Arm Lift Surgery

Wake Plastic Surgery proudly serves Cary, Raleigh, and the surrounding areas.

Arm lift surgery involves the removal of excess skin and fatty tissue from the upper arm. It is often the only way to effectively improve the contour of the arm after significant weight loss or aging. Many patients report that they want to get rid of their “bat wings” so that they can return to wearing short sleeve shirts or other form fitting clothing.

Arm Lift Highlights

- BMI of 32
  and below
- 1 Week
  out of work
- 4-6 Week
  Recovery Period
- Care Credit Financing
  6 months, 24 months
  & 36 months
- Starting Cost
  $10,500 - $13,500

Why choose Wake Plastic Surgery?

Our surgeons use a technique utilizing Power Assisted Liposuction or PAL in all arm lift cases. The PAL is used to both remove unwanted fatty tissue and to separate the skin from the underlying tissues of the arm in a gentle fashion. The unwanted excess skin can then be removed with minimal swelling and bruising with minimal risk of injuring either nerves or lymphatics. This technique has led to achieving significantly better results with significantly lower side effects than when he used more traditional techniques in the past.

Our Arm Lift Results

What kind of results can be expected?

Complete tightening of the loose arm skin with full brachioplasty

Full Brachioplasty

Full brachioplasty surgery is very technique dependent. There is a true art to the procedure in which there is a balance between tightening the skin as much as possible without making it so tight that the scar is worse than it needs to be. Aggressive liposuction before skin removal has allowed Dr. Stoeckel to achieve much better results than many patients expect.

Short scar brachioplasty. The scar is kept within the armpit. Skin tightening is limited with this approach.

Short Scar

Short scar brachioplasty is a popular topic in consultation. It avoids the long scar associated with the traditional full brachioplasty by limiting it to the armpit. But the procedure is not very powerful and does not significantly tighten the skin as much as most patients hope for. But some patients are quite happy with a slight improvement in skin tightening.

Arm liposuction at wake plastic surgery cary nc

Arm liposuction that has dramatically reduced the excess volume, but has resulted in some “crepiness” of the skin.

Arm liposuction can sometimes be all that is required to rejuvenate the arms. Young patients with excellent skin quality and those that do not have much skin laxity are good candidates for arm liposuction. The skin on the arms is typically quite thin, however, and liposuction alone often results in at least some degree of loose skin.

Posterior arm scar 6 months after surgery

How bad is the scar?

The drawback to full arm lift surgery is the scar. There simply is no way to remove the unwanted skin without placing a scar on the arm that typically runs from the armpit to the elbow. Dr. Stoeckel prefers to locate the scar on the posterior aspect of the arm so that it is well concealed in most natural body postures. The scar certainly improves dramatically during the first year of recovery, but it is always perceptible and is something that needs to be understood before undergoing the procedure.

That being said, we have a wide variety of treatments at the MedSpa at Wake Plastic Surgery that can help reduce the appearance of scars. We offer BBL laser, ProFractional laser, and Virtue RF as treatments that can aid in improving the appearance of stubborn scarring. All of Dr. Stoeckel’s surgical patients are eligible for a complimentary consultation at our MedSpa to discuss these aesthetic options and more.

What can be done for the loose skin under the armpit?

In some cases, the excess skin of the arm is continuous with excess skin of the lateral chest wall. In these cases, extension of the scar onto the chest under the armpit is needed to fully improve the upper body contour. When this is done, it is considered an extended brachioplasty or flankplasty. The scar is longer, but the improvement in the laxity of the side of the chest is usually well worth it.

How bad is the recovery process?

Arm lift surgery does indeed have a difficult recovery process for most. The actual pain associated with the procedure is well tolerated, but there is a constant reminder of the procedure for several weeks due to the soreness associated with arm movements. A long sleeved compression garment needs to be worn for 1-2 weeks after surgery to minimize swelling.

Who is a good candidate for the surgery?

The best candidates are those who are relatively close to their ideal body weight. Patients that have loose skin rather than just large arms will have better results, even though liposuction will be performed on all patients. Good candidates have realistic expectations, especially in regards to the permanent scars associated with the procedure.

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