Is a mini-arm lift worth it? (photos)

Hi Pocahontasbeauty,Thanks for your question and photos. I think that the best treatment would be liposuction with laser or ultrasound treatment of the skin/collage to get you smaller arms. This would mean minimal scarring and eliminate the need for a minibrachioplasty. In order to know for sure you need an in person consultation to know if your arms are more fatty or more muscular to see if it would benefit you. This certainly can be done with your tummy tuck. Get several opinions from board certified plastic surgeons. I am not sure how much a mini-brachioplasty or arm surgery would add to your final result. Good Luck!



All the best,





Carlos Mata MD, MBA, FACS





#brachioplasty #liposculptin



Board Certified Plastic Surgeon

Hello,No, I not think you will get a satisfactory result from a mini-arm lift.  I believe you will wind up with a sub-optimal result and a scar.  You have too much upper arm skin and fat.  The upper arm mini-arm lift or also called a crescent arm lift.  The crescent upper arm lift is designed for patients with smaller arms than you. The best surgical option is a full arm lift or arm reduction.  An arm lift is called a brachioplasty.  In your case, the arm incision would extend from the armpit to the elbow.  Arm liposuction is performed at the same time.  An arm lift or arm reduction is performed under general anesthesia and takes about 3 hours to complete.If you cannot have an arm scar, you may be a candidate for VASER arm liposculpting. VASER arm liposculpting removes fatty deposits from the arm.  The crescent upper arm lift does just as its name implies, it only does the upper arm.  The crescent or mini-arm lift will not remove fat from the elbow.  VASER arm liposuction will.  In addition, VASER arm liposuction can make your arms look more feminine and/or more muscular.  The benefit of VASER arm liposuction and liposculpturing is that the VASER heats the undersurface of the skin.  Heat generated by the VASER is thought to lead to better skin contracture or shrink wrapping around your arms.  In conclusion, I would either do a full arm lift (brachioplasty) or VASER arm liposculpting.  I would not suggest a mini- or crescent arm lift. Thank you for your question regarding the mini- or crescent arm lift.  I wish you the best of luck.  If you have any further questions, regarding an arm lift (brachioplasty), please contact my office. Sincerely,Dr. J. Timothy Katzen  

From your photographs, it does not seem like a nini arm lift would offer you much correction. You might consider doing liposuction and then considering a full arm lift or shortened arm left to approach the results you would like. You need to see a board-certified plastic surgeon who could explain the differences and expectations so you are not dissatisfied in the long run.

Hello,Your arms are thick and heavy, and need liposuction more than skin excision. Mini armlifts do not address the circumferential laxity that may exist, but instead pull a small amount of skin in the axial direction. Go visit a few ABPS certified and ASAPS member surgeons.Best of luck!

Thanks for your question.  I share the opinion of my colleague who noted that mini lifts often get mini results, but I would go farther and note that in addition to limited results, the incisions from mini arm lifts can be quite problematic.  Usually the incision is placed within the underarm, rather than along the length of the arm.  With every movement of the arm, it is placed under tension, which can lead to scar migration or widening.  Consequently, in addition to a suboptimal result, you could end up with a suboptimal scar.  Discuss with your surgeon whether your skin tone would permit improvement with liposuction, possibly supplemented with a skin tightening technology.  Best of luck.