If you are considering arm lift surgery like the many women and men that have visited us from New Orleans, Metairie, Houma, Baton Rouge, Mandeville, Covington and beyond please come in for a free consultation.  We want to help you become less self-conscious about the excessive skin that hangs from your upper arms. Metairie, LA board-certified plastic surgeons, Dr. Summer Black and Dr. Elliott Black offer brachioplasty, or arm lift surgery, for men and women who need this advanced cosmetic surgery to remove the excess skin and fat deposits that cannot be remedied with diet and exercise.  Our experienced plastic surgeons can restore your upper arm to a more youthful and toned position by contouring the arm with an incision from under the elbow to the upper arm (or into the under arm) to remove sagging skin. It may also be determined that you may benefit from liposuction for the removal of fat deposits for a well-contoured upper body.

If you have "bat wings," or loose skin on your upper arms from aging, changes in your weight from pregnancy or significant weight loss, schedule a consultation with Dr. Black to learn more about this body contouring procedure.  At Dr. Black Plastic and Cosmetic Surgery, we will walk with you every step of the way, answer your plastic surgery questions, and create a treatment plan based on your needs. 

The best candidates for an arm lift procedure are men or women who have loose and hanging skin from the underside of the upper arm. This skin keeps these individuals from wearing short sleeves or fitted clothing. Patients must be at or near their goal weight, and their weight should be stable. This surgery is not reserved for weight loss patients alone. Patients who are in good health and wish to have their arms toned and tightened may also consider this procedure.

The goal of an arm lift is to remove excess skin and reveal a toned upper arm. The plastic surgeon will evaluate your skin quality and elasticity and determine how much fat, tissue and skin should be removed to attain the results the patient desires. The length of the incision made during surgery will vary. For example, patients who have healthy skin tone may only require a minor incision. Massive weight loss patients who present with excessively loose and hanging skin will require a more extensive approach. During surgery, the excess skin is trimmed and removed, and the underlying muscles are tightened. An armpit lift is sometimes incorporated during this procedure for patients who have additional skin and fat deposits within the armpit.

Swelling is expected after arm lift surgery, although the amount of swelling varies among patients. The swelling starts to subside during the first 1 – 2 weeks after surgery.  Most patients can resume moderate arm activity in 3 – 4 weeks, with a complete recovery about 4 – 6 weeks after the surgery.  While all surgical procedures will leave some scarring, the incision resides under the arm so that it is not as noticeable.  The surgeon will provide a scar treatment plan to help the incision(s) heal in a healthy and quick manner.

If you are in the process of completing your weight loss journey, or if aging and gravity have caused loose skin to hang from your arms, we encourage you to schedule a consultation at our office in Metairie to learn more about arm lift surgery. With significant experience and skill, we can create tighter, more youthful-looking arms with lasting results.