergone gastric bypass procedures. There are many ways to perform the surgery. Most often the patient will have a significant improvement in the contour of the arm. The downside is a rather long scar on the inside of the arm. However, in patients with significant skin excess, they are happy to get rid of the skin in... more
Tracy Pfeifer, MD

Manhattan Plastic Surgeon
+1

Brachioplasty or arm lift

An arm lift, or brachioplasty, is a surgical procedure that reshapes the under portion of the upper arm, from the underarm region to the elbow. The procedure is performed to Reduce excess sagging skin that droops downward, tighten and smooth the underlying supportive tissue that defines the shape of the upper arm, and reduce localized pockets of fat in the upper arm region.
William J. Hedden, MD

Birmingham Plastic Surgeon
+1

Brachioplasty is Arm Lift

A brachioplasty is another term for an arm lift. This is a procedure to remove excess skin (and fat sometimes) from the area between the elbow and armpit. The ideal candidate is someone who has had significant weight loss with resultant excess skin in this area. The incisions are usually placed on the inner or posterior arm and can sometimes lead to hypertrophic scarring.
John Whitt, MD

Louisville Plastic Surgeon
+1

Brachioplasty or Arm Lift

A brachioplasty is an arm lift. This may involve removal of skin alone or in combination with liposuction to remove additional fatty tissue. There are several different types of arm lifts depending on the amount of excess skin and/or fat that needs to be addressed. Typically, the incision extends from the inner aspect of the elbow and extends to the armpit. In some cases where patients have less extra skin, an incision entirely within the armpit crease is all that is required. Whether or... more
William Bruno, MD

Beverly Hills Plastic Surgeon
+1

Brachioplasty or upper arm lift

A brachioplasty is an upper arm lift. There are multiple different types depending on how much and where the excess arm skin is. They are commonly performed on patients who have lost a large amount of weight. Scars vary depending on the type performed and can extend from the chest to beyond the elbow, or hidden in the armpit crease. I usually combine bracioplasty procedures with liposuction of the arms for total arm contouring. I hope this helps.
Andrew P. Trussler, MD

Dallas Plastic Surgeon
+1

Brachioplasty

Everything sounds better when spoken in Latin with an English Public (IE very private) School accent...Brachio - for arm and Plasty for change or mold describes an arm lift. Depending on the extent of skin looseness and residual amount of fat in the arm, various procedures have been used employing different combinations of skin excision (IE scar along the inner arm) and liposuction. The procedure best suited for YOUR particular condition would depend on your presentation and preferences... more
Peter A. Aldea, MD

Memphis Plastic Surgeon
+1

Bracioplasty (Armlift)

Lifts on this famously wobbly part of the human physiognomy—known familiarly as “Hi Janes” or “Bingo” arms—are particularly popular. Heavy and even moderately droopy arms can be recountoured very effectively with liposuction. Nit if a patient is left with severely hanging skin as a result of age or weight loss, a brachioplasty will be the most effective procedure—though once again, the trade-off for tightness is a big scar. Today an arm lift... more
Michelle Copeland, MD, DMD

New York Plastic Surgeon
+1

A Brachioplasty is an Upper Arm Lift

Like most other "lift" procedures, an arm lift results in a scar. It is best suited for patients who have undergone significant weight loss that results in a "bat wing" appearance to their arms. In these cases, it is reasonable to trade the hanging skin for the required scar. Please view my patient photo - you can see her scar from the elbow to the armpit. She is a good candidate for the procedure due to her arm contour before surgery. Dr.B
Michael A. Bogdan, MD

Dallas Plastic Surgeon
+1

Brachioplasty - fancy term for arm lift

Basically, that's what it is. Brachium means arm. The procedure involes taking skin and fat off the arm to tighten the arm giving a better contour to the arm. Usually this results in a scar in the armpit and down the arm on the lower inner aspect. In some cases you may be able to do this just with a scar in the armpit. See a plastic surgeon who does this both ways so you are not pigeonholed into one technique. Some patients may also benefit from liposuction and Thermage if their skin tone... more
Steven Schuster, MD

Boca Raton Plastic Surgeon
+1

What is a brachioplasty

A Brachioplasty is an arm lift operation, to reduce the unwanted laxity of skin and abundance of fat. This can be done with a combination of liposuction and removal of skin, that leaves a scar along the inner arm. For very limited cases, the scar can be kept entirely within the armpit, but only very minor cases.
Nirav Savalia, MD

Orange County Plastic Surgeon
+1

A brachioplasty is an arm lift.

A brachioplasty is an arm lift. Contouring of the arm can be achieved using liposuction alone, with excision alone, or in combination. Patients with excess fatty tissues and good skin elasticity will benefit from liposuction alone. If there is excess skin with poor elasticity, a brachioplasty will be a better option. The trade-off is the scar. Plastic surgery is a trade-off. Is the scar worth getting the desired contour? The answer to this is very personal. Brachioplasties can be... more
Sanjay Grover MD

Orange County Plastic Surgeon

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