Arm Lifts 101: How to Prepare & What to Expect

Arm Lift

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Many people have worked hard to lose weight, become more active, or simply feel better as they have gotten older, only to notice that the skin underneath their upper arms still hangs or folds. Some may even find themselves avoiding sleeveless clothing because exercise has changed the muscle underneath, but not the loose skin over it.

An arm lift, also called brachioplasty, is an increasingly popular procedure designed specifically for this problem. The procedure removes excess skin and can reshape the underlying tissue to create a smoother upper-arm contour.

Continue reading to learn how a brachioplasty is performed, what to expect during and after the procedure, and where to find the best plastic surgeon in Oakland County who can give you the results you want.

What Can an Arm Lift Actually Help?

An arm lift reshapes the underside of the upper arm, typically from the underarm toward the elbow. During surgery, the best arm lift surgeon in Oakland County removes excess skin and may tighten or reshape underlying tissue. Liposuction is occasionally also used when localized fat contributes to the contour.

Am I a Good Candidate for an Arm Lift?

The best candidates generally have excess upper-arm skin that bothers them despite maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Some have experienced significant weight loss, while others develop loose skin because of aging, genetics, or changes in body composition.

To ensure an arm lift is right for you, your surgeon will consider:

How much excess skin is present
Where the skin extends along the arm
The amount and location of excess fat
Skin elasticity
Your current and expected weight
Your overall health
Medications that could affect bleeding or healing
Smoking or nicotine use
Your expectations for the procedure
Whether another body-contouring procedure should be performed at the same time

You do not need to have lost a dramatic amount of weight to consider an arm lift. However, if you are actively losing a substantial amount of weight, it may make sense to discuss timing with your surgeon. Significant additional weight loss after surgery can change your final contour.

Should I Choose an Arm Lift, Liposuction, or Both?

Liposuction removes fat through small openings, while an arm lift removes excess skin through a larger incision. In some patients, combining techniques creates a more balanced contour. In others, adding liposuction would provide little benefit or could unnecessarily increase surgical complexity. Choosing the right procedure for your needs requires an expert consultation, but you can get a general idea by understanding what each procedure can and cannot do:

Procedure	Best suited for	What it does not reliably correct
Liposuction	Localized excess fat with relatively good skin elasticity	Significant loose skin
Arm lift	Moderate to significant excess skin, with or without some excess fat	It does not replace weight loss
Arm lift + liposuction	Excess skin combined with localized fat	Results still depend on skin quality and healing

How Should I Prepare for Arm Lift Surgery?

Preparation begins well before the day of surgery. Before scheduling surgery, your plastic surgeon will usually recommend laboratory testing or a medical evaluation and may review your medications and supplements. If you smoke, you’ll want to quit several weeks before surgery because nicotine can interfere with blood flow and wound healing. Practical preparation around your home should include: ery, plan to:

Arrange transportation home.
Have an adult available to help you during the initial recovery period.
Set up a comfortable place to rest.
Place commonly used items where you can reach them without excessive stretching.
Fill prescriptions ahead of time if your surgeon recommends it.
Prepare loose, easy-to-wear clothing.
Arrange time away from work and strenuous activities.
Understand how and when you will receive postoperative instructions.

One detail some people sometimes overlook is planning around arm use. Your arms are involved in far more daily activities than you realize, including pushing yourself up from a chair, lifting children, opening heavy doors, and carrying groceries. Be sure to have a plan for these types of activities.

What Happens During an Arm Lift and What Will the Scar Look Like?

Arm lift surgery is performed using general anesthesia, and the incision pattern depends on how much skin needs to be removed and where that skin is located. For some patients, the incision can be relatively small. For others, it may extend from the underarm toward the elbow along the inner or back portion of the arm.

A shorter incision may leave less visible scarring, but it may not adequately correct extensive skin laxity. A longer incision can provide a greater degree of correction when excess skin extends farther down the arm. This is one of the most important decisions made during an arm lift consultation.

Scarring is a permanent part of brachioplasty. Scars generally become less noticeable as time passes, but their final appearance varies from person to person based on genetics, skin characteristics, wound healing, and postoperative care.

Where to Find the Best Arm Lift Surgeon in Oakland County, MI

An arm lift is a great treatment option for patients who have reached a stable weight but are left with excess upper-arm skin that does not respond to exercise. However, the procedure requires careful planning because of the amount of skin removed, incision location, and use of liposuction. This requires the expert knowledge and skillful hands of an experienced surgeon. For those in the Detroit area, the clear choice is Dr. Maristella Evangelista. Dr. Evangelista is a board-certified plastic surgeon with double-fellowship training and specialized microvascular surgery expertise, along with experience in aesthetic and reconstructive procedures.

Ready to see the best plastic surgeon in Bloomfield Hills for an arm lift consultation?

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