Would brachioplasty remove stretch marks on the arms?

Hi sunriseawakening3333 in Battlement Mesa, CO. Thank you for your question regarding whether brachioplasty would remove stretch marks on the arms. Tha answer is “yes and no”.
In a longitudinal brachioplasty, arm liposuction is conducted from the axilla to the elbow. An incision is placed between the biceps and triceps. The incision and subsequent scar are positioned in this groove to ensure that the brachioplasty scar remains somewhat concealed when the arms are positioned at the sides. During an arm lift, an elliptical area of inner arm skin is removed. Typically, during an arm lift, an elliptical area of inner arm skin is removed. Usually, a line is drawn from the armpit to the inner elbow. Then, skin and fat are removed from both sides of this line. Above this line and towards the biceps, a small amount of arm skin is removed. However, on the tricep side of the incision, more arm skin is removed; typically, the posterior arm skin removed is from the line to approximately the 6 o’clock position on the triceps. Tissue dissection is performed on the posterior aspect of the arms. Extra arm skin and fat are dissected free and excised. The skin on the arms is re-draped and closed with dissolvable sutures.  Typically, drains are unnecessary. Arm lifts are performed under general anesthesia and typically take 3-4 hours to complete. Give yourself a two-week recuperation period. You need to wear your compression garment for around six weeks. Therefore, if you have stretch marks within this paddle of skin, these arm stretch marks will be removed. However, if stretch marks are present outside the resected skin area, the arm stretch marks will remain. Therefore, some of your arm stretch marks are removed. However, if the stretch marks are outside the line of skin resection, the arm stretch marks will remain. I hope I have answered your questions regarding arm reduction and, specifically, whether brachioplasty would remove stretch marks on the arms. If you have any further questions regarding arm lift, arm reduction, brachioplasty, arm scar revision, or arm crease fat grafting, consult an experienced plastic surgeon. To get an accurate assessment of what exactly you need, schedule a free virtual consultation. Most plastic surgeons offer free virtual consultations.

Since an arm lift can be a challenging surgery, please seek an experienced, board-certified plastic surgeon with significant experience performing these types of lifts. Do your research. Ensure they have performed at least 150 arm-lift procedures. Ensure they have the before-and-after pictures to substantiate it. Carefully examine their before-and-after images and review their RealSelf reviews.
Sincerely, Dr. Katzen, MD, MBA, FACS, FICS (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.)

The only stretch marks that will disappear are those which are removed with the skin excision. Sometimes the stretch marks which are not removed, look a little better under tension. This might be a nice bonus, but you should not necessarily expect this to be a result.

Brachioplasty typically takes away the badly stretched thinned skin on the inner arm away. It isn't guaranteed to remove them entirely but the majority are in most cases.

When a classic brachioplasty is performed, the significant amount of skin is removed usually from the back part of the upper arm. If stretch marks are within the skin that is removed, they are treated. If stretch marks are in the skin that remains, they will not be helped by brachioplasty surgery.

Most stretch marks are on the back of the arm, which is the skin removed in brachioplasty (arm lift). Keep in mind, however, that the scars from brachiplasty are very, very visible. They may be widened or dark, and are generally much more noticeable than stretch marks.

Most arm stretch marks occur over the shoulder area and are not improved with brachioplasty.  Arm lift is primarily used to remove substantial excess skin and fat at the expense of leaving a long scar.  Your stretch marks are also scars and are not easily treated.

The incision for brachioplasty is on the undersurface of the arm, so the skin removed is only from this area.  If you have stretch marks in this skin they will be removed.  Stretch marks on the outer arm will not be removed. 

It is hard to give you a recommendation without direct examination. If
you do have hanging skin, brachioplasty (arm lift) will give you a good
contour. However, it will have scar. Depending on your need, the scar
can be elbow to armpit or confined around the armpit. If you have a
mild laxity, liposuction/laser may help. It will be best to be examined
by a board-certified plastic surgeon. Best wishes.

Yes, brachioplasty can remove some of the stretch marks on your arms, depending on where the stretch marks are located. When skin is removed from the arm, the scar is position on the inside of the arm where it contacts your body to help hide the incision better. If there are stretch marks located here, they will most certainly be removed. Any stretch marks on the top exposed portion of your arm or anteriorly (on the front over your bicep) may not necessarily be removed, but it's possible they will shift location slightly. To be sure if your particularly concerning stretch marks would be affected, visit with a plastic surgeon and have then draw out exactly which ones would be removed with the surgery. 

Thanks for sharing your question.



Stretch marks only disappear if they
are cut off. If the remaining tissue has stretch marks, there is a chance that
they increase mildly in size due to the tension of the tissues. However, It won’t
be as bad as your current condition.



Finally, make sure that you have a consultation
with a board certified plastic surgeon that specializes in after weight loss
surgery.



Wishing you the best in your journey