Am I a good candidate for arm liposuction?

Question

After many years of going up And down in weight my arms have been less than resilient. I had a consult for arm Lipo but feel the doctor wasn't completely honest with what my expectations are. I feel So embarrassed by this extra fat I never wear short sleeves even in the hottest weather and it even looks bad in clothing. Will this go away with Lipo or do I need a more drastic procedure.

Larry S. Nichter, MD, MS, FACS · Answer

Best Candidate for Liposuction
Liposuction is a procedure which removes fat from the body. It is one of the most popular procedures in the field of plastic surgery because of its simplicity and effectiveness. There are many different techniques and methods for liposuction, which can be performed on many areas of the body.
You are a candidate if you have excessive subcutaneous fat, which is resistant to diet and exercise. If you wish to change the contours of your body. Commonly involved areas are the anterior part of the neck (under the chin), upper arms and armpits, male chest/breasts, trunk abdomen, waist, hips, thighs, inner knees, calves, and ankles.
Most patients are near normal weight and desire permanent contour changes. Patients with average weight, localized fat collections, and healthy elastic skin are the best candidates for liposuction. Obesity, cellulite, or loose, sagging, and inelastic skin are several conditions which may tend towards less desirable results. In fact, these problems may be worsened by liposuction.
Frequently, patients seek liposuction to reduce their weight and general obesity. Unfortunately, liposuction is not indicated to treat these problems. Standard methods of weight reduction are required for these patients. Liposuction is intended to re-sculpt isolated collections of body fat that would not generally respond to diet and exercise it is a method of body contouring to reduce inches, not pounds. The good news is that the suctioned fat cells are permanently removed. If the patient gains weight later on, the new fat will be distributed in a more proportional manner.

David Hansen, MD · Answer

Liposuction alone will make your arms smaller  but there may be some loose skin as a result. You can always do an excision (brachioplasty) later if the skin doesn't retract well enough.

Jason Emer, MD · Answer

You can get amazing results with arm liposuction but likely need liposuction of the back/bra roll/armpit to get full contouring of this area.  I suggest a formal consultation to see if this is best or if skin surgery is needed.  A formal consultation will determine if your skin is good enough for liposuction alone.  Best, Dr. Emer.

Jaime S. Schwartz, MD, FACS · Answer

I appreciate your question.The distinction between lift and liposuction lies in the skin quality. If we feel the skin is able to retract and provide a nice shape, then lip suction is a good choice. If the excess skin will hang after then we should do an arm lift. The tradeoff is a scar.Many patients try conservative liposuction first and then see if they need skin excision.It appears you would do well with liposuctionThe best way to assess and give true advice would be an in-person exam.Please see a board-certified plastic surgeon that specializes in aesthetic and restorative plastic surgery.best of luck!Dr Schwartz

Roger Tsai, MD · Answer

Great question!  You would be a good candidate for arm liposuction.  This will help remove the bulkiness of the arms.  However, you also have excess skin.  It is important to know that there are two issues, volume and skin.  The liposuction can decrease the volume, but there will still be an excess skin issue.  The more liposuction performed the more excess skin will be present.  Therefore you may need to have this excess skin removed (arm lift) which will leave a scar in the back/middle of the upper arms, which are well hidden with the arms at the side or even in short sleeve clothing.  You could always have the liposuction performed first and have the excess skin removed at a later time if it bothers you.It is important to have a consultation with a plastic surgeon so that your goals and expectations can be reviewed and all the options provided for you so that a plan can be made specifically for you.  Best of luck and hope this information helps.  - Dr. Roger Tsai

Payman Danielpour, MD, FACS · Answer

From your pictures you seem to be an excellent candidate for arm liposuction.  Remember that wearing compression will greatly help the skin retraction after surgery.

Martin Jugenburg, MD · Answer

Hello Thank you for your question, it seems that it would be beneficial if you had an in person consult with a board certified plastic surgeon. You then can discuss your expectations and what is recommended. Liposuction and arm lift will help to possibly meet your expectations. Best regards

Jeffrey Nelson, MD · Answer

Your question is a great one and is always the issue for patients "can I get away with only liposuction" In your case I think you will be far happier with the final result if you do liposuction with a short scar brachioplasty rather than liposution alone.

Connie Hiers, MD, FACS · Answer

Liposuction can remove the excess fat in your arms, but it will not remove the excess skin. It is best to be somewhat conservative with liposuction in that area as well. I would recommend considering liposuction with radio-frequency skin tightening treatments afterwards. Otherwise, you might consider an arm tuck to remove excess fat and skin.

Mats Hagstrom, MD (license on probation) · Answer

Your skin laxity is going to get in the way of you having a good result from liposuction. That depends what your goals are.Liposuction will help make your arm smaller when you hold your arm and I downward position.However when you hold your arm out like you do in the picture the skin will hang just is low.  your primary problem is excess loose skin.The best procedure would be an arm lift also known as a Brachioplasty  this procedure can leave visible scars which is the major trade off.Best,Mats Hagstrom M.D.

Am I a good candidate for arm liposuction?

Answers (14)

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