Any procedures which would be safe to tighten skin on my upper arms?

Question

Thirty years ago I had breast cancer, chemo and 21 lymph nodes removed on my right side. The cancer hasn't returned yet there have been many reconstructive procedures due to the doctor trying something new at time of cancer. I'm an active, fit, 66 year old and wondering if there are any procedures which would be safe to tighten skin on my upper arms. The doctor who did reconstructive surgery last year has moved away and can't be reached.

Raffy Karamanoukian, MD, FACS · Answer

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

Randy Dean, MD - Account Suspended · Answer

Hi and welcome to our forum!
The degree to which the skin has stretched and the quality of the overlying skin will determine the appropriate treatment for lax skin of the upper arm. If minimal,  energy based devices which utilize radiofrequency energy, ultrasonic energy or laser energy have been quite successful in tightening skin. 
If there is moderate or significant skin sag, a surgical brachioplasty (arm lift) may be required. It involves removal of the excess stretched out skin, creating a scar along the inner aspect of your upper arm from armpit to elbow. Scarring from the multiple previous surgeries in the area may make surgery more difficult. If possible, try to obtain your old operative reports. 
 If radiotherapy was previously administered, there is increased risk of tissue loss with any procedure in the areas of treatment.
Visit a board certified plastic surgeon for evaluation and discussion.
Best wishes...

Any procedures which would be safe to tighten skin on my upper arms?

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Any procedures which would be safe to tighten skin on my upper arms?

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Everything you need to know about Skin Tightening

Our mission is to create a world where every investment in modern beauty is Worth It.