Arm lift surgery (brachioplasty)
The skin and muscle tissue on our upper arms are under the constant pull of gravity. Plus, as we age, our muscles slacken somewhat and our skin thins and becomes less firm. If you’ve gained and then lost a good deal of weight, these effects are all exacerbated.
An arm lift, also known as brachioplasty, removes loose excess skin, tightens underlying muscles that have slackened, removes fat that is weighing down the skin, and generally returns the upper arms to how they looked in younger days.
Reasons to consider an arm lift
Wear the clothes you want
Arm lift patients who previously felt uncomfortable wearing clothing that revealed their arms report that they love being able to wear sleeveless and short-sleeved tops without worrying about the appearance of their arms.
Get back your confidence
After undergoing arm lift surgery, patients experience a boost in confidence and self-esteem knowing that their arms are more comfortable, slender and toned.
Achieve enduring results
As long as the patient maintains a healthy lifestyle and avoids significant weight gain, the results of an arm lift procedure are long-lasting. The arms will continue to age naturally over time.
Candidates for brachioplasty (arm lift surgery)
Brachioplasty is ideal for patients who:
- Have an excessive amount of hanging skin and/or fat that does not respond to diet and exercise.
- Maintain a stable weight.
- Do not smoke.
- Have realistic expectations for surgery.
- Are healthy overall, with no major medical conditions that can be affected by surgery.
Any person with flappy, loose upper arms is a candidate for this surgery. However, if the patient is 30 pounds or more over their ideal body weight, any future weight loss would again create new sagging and looseness. If the patient is overweight, we recommend losing weight first before even considering an arm lift. That also makes the final results more rewarding and contoured.
Arm lift (brachioplasty) FAQ
Are the results of an arm lift permanent?
That doesn’t mean you won’t have some slackening as you continue to age. That’s inevitable. But as long as you don’t gain and then lose a good deal of weight, your upper arms will never again become loose to the degree that predicated coming in for this surgery.
Is brachioplasty ever covered by insurance?
Because arm lifts are generally cosmetic procedures, they are deemed elective surgery and are not covered by health insurance. In extreme cases, where loose skin is creating issues with rubbing and rashes there is a possibility it could be covered, but this is not typical.