Is It Possible to Get a Second Arm Lift?

                  It’s
not unusual for massive weight loss patients to lose additional weight after
undergoing arm lift surgery. When this happens recurrent arm sag is a common
problem and patients may seek a secondary arm lift procedure. In the vast
majority of patients, this type of revisional surgery can be performed with
excellent results and high satisfaction rates. 

It is not uncommon even in patients that have not lost additional weight to have laxity in the arms years after an arm lift. It is possible to perform a revision arm lift. One issue is that if you are not happy with the previous incision placement, depending on where the incision lies it may not be able to be easily changed. It is best to see a plastic surgeon that has a lot of experience with these procedures to best see how to proceed. Good luck.

Having a secondary arm lift, or brachioplasty, is not as uncommon as you would think.  Further weight loss, under-correction are common factors that lead us to consider secondary brachioplasty.  The "flaps" are actually more hearty after the primary procedure and there is usually less to do, resulting in a more spot-on post-op result that my patients love.

When a person loses significant weight it can deflate the skin, even if they have had an rm lift before. A second arm lift can be performed if necessary and usually doesn't need to be as extensive

Hi and thank you for your question regarding if it's possible to get a second arm lift. The answer is yes, it IS possible. I performed many arm lift revisions over the past 23 years and most times I'm correcting for surgeon error. However, if you lost more weight and the skin didn't shrink wrap back, you may be a great candidate for a second arm lift. It will be important for your plastic surgeon to excise the previous scar and dissect the plane to get rid of as much skin and fat as possible.

I specialize in arm lifts. I hope that I have answered your questions regarding the arm reduction. If you have any more questions regarding the arm lift, arm reduction, brachioplasty or arm crease fat grafting, please contact my office. Since a brachioplasty or arm lift surgery is a difficult procedure, please seek an experienced, board-certified plastic surgeon with significant experience performing these types of arm lifts. Do your research. Make sure your chosen plastic surgeon has performed at least 100 arm lifts. Make sure they have the before and after pictures to prove it. Carefully examine their before and after pictures and check their reviews on RealSelf.  

Sincerely, Dr. Katzen. (“Verified” Plastic Surgeon, President of the American Society of Bariatric Plastic Surgeons, certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery, Fellow of the International Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, American College of Surgery, International College of Surgery, and American Board of Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery, and ​member of the American Society of Plastic Surgery, American Academy of Cosmetic Surgery and RealSelf Hall of Fame.)

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.  If you lost more weight and continue to have developing concerns with the upper arms, then you can consider a second arm lift.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.

If you healed well from your first procedure and simply lost more weight and the skin is now loose again, then you are likely a good candidate for another arm lift. Make sure that your diet is normal and that you have normal protein levels. The secondary arm lift should have similar results, if not better. 

Yes, it is possible to have a second arm lift performed.  It's not uncommon in our weight loss patients that they have skin that is poorly elasticized - that it tends to stretch out easily, despite a properly performed initial surgery.  And if you have lost more weight, this may also be contributing to the looseness that you see.  More skin excision might help the situation.  Speak to your local surgeon about this idea.

 

All the best,

It is quite common that laxity (looseness) of tissues will return following surgery due to a loss of elasticity in the skin from repeated weight gain and loss over the years.  Also, recurrent weight gain can occur and that can lead to further contour concerns that may prompt further surgery.

Yes, arm lift surgery can be repeated as can facelift, breast lift, body and thigh lift.   

It is always difficult to discuss revision or re-do surgery.  Your weight loss after the procedure most definitely influenced the recurrent laxity.  It is safe to redo the procedure , but I would reccomend you see the prior surgeon or get the operative report to a new surgeon, so they know how the lift was performed last time.  Good luck.