55, 5'3, mostly 150lbs, arm lift vs. arm liposuction? (Photos)

Question

I'm 55. Yo-yo dieting was my life (never above 180, mostly 150ish, but I'm 5'3) currently solidly at ideal weight. I'm a runner and have been working out throughout my lifetime. I finally want my arms fixed but I don't really want the arm lift due to the scarring, etc. Can someone it's big arm like me just get liposuction? Or would it just be huge flat skin left behind?

J. Timothy Katzen, MD, FACS · Answer

Hello Marukobe, thank you for your question regarding whether you would be better with an arm lift versus arm liposuction.  Thank you for your history and your pictures.  Based on your history of dieting, age over 50, and presence of arm stretch marks, I highly suggest you undergo an arm lift, arm reduction, or brachioplasty.  Anything short of the brachioplasty will leave you with loose, hanging arm skin.  Conversely, you can try arm liposuction if you do not mind loose hanging arm skin.  However, I think you will be disappointed with arm liposuction alone.  Therefore, I suggest the arm lift or brachioplasty.  Under general anesthesia, the arm lift or brachioplasty takes approximately 3 to 4 hours.  During a brachioplasty, arm liposuction is performed from the elbow to the armpit.  During the same arm lift surgery, an upper arm incision would be made from the armpit to the elbow.  The arm incision is placed between the biceps and triceps to allow for maximum scar concealment.  After an arm reduction, please allow yourself a week of recovery.  Arm lifts do not require drains.  Return to work is approximately 2 to 3 weeks, depending on the activity required at your workplace.  Therefore, my vote is 100% for an arm lift or brachioplasty.  Liposuction will leave you with loose hanging arm skin.  I hope I have answered your question regarding whether you should under an arm lift or liposuction.  Good luck.

Andrei Rios, MD · Answer

Hello marukobe. In my experience, the amount of excess skin you have is more than enough that could potentially retract enough for a good result after surgery. If you only want to do liposuction or skin tightening procedures (Body Tite, Morpheus8, VASER, Renuvion), the resulting retraction will not be enough, and there will still be saggy skin left in place. I'd recommend an extended arm lift to give you the best possible results.
Have a great day!

Kristopher Hamwi, MD · Answer

I would expect that liposuction alone will create significant loose skin and wrinkles that you wouldn't love. I've performed a lot of arm liposuction and brachioplasties and the condition of the skin largely depends on how much volume will be removed and the condition of the skin/age of the patient.

Gary M. Horndeski, MD · Answer

If you undergo liposuction alone, it is most likely that you will have excess hanging skin. You can certainly try liposuction first and wear a compressive garment for several months to help the skin recoil. In the meantime, you can start wearing a compressive garment to help your skin tone.

Best Wishes,

Gary Horndeski, M.D.

Best Wishes,

Gary Horndeski, M.D.

Carmina Cardenas, MD · Answer

Your arms are saggy and a bit thick so you will need the combination of volume reduction doing 360 liposuction to arms and Braquioplasty to remove the excess of skin, which is always excess of width, so the incision will be from armpit until elbow. 
I acknowledge the scar is very obvious and sometimes the scar is like a scratch or sometimes it becomes thick (hypertrophic) or sometimes wide, and impossible to predict which scar you will develop. 
Only liposuction with or without energies, will let saggier arms and lumpy. 
So I always ask my patients to think what will be more tolerable while wearing a short sleeve shirt: the way your arms are now or a very visible scar but  thin and tight arms. 
Be encouraged!!
Dr. Cárdenas

Stanley Okoro, MD · Answer

Thank you for your question and for uploading photos! Although my exam is limited, it appears you have a combination of both excess fat and skin excess. To have the best results you have to address both of these things. The most effective procedure would include liposuction (to address fat) and brachioplasty or arm lift (to address the extra skin). However, this would leave you with the long scar you are trying to avoid. There are alternative options that do not leave long scars also! The best alternative option would include liposuction along with bodytite (radiofrequency technology for skin tightening). I would not recommend liposuction alone, as this would leave you with loose hanging skin. The bodytite can tighten your loose skin and also induce collagen production to improve the quality of your skin. Since you have a significant amount of loose skin, you may benefit from additional treatments of bodytite to tighten the skin even further. These “nonsurgical options” provide significant improvement, however they do not provide an arm lift result. Please consult with a board-certified plastic surgeon to discuss your expectations and decide on the right procedure for you!

Camille Cash, MD · Answer

An exam is needed to know for sure but it appears you would have some improvement with liposuction and could add J Plasma to aid in skin tightening.  However the risk of lax skin remaining is there.  You may be a better candidate for a brachioplasty depending on your goals.

Connie Hiers, MD, FACS · Answer

I would suggest doing liposuction with radiofrequency skin tightening like Renuvion at the same time to tighten your loose skin. Many get from much improved to good results and can avoid the long scar of the arm tuck.

Francisco Rodriguez Rosario, MD · Answer

buenas tardes, se puede apreciar una flacidez importante....se optaría por lifting de brazos .. si sacamos grasa entonces tendría piel colgando, la opción seria lifting 
Dr. Rodriguez

Andrew T. Cohen, MD, FACS · Answer

I would consider doing liposuction first and see how much skin retraction you get. Some of our patients get enough contraction of the skin with the power assisted liposuction machine that they don't need skin removal. Good compression garments work great also. Best to see a board certified plastic surgeon. A brachioplasty could always be done as a secondary procedure if needed... or even a non invasive RF -microneedling device to tighten the skin is an option.

Good luck

Andrew Cohen, MD

Good luck

Andrew Cohen, MD

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