Arm Lift Newport Beach & Orange County

Achieve slimmer, tighter-looking arms with an Arm Lift

Toning your arms by exercise alone can be highly difficult if you have excess skin in the area that houses stubborn fatty tissue. If you’ve recently lost weight that resulted in having loose muscles and skin, an arm lift can tighten the underlying muscles and excise the sagging skin, creating a tightened, toned profile.

This surgical procedure can be a great step in your fitness plan, as muscles that are loosened and stretched can be ineffective at building mass and becoming stronger. Cosmetic surgeon Dr. Whitney Florin can work with you and your aesthetic goals to plan an incision that will give you the best results with the most subtlety as your incisions heal.

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What is an Arm Lift?

An arm lift (brachioplasty) is a cosmetic procedure that addresses loose skin and excess fat on the arms due to weight loss or changes in skin elasticity over time. This procedure removes excess skin and contours the upper arms for a more youthful appearance. People seek an arm lift if they have trouble finding clothes with sleeves that fit properly or are embarrassed to show their off their upper arms. Others seek arm lift surgery if they feel like the size of their upper arms does not match the rest of their body.

Arm Lift Benefits

The arms tend to be unforgiving to the changes in skin elasticity that occur with age or weight loss. While maintaining an active lifestyle and a healthy weight is important, usually no amount of exercise or dieting can improve the quality of the skin on the upper arm.

Fortunately, an arm lift can remove loose skin and contour the arms with liposuction to help them look more youthful or simply better proportioned to your body contour. This procedure can be combined with other surgery, such as a tummy tuck, for people who want additional problem areas treated.

Good Candidates for Arm Lift

Good candidates for arm lift surgery are people with fat and/or excess skin in the upper arms that they would like to be removed or sculpted for a firmer, tighter appearance. Dr. Florin recommends that anyone undergoing plastic surgery be generally healthy, a non-smoker, and within 10-15 pounds of their ideal body weight.

Arm Lift Procedure Options

For patients who only have mild skin laxity (or looseness), we can avoid a surgical arm lift procedure and obtain good results with non-surgical skin tightening techniques alone. Otherwise, arm lift patients will need an incision, which can require general anesthesia.

Dr. Florin is usually able to get the best results with a combination of procedures; for an arm lift, this means liposuction to get rid of stubborn fat deposits and/or incisions to remove excess skin.

Liposuction Options

Vaser:

Vaser is ultrasonic energy that is delivered in a minimally invasive technique through tiny liposuction incisions. The energy from Vaser liquifies or melts your fat which makes the liposuction part of your surgery smoother and less traumatic on your body. Vaser is excellent at releasing scar tissue so it is a wonderful tool to use with patients that have had previous procedures to the arms, such as liposuction or CoolSculpting.

MicroAire power-assisted liposuction (PAL):

MicroAire is Dr. Florin’s most common device of choice for liposuction procedures. Most liposuction that is performed now is power-assisted, meaning we use a device that rotates to help remove fat more efficiently and uniformly. This means less time under anesthesia and smoother, more even liposuction results.

Renuvion:

Renuvion is an energy device that uses radiofrequency and plasma energy to target skin tightening. This device is one of the most powerful devices we have available for skin tightening in the upper arm area. It is a great option if you already have some looseness to your skin, or if we are treating an area that is more likely to have loose skin after liposuction (such as the upper arms). It may be used as a stand-alone procedure for a patient with a mild degree of skin looseness or it may be paired with an arm lift to help stimulate collagen and tighten the skin.

BodyTite:

BodyTite is a minimally invasive liposuction device that uses radiofrequency to enhance skin tightening. It is similar to Renuvion in that it is also radiofrequency energy, but it differs in that it can be used in small areas such as the arms.

Arm Lift Incisions

When liposuction alone isn’t enough to improve the appearance of your upper arms, it usually means you have enough excess skin that some of it needs to be trimmed away using an incision. Although this means you will be left with a scar of varying length in a fairly visible location, many patients are happy to trade this cosmetic flaw for trimmer, tighter arm tissue.

The length of your incision (and the resulting scar) depends on your anatomy and the amount of loose skin that you have. An arm lift incision is placed within the inner arm so that when your arms are by your sides, the incision is hidden. Dr. Florin will close your incisions meticulously so that you end up with a beautiful scar that will fade over time.

In addition, Dr. Florin will guide you on how to take care of your scars so that you can have the best possible outcome. You will start with scar cream or scar tape around six weeks after your surgery, continuing for at least one year after surgery.

Preparing for Arm Lift Surgery

Once you have scheduled your surgery date, you can start to prepare for what you will need during the healing process and follow Dr. Florin’s instructions for the days and weeks leading up to your arm lift, which may include not eating or drinking for 12 hours prior to the procedure. Smokers are asked to refrain from smoking six weeks before and after their procedure to ensure optimal healing. You may also be asked to avoid taking certain medications that may increase bleeding.

Arm Lift Procedure

Dr. Florin has over a decade of cosmetic and plastic surgery experience and specializes in helping men and women find their confidence in achieving their ideal body. These body contouring procedures are performed at our state-of-the-art facilities with the help of our friendly medical staff who can ensure you feel calm, comfortable, and fully aware of what to expect from an arm lift.

Arm Lift Recovery

Following your arm lift procedure, your arms will be wrapped to reduce swelling and support your new arm contours. This will stay on for about a week at which point you will transition to wearing a compression garment full time for at least six weeks. Most patients wear compression full time for up to 2-3 months and on an as-needed basis after that.

You can expect a mild to moderate amount of discomfort, which can be controlled with pain medication. Bruising and swelling in the treatment area is normal and will peak within the first 36-48 hours and then gradually subside over the next two weeks.

Dr. Florin recommends that you plan to take three weeks off work and two weeks off from driving. You will need help at home for up to two weeks after surgery. The first few weeks after an arm lift can be challenging as most people are not used to needing help to get up, shower, and get dressed. However, after about two weeks, most patients feel almost back to normal even if the results of the arm lift aren’t completely apparent yet.

You can start light exercise at around two weeks and more strenuous activity at around six weeks.

Results of Arm Lift

People who have arm lift surgeries enjoy a slimmer upper arm profile without any loose skin, making it easier to wear shirts of various sleeve lengths and boosting self-confidence.

Keep in mind that healing from an arm lift is a process and it takes time to see your final results. Most patients begin to appreciate their surgical results at about six to eight weeks after surgery as most of the surgical swelling has gone down at that point. However, there can be some residual swelling present for up to a year.

What to Expect From an Arm Lift Consultation

During your consultation, Dr. Florin will ensure you are educated about every step of your procedure and understand the steps to take in order to get the best results in the long term. We believe that educating patients thoroughly on their options and alternative plastic surgery procedures is the best way to build trusting relationships and achieve beautiful, natural results.

Dr. Florin encourages individuals to bring photos of previous arm lift patients who have a similar upper arm appearance to themselves prior to surgery to ensure you’re both on the same page for what you expect and what is achievable through an arm lift.

Schedule a Consultation in Newport Beach, CA

The best way to determine which body contouring procedure is best for you is through a consultation with Dr. Florin at the Gallery of Cosmetic Surgery. Dr. Florin can tell you all of the surgical and non-surgical options for enhancing the appearance of your arms, as well as answer all of your questions about your arm lift treatment plan. To schedule a consultation appointment, contact us by calling (949) 328-5588 or filling out our online form.

Frequently Asked Questions

Dr. Whitney Florin

COSMETIC SURGEON

Dr. Whitney Florin is a third-generation physician specializing in maxillofacial surgery. She is dual board-certified by the American Board of Cosmetic Surgery and the American Board of Facial Cosmetic Surgery and is lauded for her excellence in transformative mommy makeover results and non-surgical cosmetic treatments. She has published peer-reviewed works on the use of BOTOX® and managing capsular contracture after breast augmentation - she also engages in ongoing research on cosmetic, maxillofacial, and general surgery. As one of the leading breast and body plastic surgeons in the Orange County area, Dr. Florin can provide an exceptional experience at the Gallery of Cosmetic Surgery & Aesthetic Lounge.