Arm Lift (Brachioplasty)

Brachioplasty removes excess skin and fat from the upper arm, restoring a firmer, more defined contour. It is most frequently requested after substantial weight loss, and after the point at which strength training has stopped making any difference.

What Is an Arm Lift?

Loose upper arm skin is a skin problem, not a muscle problem. Where elasticity has been lost — through weight loss, aging, or genetics — no amount of triceps work restores it. Brachioplasty removes the excess skin directly and, where required, the fat beneath it.

Techniques at YCL Plastic Surgery

Traditional brachioplasty

An incision from the armpit to the elbow along the inner arm, removing significant skin excess. Used where laxity extends the full length of the arm, most often after major weight loss.

Limited-incision (mini) brachioplasty

A short incision confined to the armpit, for patients with laxity limited to the upper arm only. Minimal scarring, but limited correction.

Liposuction-assisted brachioplasty

Combines skin removal with liposuction to address both fat and looseness.

Liposuction alone

For patients with good skin elasticity and fat as the primary concern, avoiding a scar entirely. Suitable for a minority of patients.

Who Is a Candidate?

You may be a good candidate if you:

• Have loose, hanging upper arm skin
• Have lost significant weight and maintained it
• Find that exercise no longer changes your arm contour
• Are at a stable weight and in good health
• Accept the scar in exchange for the contour

Recovery & Expectations

Most patients return to desk work within 7–10 days, with full upper-body exercise resuming at 4–6 weeks. Compression sleeves are worn for several weeks to control swelling.

Swelling in the arms and hands is common early and resolves gradually.

Scar Placement & Healing — Read This Carefully

Brachioplasty involves a real trade-off, and it deserves stating plainly rather than burying: traditional arm lift leaves a long scar along the inner arm. It is placed to be least visible with the arms at rest, but it is visible in a sleeveless top with the arm raised.

Scars fade and soften over 12–18 months but do not disappear. Most patients who pursue this procedure consider the exchange entirely worthwhile — but they make that decision knowing exactly what it involves. Dr. Low will show you what to expect before you commit.