Arm Lift or Lipo, which is right for me?

What is an arm lift?

An arm lift is a surgical procedure performed to cosmetically improve the appearance of the under portion of your upper arms. This procedure, also known as Brachioplasty, removes excess skin and fat between the armpit and the elbow. The remaining skin is redraped over the newly contoured arm to create a toned look. 

What is Liposuction?

Liposuction is fat removal surgery. Arm liposuction is a less invasive alternative to an arm lift. It is typically performed to remove excess fat from those hard-to-lose areas of the upper arm. Arm liposuction slips the contours of the arm and is ideal for patients with stubborn areas of localized fat that do not respond to diet and exercise and are not more than 10-15 pounds overweight. There are several different types of liposuction and even fat transfer liposuction. When you schedule your consultation with Dr. Larsen, he will examine your arms and identify which course of action is best for you. YOu’ll be able to ask any questions you might have and learn about other treatments you might like. 

Identifying the problem

During your consultation, Dr. Larsen will assess your arms and determine the underlying cause of your upper arm issues. The root cause of the problem can be excess fat, excess skin, or both. But the answers will determine the best treatment for your body. 

As we age, two essential proteins from our skin are reduced, Elastin and collagen. As a result, the firmness and elasticity of our skin gradually reduce. The reduction of these proteins leads to sagging skin. A few factors contribute to sagging skin, including poor nutrition, excessive intake of alcohol and cigarette smoking, or even excessive sun exposure. It’s also common for your skin to sag after sudden and rapid weight loss. There is also a rare medical condition known as granulomatous slack skin, resulting in excess sagging skin around the arms. If sagging skin is an issue, it requires different treatment than just hard to lose fat. Dr. Larsen is an expert and will help you develop the right treatment plan. We want you to reach your optimal results. 

Which one is right for me?

Now we’ve broken down the procedures and the causes; you might be wondering which one is right for me? Patients with excess skin and fat will get the best results from an arm lift. When you have much excess skin and fat, liposuction alone may result in residual sagging skin. So an arm lift is the best solution. One downside of an arm lift is the possibility of a surgical scar. Depending on your surgery, a scar can range from the armpit to the elbow. However, your surgeon can attempt to hide the scar by placing it on the inner aspect of the arm. If you have experienced massive weight loss in a short period (such as after weight loss surgery), it is recommended that you have a stabilized weight over three months before you schedule an arm lift surgery. 

Liposuction may be enough if your skin is taught and excess fat is the only issue. Liposuction essentially drains the area of excess fat, leaving some excess skin behind. However, if you are young and have good skin elastin, the skin has an excellent chance of tightening and conforming to the new underlying arm. 

If you have a minimal amount of fat to lose, many patients consider BeautiFill as an option. In addition, BeautiFill can be used as a minimally invasive liposuction or fat transfer service. Call our office today to find out more about these options or schedule your consultation. 

Is there a non-surgical option?

Unfortunately, there isn’t an effective non-surgical treatment for sagging arms. Although working out and living a healthy lifestyle can help, the upper arms are dynamic areas that change when the shoulder joints move. That makes it difficult for non-surgical skin tightening procedures to be highly effective in this area. The best noninvasive way to tone upper arms if your skin is sagging is to build muscle and lose weight through diet and exercise. However, even with a healthy diet and regular exercise, this can be an area where stubborn fat is hard to lose. Many patients who have lost a significant amount of weight have also found that excess skin is unflattering and challenging. If you’ve made these changes and haven’t seen the results you want, surgery might be your best option. Call us today to set up a consultation to determine what procedure is right for you. 

During your consultation, Dr. Larsen and his staff will help you achieve your goals. He will examine the areas you’d like to improve and provide you with a treatment plan for your optimal results. Call us today to set up your free consultation. 

Read more about Fat Transfer in our blog article: How Long Does Fat Transfer Last?