Arm Lift Before and After Q&A

Arm lift before and after photos show patients who once struggled with huge amounts of excess skin on their upper arms now pictured with sleek, shapely arms in their “after” photos. In fact, arm lift surgery (brachioplasty) is one of the most noticeably transformative procedures in plastic surgery.

Whether you’ve recently experienced massive weight loss or always struggled with excess arm skin, arm lift surgery can help. If you are considering this surgery and would like to learn more about the procedure, read on.

Below, we’ve provided a collection of the most commonly asked questions and answers about the period leading up to arm lift surgery, the procedure itself, and arm lift recovery.

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Arm Lift Surgery (Brachioplasty) Questions & Answers

Q: Who typically gets arm lift surgery?

A: Most patients seeking brachioplasty are getting surgery after weight loss. These patients have used either diet and exercise or weight loss surgery to reduce their size significantly. Medical weight loss (use of a drug like Ozempic) is becoming more common as well.

Especially when a significant amount of weight is lost in a short amount of time, the skin may not have enough time to catch up with the changing contours of your body. Such weight fluctuations can result in loose skin in the upper arm area. Sagging skin may also occur on the abdomen, breasts, thighs, buttocks, and elsewhere.

Of course, anyone who struggles with excess skin on their arms may choose an arm lift to improve their appearance.

Q: Does arm lift surgery get rid of arm fat?

A: It depends on whether you have enough excess fat to get rid of. Arm lift patients almost always require excess skin removal, and sometimes, this is all they need.

However, if you look at most arm lift surgery before and after photos that have achieved significant results, liposuction was probably utilized. It is common to use liposuction when performing arm lift surgery.

Q: How much is arm lift surgery?

A: Keep in mind that each patient is unique, which means that there is no one-size-fits all arm lift cost. You are unique and your results will be unique as well. Your plastic surgeon will be catering your procedure to you individually.

As such, your surgeon will need to meet with you personally to discuss your options, your goals, and the appropriate course of surgery to help you achieve those goals. If you’d like a quote for arm lift surgery, please contact our office to book a consultation appointment with Dr. Schulman.

Q: Can men get an arm lift?

A: Of course! Arm lift surgery is for both male female adults. Any 18 year old female or older or 18 year old male or older can undergo a brachioplasty arm lift. Naturally, plastic surgeons still want to be sure you are in good physical health and have realistic expectations about the procedure before clearing you for surgery.

One thing we recommend: When looking at brachioplasty arm lift before and after pictures filter cases by male or female. When you apply filters such as this, it will give you more accurate examples of the results you can achieve with this procedure.

Q: What is a mini arm lift?

A: A mini arm lift is for patients who have a more modest amount of excess loose skin on their upper arms. To improve their appearance, a smaller incision can be made and the scar typically hidden within the underarm area.

Conversely, a traditional arm lift removes a large amount of excess skin and often includes liposuction. The scar for this surgery may need to extend all the way from the elbow to the underarm on each arm.

If you’d like to see examples of a mini arm lift, we suggest browsing mini arm lift before and after photos.

Q: Can you combine arm lift surgery with other procedures?

A: Yes, absolutely. Arm lift surgery is frequently included in post-weight loss surgeries to reduce overall excess skin and fat on the body. Patients may be seeking an upper or lower body lift, breast lift surgery, thigh lift surgery, or other procedures in addition to brachioplasty arm lift surgery.

Q: Does arm lift surgery require general anesthesia?

A: This depends. Arm lift surgery can be performed with either general anesthesia or deep sedation and local anesthesia. Either way, a board certified anesthesiologist will be monitoring you throughout the entire procedure.

Q: Will I have scars after an arm lift?

A: Yes, incisions are an inherent part of any surgical arm lift procedure, which means at least one scar on each arm is typical. These scars usually extend from the elbow to the underarm.

Look up arm lift scars before and after photos to see examples of this scar. Unfortunately, the scar will never completely go away. But it is on the underside of the arm, and it will fade with time.

Q: Is there such a thing as a scarless arm lift?

A: While it’s more difficult to achieve significant improvements with this approach, laser arm lift surgery is an option for some patients. This surgery requires only one small incision on each arm — usually within the underarm area. Laser energy and/or radio frequency is then used to liquefy fat for easy removal and tighten the arm skin and tissues.

Note again, however, that getting rid of excess skin is not possible with this arm lift option. Consider searching for laser arm lift before and after photos to see examples of typical results from this procedure.

Request a Consultation Appointment Today

If you’ve been thinking about arm lift surgery to reduce redundant skin on the upper arms — often referred to as “batwings” — please contact our NYC office today to set up a consultation appointment with board certified plastic surgeon Dr. Matthew Schulman.