Lipo and weight loss, left with saggy, lumpy arms. How can I improve the rippling? (Photos)

Hello Jaspsadie02, Thank you for your question regarding lipo and weight loss, left with saggy, lumpy arms and how you can improve the arm rippling. Thank you for your pictures. To get an accurate assessment of your specific arm needs, schedule a free virtual consultation. Most plastic surgeons offer free virtual consultations. In examining your pictures, you have excess skin and fat from your axillae or armpits to your elbows. That means you have a Type 4 arm. Also, you have irregularities and dimpling throughout your arms. You could do VASER arm liposuction with Renuvion. Further arm liposuction may get rid of the dimples left from prior arm liposuction. However, if you have any more arm liposuction, you will be left with an excessive amount of arm skin. Alternatively, you could fill in the dimples with fat grafting. However, fat grafting to your arm dimples would make your arms BIGGER, not smaller. Therefore, you would do best with a formal brachioplasty or arm reduction. An arm reduction is performed under general anesthesia and takes about 3 to 4 hours to complete. The brachioplasty incision should be placed between the biceps and the triceps. A little bit of arm liposuction would be included to maximize your results. Drains are usually not used during an arm reduction. Allow yourself 2 to 3 weeks of recovery. You should be able to return to a desk-type job 2 to 3 weeks after your arm reduction. You will need to wear a medical-grade compression garment on the arms for at least 6 weeks and until the swelling is gone. Good luck. I hope I have answered your question about lipo and weight loss, left with saggy, lumpy arms and how you can improve the arm rippling.
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 150 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, MD, MBA. (Plastic Surgeon, President of the American Society of Bariatric 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, RealSelf Hall of Fame, and RealSelf Doctor Advisory Board for Medical Review and Consumer Panel.)

Morpheus 8 is a non-invasive skin and soft tissue tightening treatment that is consistently amazing in our patients. We use the Morpheus to exact fractional induced RF into the skin or tissue in order to tighten collagen and stimulate contraction of the tissue. For acne scars, it is quite useful to build collagen in patients who have atrophic scars but is not very productive for ice-pick scars which require TCA Cross. For tissue tightening, Morpheus is ideal for the face and neck and we often combine it with CO2 laser or Ultherapy to further enhance results. Chemical peels and skin resurfacing should be done at least 5 to 7 days after, but can be performed earlier, depending on treatment severity. Avoid exfoliating skin treatments before Morpheus and expect a period of 2-4 weeks for skin contraction to set in.

Best,
Dr. Karamanoukian
Realself100 Surgeon

Hello,
Thank you for the question.
Given your history of significant weight loss and previous liposuction, the sagging and rippling of the skin on your arms are likely due to a combination of skin laxity and uneven fat removal. The most effective treatment for improving both sagging and rippling would be a brachioplasty (arm lift), which removes excess skin and smooths the contour. If the rippling is primarily due to uneven fat distribution, fat grafting could also help. Non-surgical options like radiofrequency treatments (Thermage or Exilis) or Ultherapy can provide mild tightening, but they may not be sufficient for more significant skin laxity. A consultation with a board-certified plastic surgeon will help determine the most appropriate treatment based on your specific needs.

You will need the skin excised using a brachioplasty. The incision is from the armpit to the elbow.

Best Wishes,

Gary Horndeski, M.D.

Congratulations on your weight loss! You can consider an arm lift which would address the uneven contour and skin laxity that resulted from your last procedure, but it comes with a scar that many do not prefer. You may get some improvement with skin tightening treatments such as BodyTite. I encourage you to visit with a board certified plastic surgeon near you for an evaluation.

Based on your post photos, a bilateral arm lift or brachial plastics is indicated. Fee range $5000-$10,000. Best of virtual concert with.