What is an Arm Lift (Brachioplasty)?

My arms feel so much firmer and more toned after the lift—totally worth it!

Anna B.

The procedure was smooth, and recovery was quicker than I expected—love the results!

Mark T.

★★★★★

★★★★★

Why Do People Have an Arm Lift?

Arm Lift is designed to address a variety of functional and medical concerns, as well as deliver several aesthetic improvements to the arms:

Medical reasons:

• To remove loose or sagging skin on the upper arms caused by significant weight loss, which may cause skin irritation, infections or hygiene issues.

• To reduce chafing or restricted movement caused by excess upper arm tissue.

• To reconstruct the structure and tissue of the arms following trauma or injury.

Aesthetic reasons:

• To create smoother, firmer arm contours for a more toned appearance.

• To improve proportion between upper arms and the rest of the body.

• To restore confidence in fitted clothing and sleeveless styles.

Who is Suitable for Arm Lift and Arm Reduction?

At Dr Altan Tekin Clinic, our consultant body surgeons will assess whether you are suitable for a London Arm Lift in a bespoke one-to-one consultation at our award-winning clinic.

To determine whether Brachioplasty is an appropriate procedure for you, they will consider:

• Your concerns - Your surgeon will take into account concerns such as discomfort and reduced mobility caused by loose skin around your upper arms, and how your confidence and well-being have been affected

• Your desired outcomes - It is essential that you have realistic expectations for what a Brachioplasty can achieve

• Your medical history - Your surgeon will discuss your physical and mental medical history to ensure it is safe for you to undergo surgery under general anaesthetic

Patients must be over 18 to have an Arm Lift.

What is Involved in a Brachioplasty?

An Arm Lift is a surgical procedure, which takes 1-2 hours to complete. It will be performed under general anaesthetic, meaning you will be asleep and completely unaware of the procedure. A Brachioplasty at our clinic combines two surgical techniques to achieve your desired results - Liposuction on arms and skin excision.

Your surgeon will use liposuction to remove excess fat in the upper arm. Small incisions are made in the armpit and on the back of the elbow, and the fat will be removed using a specialist cannula. Depending on the results you are looking for, your surgeon may also remove fat from around your shoulder, armpit, upper back, breast, forearm and elbow.

The skin excision removes any remaining loose skin around the upper arms, commonly known as 'Bingo Wings'. This can be one of the patient’s original concerns at consultation or caused by the removal of fat following the Liposuction. The skin is removed in a long oval shape running up the inside of the upper arm and curving into the armpit. Your surgeon will ensure this incision is carefully placed, to conceal the scarring effectively.

As well as considering scarring, your surgeon will also perform your procedure to ensure that your result is symmetrical. It is normal for your arms to be naturally slightly unequal in size and shape, and your surgeon may have to approach each arm in a different way to achieve a natural and proportionate balance.

Occasionally, a surgeon may recommend performing Arm Liposuction without skin excision. This is most common in younger patients whose skin is relatively elastic and toned, as the Liposuction won’t cause skin laxity, as it will in older patients. Skinnier patients who have experienced weight loss may have their procedure carried out without Liposuction, using skin excision only, as there won’t be excess fat to remove.

Aesthetic Considerations of Your Surgeon

Two key considerations are symmetry and scarring.

• Surgical experience and careful planning are required to produce a symmetrical result. It is common to see patients who have had unequal amounts of skin and fat removed with unnaturally shaped arms, of unequal size. There are even occasions where patients have required to have skin put back, using skin grafts. This is a key consideration at the outset

• A skilled surgeon can minimise Arm Lift scars and place them expertly in locations where they are not visible to the eye. Arm Lift scars take some months to settle in, but your surgeon will try and confine the scarring to the armpit; this involves excising the skin from the armpit area, and then pulled up the arm skin towards the armpit. Full concealment of arm lift scars may not work among all patients, particularly among patients with excessive surplus skin or fat deposits

Arm lift Treatment recovery

The first few days following surgery may be slightly uncomfortable and you may experience some pain. Your surgical team will have prescribed any medications you may need to help to control this and keep you comfortable. You will be up and moving within a day and able to bathe normally in three days.

Your surgeon will ask you to wear a surgical garment which covers your arms for up to 8 weeks post-surgery. This will assist with healing by helping the swelling to subside and will support your arms to maintain your surgeon’s results.

One week after your surgery, you will have an in-person appointment with our nurses so they can examine your incisions and make sure you are healing well. They will provide any advice you need on your dressings and will be able to answer any questions you may have about your recovery.

Six weeks after your procedure, you will meet with your surgeon so they can check how you are progressing on your Arm Lift recovery timeline, discuss your results, and answer any questions about your ongoing recovery from that point. After six weeks, if you have any questions or concerns, you will still be able to contact the team and speak with one of our specialist nurses.

Frequently asked questions

Am I suitable for an Arm Lift?

You may be suitable for an arm lift if you have:

• Excess fat deposits in your upper arms

• Loose sagging skin in/around your upper arms causing discomfort, skin irritation and reduced mobility

• Inelastic, lax arm skin

• 'Bingo wings'

• Unshapely, untoned arm contours

• Disproportionate arms relative to rest of figure

Which areas can be treated by Arm Lift?

An Arm Lift focusses on the upper arm area, but adjacent areas of fat deposits and excess skin can also be treated at the same time

These include:

• Shoulders

• Armpit

• Upper back

• Breast

• Forearms

• Back of the elbow

What are the surgical techniques used in Arm Lift surgery?

There are three techniques that are used, with techniques relating to the size and scale of the operation at hand. Where possible more minimal techniques are preferred, as this reduces the length of surgery, the amount of scarring, and the amount of downtime and extent of recovery

• Mini Brachioplasty (minimal incision) - your surgeon will make a single incision in the shape of a crescent under the armpit. This may be extended in a 'T-Line' into the arm. This technique is most suitable for people with minimal excess skin and fat in the upper region of the arm and will result in less scarring than a standard Brachioplasty. Your surgeon will hide the scar within the armpit

• Standard Brachioplasty (inner arm incision) - this technique involves making two separate incisions: one from the armpit to just above the elbow, between the biceps and triceps, and another on the back of the arm from the armpit to just above the elbow along the tricep region. It is most suitable for those with a moderate amount of excess skin and fat. Your surgeon will remove the excess skin and fat, then tighten and reshape the underlying tissues. The scar is well hidden when the arms are held at the side, and this technique is thought to achieve a more comprehensive result than the mini-brachioplasty

• Extended Brachioplasty – the incision for an extensive brachioplasty runs from the elbow, through the armpit, and into the side of the chest. After your surgeon makes the incision, they will remove excess skin and fat, then tighten the underlying tissues. They will either remove the excess fat directly or use liposuction to remove it. As this technique results in maximal scarring that extends to the side of the chest, surgeons do not often use it.

What questions should I ask during my Arm Lift consultation?

Your consultation is designed to be the perfect opportunity to ask all the pressing questions that you have to your consultant, ahead of making a decision on surgery. It is vital that you are fully informed before making your final decision, and the consultation is, therefore, a key part of the education and decision-making process.

Some good examples of questions to ask include:

• Am I a good candidate for this procedure?

• Do you think my goals are realistic given my existing anatomy?

• Will I require a single surgery or multiple surgeries?

• Can I see some before & after pictures of arm lift procedures you have done previously?

• How long will my recovery take?

• Is it true that Altan Tekin Clinic offers 24/7 on-call nursing service?

• What can I expect in terms of bruising, swelling and scarring?

• What are my options if I am unhappy with my results?

When will I start to see results from my Arm Lift?

You should start to see results in the days following surgery. These will fully start to appear from around the six-week mark and improvements will be ongoing for the first 12 or so months.

How should I prepare for my Arm Lift surgery?

No special preparation is required for Arm Lift surgery, although it is generally advisable to do the following before any surgery:

• Stop smoking. Smoking decreases blood flow in the skin and can slow the healing process. If you smoke, your doctor will recommend that you stop smoking before surgery and during recovery.

• Avoid certain medications. You'll likely need to avoid taking aspirin, anti-inflammatory drugs and herbal supplements, which can increase bleeding.

• Arrange for help during recovery. Make plans for someone to drive you home after you leave the hospital and stay with you for at least the first night of your recovery at home.

Are my Arm Lift results permanent?

Your Arm Lift results will be long lasting and permanent so long as you maintain your body weight following surgery.

The ageing process will, however, continue from your new post-procedure point, and skin laxity will gradually increase over time. The ageing process will start from a far better point, however, so it should be many years before this becomes noticeable again.

Is Arm Reduction surgery painful?

You will not feel any pain during Arm Reduction surgery as you will be under the influence of the anaesthetic.

Immediately following arm reduction surgery, you may experience discomfort but any pain should be tolerable.

Your surgeon can provide painkillers for this and the majority of patients will no longer need them a few days after arm reduction surgery.

Is Arm Reduction surgery safe?

Arm Reduction surgery is straightforward, safe surgery although you should be aware of all the risks and complications before going ahead with arm reduction surgery.

Some are listed above in the body of this web page, but your surgeon at your will go through these at length and in full at your arm reduction consultation.

Is there any downtime after Arm Lift surgery?

Downtime is fairly minimal following an Arm Lift and you should be back at work within a week or two, and resuming normal exercise in 4 – 6 weeks.

If you have undergone Liposuction, you will feel a little bruised and stiff for a few days but there is no restriction on movement. Any dressings can be removed in a couple of days or when they come loose, and stitches removed in a week.

If you have undergone skin excision you will have some dissolving sutures and probably some permanent sutures to be removed in 7 to 14 days. Dressings vary, but any bulky ones can come off in a couple of days. You should exercise to maintain full movement of the shoulder and arms, but this need not be violent to stress the sutures.

Yоu may соntіnuе tо experience ѕоmе mіld, реrіоdіс dіѕсоmfоrt and ѕwеllіng durіng thіѕ tіmе, but ѕuсh fееlіngѕ аrе nоrmаl. Sеvеrе pain, bleeding or swelling should bе reported tо your surgeon.

You will receive more detailed advice from your surgeon ahead of surgery.

Why is a Brachioplasty sometimes referred to as Arm Reduction?

A Brachioplasty, or Arm Lift, is sometimes referred to as Arm Reduction surgery as this procedure involves a reduction in the size and volume of the upper arm following Liposuction and the excision of excess skin.

Of all the terms for a Brachioplasty, Arm Reduction surgery captures the sculpting and volume reducing essence of the operation best, and hence its use.

Does Arm Lift surgery leave a scar?

Yes, an Arm Lift will leave a permanent scar, but a skilled Altan Tekin Clinic surgeon will endeavour to conceal this as much as possible. Arm Lift scars can take some months to settle in. Scars can take up to a year to flatten and lighten.

What arm lift scars can I expect?

You can expect minor scars following arm lift surgery.

An arm lift, otherwise known as brachioplasty, is a surgical procedure to remove loose skin and excess fat deposits on the upper arm. This is done via liposuction and skin excision.

Our expert surgeon will try to make scars as subtle as possible by confining scarring to the armpit. They do this by taking skin from this area and then pulling up the arm skin towards the armpit. However, scars may remain visible for some patients, particularly among those with excessive surplus skin or fat deposits.

Where are Arm Lift scars left?

Arm Lift scars are mainly confined to the armpit area. In some cases, these scars can be visible under the arms between the armpit and elbow if the patient, particularly if the patient has excessive surplus skin or fat deposits.

During the procedure, skin is removed in a long ellipse shape from the back of the elbow, along the line between the inside and back of the arm, curving into the armpit.

Is an Arm Lift worth it?

An Arm Lift surgery is highly likely to be worth it if you have clearly defined your aims with your surgeon and he or she has made you very clear on what can be achieved via surgery in relation to these aims.

Arm Lift surgery is an excellent way of targeting excess fat deposits in the upper arm. Arm Lift surgery typically results in firmer, leaner, more slender arms, tightened arm skin and elasticity, sculpted, shapely arms and a more defined figure.

Arm Lift treatment helps to restore self-confidence and can deliver an improved sense of emotional wellbeing following surgery.