Is there any procedure that can remove excess skin from lower arm (between elbow and wrist?)

Question

10 weeks post arm lift. Healing well with closed scars and full range of motion. Area by elbow will need revision in 6-9 months. Could a lower arm procedure be performed at the same time? Has any surgeon on here ever performed such a procedure? (My surgeon initially said that the arm lift scar couldn't go past the elbow (understandably), but since the revision will be working in the elbow area anyway......I thought I would ask).

J. Timothy Katzen, MD, FACS · Answer

Hello carolynburton,
thank you for your question. Excess skin and fat of the forearm are not
uncommon after weight loss. To effectively remove excess skin and fat from the
forearm, an incision extends from the armpit to the wrist. This is done on the
ulnar (or the pinky side) of the forearm. It is important to extend the
incision towards the wrist as much as is required to minimize any dog-ears.
This is the best solution for excess skin and fat of the forearms. However, you
need to weigh the benefits of getting the excess skin and fat off the forearms
against the more visible forearm scar. I often perform the forearm reduction at
the same time as the arm lift or brachioplasty. Therefore, the forearm
reduction can definitely be performed with the elbow revision. As with the
upper arm lift, the forearm reduction requires compression 4-6 weeks after
surgery. During that time, silicone gel and sheeting should also be applied to
minimize scarring.

Sincerely,

J.
Timothy Katzen, M.D.

David Stoker, MD · Answer

I perform arm lifts between the elbow and wrist in cases of extreme skin laxity.  I prefer to select patients who have healed with very discrete scars from other previous surgeries.  I perform it with or without an upper arm lift.

Anne Taylor, MD · Answer

Hello!It sounds like you have had some significant weight loss,and might benefit from  the removal of skin from your elbow to the wrist. I have a large number of patients who have had bariatric surgery, and have lost hundreds of pounds, and do benefit from this.I recommend two separate skin excisions, not joined at the elbow but parallel there, so that the risk of scar contracture there is less.Good luck.

Is there any procedure that can remove excess skin from lower arm (between elbow and wrist?)

Answers (3)

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