Arm Lift

If you’ve recently lost a lot of weight, chances are you have noticed sagging skin on your upper arms. This happens because the skin cannot tighten itself to your body’s slimmer shape.

For many people, loose skin can be a frustrating after-effect that keeps them from enjoying their weight loss accomplishment. If you’re not happy with the sagging skin on your upper arms, and arm lift, or brachioplasty may be able to help boost your body confidence

At Castellano Cosmetic Surgery Center in Tampa, an arm lift is performed to remove excess skin and fat, giving you slimmer, shapelier arms. Imagine feeling confident and comfortable wearing short-sleeve shirts and even tank tops. It’s possible with an arm lift.

Pricing for an arm lift depends on your personalized treatment plan (technique, anesthesia, and whether procedures are combined). For current starting points, see our Pricing page. You’ll receive a written, personalized quote at your consultation. Request a consultation to meet with one of our cosmetic surgeons and learn more about your arm lift options. We are dedicated to providing every patient with a positive experience and outstanding results.

Our cosmetic surgeons recommend arm lifts based on the following factors:

Loss of skin elasticity after weight loss

Having large fat deposits in the upper arm stretches out the skin. Although the weight may be lost, sometimes the skin doesn’t return to its normal shape and instead stays stretched out. This causes loose flaps or “bat wings” which are removed through an arm lift.

Age and gravity

Over time, our skin loses its natural elasticity and starts to sag. This can be a problem in any area of the body, including the upper arms. By performing a brachioplasty, your surgeon removes excess skin from this area to make the arms look younger.

Unhappiness with your current look

Sometimes the reason for wanting any cosmetic procedure is as simple as not liking the way you look. If you’re self-conscious about the appearance of your arms and want them to look sleeker and more toned, an arm lift may be right for you.

During an arm lift at our Tampa clinic, your surgeon will first mark where the incision will be made. In general, a long incision will run from armpit to elbow on the inside portion of the arm, though some arm lifts only require a shorter incision.

Arm lifts are usually performed under general anesthesia. After the excess fat and skin are removed from the arm, your surgeon will pull the remaining skin together, stitch up the incision and apply dressings. The typical arm lift will take just 1 to 2 hours, depending on the patient’s needs.

Following your procedure, you may have some initial discomfort. However, this can be managed with pain medication and typically resolves by the end of the first week. Certain movements, like lifting the arms, may continue to be uncomfortable for a bit longer.

During surgery, your surgeon will have made every effort to place the incision so that the resulting scar will not be seen in your normal standing pose. Although you may feel self-conscious at first, most patients find that the scar fades so much over time as to be barely noticeable in the long run.

In some cases, an arm lift may be combined with liposuction for further sculpting options and more complete fat removal. In fact, some patients who initially come into Castellano Cosmetic Surgery Center for an arm lift find that their concerns may be addressed with liposuction alone.

It is important to remember, however, that liposuction only removes fat and will not be able to tighten loose skin. By combining liposuction and an arm lift, our patients can enjoy a slimmer overall look.