I am 78. Am I too old to have the full treatment for flabby arms which will result in scars?

No, you are not too old for arm lift or brachioplasty. Before any surgery is performed, I always order blood tests, EKG and chest x-ray. If all these studies are within normal limits, there is no reason why you should not be allowed to undergo arm surgery. The arm lift or brachioplasty takes approximately two to three hours under general anesthesia. There are a variety of incisions. For you, I would imagine healing would take two to three weeks. Most people are very pleased with their arm lift or brachioplasty results. I hope this answers your question regarding the safety of performing a brachioplasty on a patient who is 78 years old. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact my office. Sincerely, Dr.Katzen

Best suggestion is to see a board certified plastic surgeon to evaluate your laxity and give you a good ideas of results you may expect. Thanks

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 (traditional 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.  In addition, your surgeon will take a detailed medical history to help you determine whether you can have the procedure safely at your age.