Would surgery help with stretch marks under arms?

Question

Iam 19 yrs old & I went through a growth spurt a couple of yrs ago. I have stretchmarks under my arms, or the "bat wing" area & on lower my sides. Iam thinking of getting surgical excision, to remove them, would that be any help?

J. Timothy Katzen, MD, FACS · Answer

Thank you for your question regarding under arm stretch marks.  
If you decide to undergo an arm lift or brachioplasty, stretch marks in the area of surgical resection will be permanently removed. However, please be aware, that stretch marks outside the surgical excision area will still be there. 
During a medial, longitudinal arm lift, an incision is made from the armpit to the elbow. An elliptical area of skin and fat is removed from the inner arm. If you have stretch marks in this area, these arm stretch marks will be permanently removed. If you have stretch marks in the armpit, axillae, or the area that hangs over the bra strap line, an incision can be placed from the armpit down to the upper bra strap line. An elliptical area of skin and fat is removed in the upper arm pit or axillary region. This is called a vertical torsoplasty.  Stretch marks in this area would be permanently removed with a vertical torsoplasty. 
I hope this answers your questions regarding stretch marks under the arms and upper torso.
Good luck!  If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact my office.  
Sincerely, Dr. Katzen

Guncel Ozturk, MD, FEBOPRAS · Answer

Thank you for your question! It is hard to tell exactly what you will need without a physical examination.  I suggest you visit a board certified plastic surgeon and have a consultation.  Good luck!

Dhaval M. Patel, MD · Answer

Thank you for your question! It is hard to tell exactly what you will need without a physical examination of your arms.  I suggest you seek a board certified plastic surgeon who preforms these routinely, and have a consultation.  Best of luck!Dr Dhaval PatelDouble Board Certified Plastic SurgeonChicago Hoffman EstatesOak Brook

Richard J. Bruneteau, MD · Answer

It’s
not unusual for patients who undergo rapid growth to develop stretch marks.
These stretch marks can occur in a variety of locations including the axilla.

Occasionally
armpit stretch marks are associated with loose saggy skin beneath the arms.
Under these circumstances, excision of excess skin not only removes the loose
skin, but also removes the stretch marks.

Unfortunately,
when stretch marks aren’t associated with loose skin, excision only trades them
for scars. In addition, scars in this location can be associated with flexion
contractions of the joint. This can adversely affect the shoulder range of
motion.

If
you’re considering this type of surgery, consultation with a board certified
plastic surgeon is appropriate. This surgeon should be able to formulate a
treatment plan that will hopefully address your concerns.

Raffy Karamanoukian, MD, FACS · Answer

Arm lift correction of stretch marks and arm laxity is ideal.  I would recommend a short scar arm lift, given your age.

Mark Domanski, MD · Answer

Plastic surgery is about tradeoffs.  Removing the skin with stretchmarks can potentially be done...but then we have an incision line that may or not be any better.
Stretchmarks are tears in the deeper, dermis layer of the skin.  Topical treatments focus mostly on the top layer the epidermis.  For this reason, most creams and lasers have limited effect of stretchmarks.
Best of luck and for a specific opinion, please get an in-person consultation with your plastic surgeon.

Tom J. Pousti, MD · Answer

Thank you for the question.

	Arm lifting is an excellent procedure to improve the contour of the arms and remove  redundant skin and adipose tissue;  the downside is a relatively high rate of unsatisfactory scarring and the need for revisionary surgery.

	It may behoove you to visit with well experienced a board certified plastic surgeons.

	Best wishes.

Steven Wallach, MD · Answer

There will be a trad-off to remoe stretch marks with excisions. You will always have a scar from excision procedures.e

Carmen Kavali, MD · Answer

Without a photo, it is impossible to know if an arm lift is a good idea for you.  If so, that surgery may remove many of your stretch marks. 

	Directly cutting out stretch marks is not a good idea--replaces scars (stretch marks) with new scars (surgical).

	There are lasers and RF devices that might help improve the appearance of your stretch marks, but nothing (other than surgery) will actually remove them.

Glenn Vallecillos, MD, FACS · Answer

Thanks for the question.
To date, unfortunately, there is no great answer to treating stretch marks, which represent intradermal scarring, commonly found secondary to pregnancy, obesity, or in your case, a growth spurt. While surgical excision is an option, you are essentially trading a scar for a scar and there is no guarantee that the new scar will be any more aesthetically appealing than your stretch marks. 
You may want to consider "micro-needle" treatments in conjunction with sound skin rejuvenation program. In our hands, this has produced favorable results in many instances, although not all. I would recommend consulting with your local plastic surgeon to devise the best solution possible for your particular case.  
Best of luck!

Would surgery help with stretch marks under arms?

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