Will an Arm Lift Leave Scars?

Board-certified cosmetic  David Davila, DO, FACOS, and our expert team at Houston Cosmetic Surgery Center in Houston, Texas, understand that saggy upper arms can  cause skin irritation, make it difficult to find clothes that fit you correctly, and leave you feeling self-conscious about your physical appearance.

As a way to remove excess skin and restore your body confidence, we offer arm lift surgery. Let’s take a closer look at this simple cosmetic procedure, including the risk of scarring. 

Do you have bat wings?

When you have a lot of excess and sagging skin on your upper arms, it’s often referred to as “bat wings.” And you can find yourself dealing with “drooping” upper arms for a few different reasons.

If you’ve recently lost a significant amount of weight, loose and stretched out skin can still hang around, which, unfortunately, won’t shrink or tighten through any amount of arm-toning exercises. 

Another common cause of “bat wings” is the natural aging process. As you get older, your collagen and elastin stores — which provide your skin with elasticity, structure, and tightness — diminish, leaving you more likely to deal with areas of skin that are no longer tight and supple. 

What is a cosmetic arm lift?

An arm lift — known as brachioplasty — is a cosmetic procedure that seeks to improve the appearance of your upper arms by surgically removing excess skin and pockets of fat while also tightening the tissue and smoothing the remaining skin. 

Oftentimes, liposuction is also performed during an arm lift, which effectively eliminates stubborn areas of fat by forcefully breaking up the fat cells and removing them through a suction tube. 

You may be a good candidate for an arm lift if you’re unhappy with the appearance of your upper arms, are in relatively good health, and don’t smoke. You also need to be at a stable body weight, since weight fluctuations can affect the results of the procedure. 

What happens during an arm lift?

When you arrive for your arm lift, our team starts the procedure by administering anesthesia. You may receive general anesthesia, conscious sedation, or local anesthesia, depending on your personal health and preferences. 

Dr. Davila starts by making a small incision on the inside of your arm. He then removes the excess skin and uses liposuction to get rid of fat deposits. Next, he tightens up the supportive tissue with stitches. In the final stages, Dr. Davila stitches the surgical incision shut.

Over the next few weeks, you need to wear compression garments as you heal to help reduce as much swelling as possible. You also need to change your bandages often, get plenty of rest, and avoid strenuous physical activity during your initial recovery period. 

What can you expect from your arm lift results?

As the swelling and bruising from your procedure subsides, you’ll notice the new shape and tone of your arms. To maintain your results, make sure to continue exercising and making other healthy lifestyle choices. 

Because of the nature of arm lift surgery, you will have some minor scarring. However, Dr. Davila takes great care to discreetly place the incision inside your arm to make any subsequent scarring less noticeable. Using scar cream can also help reduce scar severity. 

Even with minimal scarring, most people find that the advantages of the surgery far outweigh the negatives of the scarring. 

To learn more about arm lift surgery or any of our other cosmetic procedures, call or click online to schedule a consultation at Houston Cosmetic Surgery Center today.