A brachioplasty (arm lift) is an outpatient surgical procedure where excess skin is removed from the inner aspect of the upper arms.

Yes, loose skin under the arms is very common, which can be easily treated with the help of arm lift surgery.

Ideal candidates for arm lift surgery are healthy patients who have a considerable amount of excess skin on their upper arms, typically as a result of significant weight loss.

The amount of skin removed is determined by how much excess skin exists. Generally a large ellipse of skin is taken out from the armpit to the elbow. Pinching together the loose skin and marking the excess determines the width of the ellipse. Removing too much skin can put too much tension on the incision and may result in separating of the skin edges. In many cases, such as many of the massive weight loss patients, there is so much loose skin that the excision extends past the elbow to the forearm and through the axilla down the side of the chest. This is known as an “L” brachioplasty.

Even though the skin is pulled tight during the procedure, it will gradually loosen over time during the healing process. Some of this is due to the loss of skin elasticity during the weight gain and weight loss period that most brachioplasty patients have gone through.