What is the Best Non-surgical Treatment for Sagging Underarms?

Thank you for your question. There are a number of radiofrequency and infrared devices that use heat to tighten the deeper dermis. This can create some mild skin contraction and tightening. These options usually require multiple treatments to achieve a satisfactory result and then maintenance treatments. And it also depends on how much tightening you need. You may not be a candidate for this at all. 
Liposuction alone removes fat and if you're young and have good skin tone it may contract. 
Most patients are best served by a brachioplasty or arm lift. This can come in a mini version if the defect is minor. The trade off is the scar but the outcomes are more dramatic. 
See a board certified plastic surgeon for consultation to learn what might be best for you. 

A brachioplasty is probably what you are looking for to achieve significant results. There are really no effective non-surgical treatments for removing significant skin under the arm. Non-invasive procedures like coolsculpting only address the fat that lies under the skin and over the muscle, it does not do anything to improve excess skin. Laser therapy and other skin tightening procedures show extremely minimal results, if there are any results at all. There is a reason why board certified plastic surgeons do not include this procedure in their practice offerings. It would be best to consult with a board certified plastic surgeon to review the best options for you.

There are several treatment options out there for sagging underarms but do not involve surgery. The  goal with these treatments is to maximize the results with the minimum of downtime, pain or disability. Unfortunately, as with most things in life the reality is… There is no such thing as a free lunch!
The treatment options can provide some modest improvement in skin sagging and may be used in patients with a minimum of loose skin, but rarely provide dramatic results. Common treatments used are radiofrequency, laser and possibly some injectable agents such as Kybella.
 It goes without saying that the most definitive results come from arm lift surgery. Granted, there is downtime associated with the procedure, for a complete and customize result that is generally the best option.
 As with any surgical or nonsurgical procedure, it's critical that you seek the advice of the surgeon who is certified by the American Board of plastic surgery and has extensive experience in body contouring.
 I wish you the best,
 Dr.  Gabbay.

Thank you for your question regarding treatment for sagging underarms. It is a common problem in older patients and patients who have lost a lot of weight. In my opinion, the best non-surgical treatment for sagging arms would be radio frequency modulation treatment. There is a significant amount of data and studies that show modest improvement of sagging arms. However, radio frequency treatment is in its preliminary phases, and usually, arm lift surgery always yields a better result. If you must treat your arms without surgery, I believe radio frequency modulation is the best way to go. Please seek an experienced board certified, plastic surgeon. If you have any other questions regarding sagging arms or any questions, feel free to contact my office.

Sincerely,

Dr. J. Timothy Katzen

Unfortunately there is no effective non-surgical treatment for sagging arms. Because it is a dynamic area that changes with movement of the shoulder joint, it is difficult to resolve the condition completely.  It is common for me to treat this condition with skin excision, especially in the group of patients that have lost substantial weight.  Below I attached an example of a dramatic improvement in one of my patients with surgical skin excision in that area. Good luck.