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Brachioplasty (arm lift) surgery – What’s actually removed?

An arm lift (brachioplasty) is no small procedure.  While it has dramatic results and is the ONLY Plastic Surgery procedure that can achieve the results shown below, it is not without long scars that are visible from some views.

Knowing the details of a surgical procedure BEFORE you commit to it is vital to ensure you know the risks and benefits, expected outcomes, alternatives to and potential complications of surgery.

This is called “informed consent” and is one of the most important things to understand before this post-weight loss body contouring surgery.

This patient was 63 years old and hated her arms.  After having multiple children and going through several weight fluctuations and menopause she developed “bat wings” (her words) that she would do anything to get rid of!

She was familiar with the scars and felt like it was a reasonable trade-off to have an improved contour to her upper arms.

Here are her before and after photos, with results at one year:

Before Brachioplasty

After Brachioplasty

 

 

 

 

 

Before Brachioplasty

After Brachioplasty

 

 

 

 

 

Before Brachioplasty

After Brachioplasty

 

 

 

 

 

Before Brachioplasty

After Brachioplasty

 

 

 

 

 

 

From the front, brachioplasty incisions are well hidden on the inside of her arm:

                 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

However, from behind, they are visible to others:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

What tissue is actually removed in an arm lift?  See the images below, which are actual brachioplasty specimens!

Skin and fat removed from the upper arms in a brachioplasty arm lift surgery

Skin and fat removed in a brachioplasty. This images shows the skin side with a ruler for reference of the length of the incision.

Undersurface of brachioplasty specimens. Fat is removed together with the skin, and additional fat is liposuctioned out afterward.

To learn more about arm lift surgery, visit the post-weight loss surgery section of our website.

See additional brachioplasty results in our before and after gallery.

To schedule a consultation, complete our online consultation request form or call 415-923-3067 today!

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Dr Karen Horton