Get Toned & Tight Arms with Upper Arm Lift Surgery

Overview

Do you feel self conscious about your upper arms in short sleeves and tank tops? Natural aging and weight fluctuations can make your upper arms vulnerable to flabby, stretched, or sagging skin. Once skin has lost its elasticity, diet and exercise may not be enough to regain a toned, shapely appearance in this common problem area.

If this uncomfortable scenario sounds familiar, an upper arm lift procedure, or brachioplasty, can help restore a firmer, shapely appearance. Arm lifts are often combined with other body sculpting procedures, including liposuction, to help achieve your ideal outcome.

Summary

Procedure time

1 to 2 hours

Overnight stay

Anesthetic

General

Recovery time

2-3 weeks

Types of Arm Lift Treatments

Traditional Bilateral Brachioplasty

During a traditional arm lift surgery, incisions are made on the inside or back of the arm, depending on the surgeon's preference, and may extend from the underarm (axilla) to just above the elbow. Our highly-skilled surgeons use the most advanced techniques to reduce scarring, but a visible scar may be unavoidable during traditional upper arm lift surgery. Over time scars will lighten and become less noticeable.

Minimal Incision Bilateral Brachioplasty

For those with only a moderate amount of excess skin, it may be possible to achieve your desired results through a minimal incision under the armpit. Using this technique, the surgeon will carefully make a curved incision to lift and tighten mildly sagging skin while reducing visible scars.

Combination Approach

Clients who undergo a traditional upper arm lift might also desire fat removal during their surgery. Our highly trained plastic surgeons frequently perform a combination of body-shaping procedures, including liposuction, to achieve your ideal results.

Am I a

Candidate for Arm Lift Surgery?

If you are a generally healthy person with sagging or stretched skin on your upper arms, arm lift surgery may be a safe and effective solution. The traditional arm lift is recommended for those with large areas of excess skin. A minimal incision arm lift surgery might be recommended if skin sagging and stretching are mild to moderate. Ideally, candidates for arm lift surgery should be non-smokers who maintain a healthy, stable weight and have realistic expectations for the procedure.

Consultation

Consultations for upper arm lift surgery are available at all Plastic Surgery Center locations. The best surgical plan for you will depend on various personal and medical factors. With this in mind, our world-class surgeons will review your medical history and discuss your ideal surgical outcomes to make personalized recommendations. We can also provide simulated images of your desired results with computer-assisted technology.

What to Expect

Our expert surgeons will recommend the arm lift surgical plan that is best for your personal goals, health history, and the amount of skin, tissue, and fat to be removed.

Traditional and minimal arm lift surgeries take place under general anesthesia. This involves an incision along the back or inner arm, excess skin is removed, and the remaining skin is tightened and reshaped.

The minimal incision method involves a more discrete incision in the armpit area when less skin needs to be removed.

Typically, our surgeons close incisions with buried, dissolvable stitches, reducing visible scars and increasing patient comfort. Small drain tubes may be placed to allow excess fluid that builds up where fat tissue was removed during surgery.

Recovery &
Results

Results are visible almost immediately following arm lift surgery, though it can take several months or longer to heal fully. Your surgical experience and recovery will vary based on the approach recommended by your physician. You should ask someone to drive you home and assist with personal care tasks for the first 1-2 days. Pain and swelling are typically highest for 2-3 days following surgery. Ice packs and compression bandages will help reduce swelling, promote healing, and improve comfort.

You may be sent home with surgical drain tubes in place, which can be uncomfortable. Proper care of the drain tubes will be explained before discharge and removed in the office during one of your post-operative visits. Over the next 1-3 weeks, soreness can usually be managed with rest and over-the-counter medication. It is normal to experience weakness in your arm and hands during recovery from arm lift surgery, this will improve over time as you return to normal activity and regain strength.

Envision What’s Possible.

Explore photos of real patients with real, life-changing outcomes.

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Upper Arm Lift

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Upper Arm Lift

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Patient of Hamid Abdollahi, MD, FACS

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Our

New Jersey
Surgeons

Our board-certified plastic surgeons are highly trained in the most advanced techniques for arm lift surgery. They combine extensive, specialized surgical training with decades of experience to ensure safety and satisfaction for each patient. We pride ourselves in surgical outcomes that will exceed your expectations.

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PHYSICIAN

Hamid Abdollahi

MD, FACS

PHYSICIAN

Russell Ashinoff

MD, FACS

PHYSICIAN

Kari L. Colen

MD, FACS

PHYSICIAN

Ritwik Grover

PHYSICIAN

Sean Herman

MD, FACS

PHYSICIAN

Matthew Kaufman

MD, FACS

PHYSICIAN

Ahmed Nasser

PHYSICIAN

Tushar Patel

MD, FACS

PHYSICIAN

Michael Rose

MD, FACS

PHYSICIAN

Adam Saad

MD, FACS

PHYSICIAN

Tzvi Small

MD, FACS

PHYSICIAN

Hakan Usal

PHYSICIAN

Eric Wimmers

MD, FACS

Before And After

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Financing & Insurance

Sometimes, arm lift surgery is considered medically necessary, such as following bariatric surgery. In most cases, however, an upper arm lift is categorized as a cosmetic procedure. Benefits vary according to the individual policy and may require pre-authorization. If you want to learn more about estimated costs and coverage, contact our dedicated support staff at 833-615-2621.

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Our Process

Schedule a Consultation

During your consultation, our expert surgeons will listen and work with you to fully understand the look you wish to achieve.

Explore
Your Options

We will review and explain all of your cosmetic options and identify which procedure is right for you.

Start Your Transformation

Our friendly and compassionate staff and physicians will guide you through the entire process, answer all of your questions and alleviate any concerns.