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Dr. Megan Dreveskracht
Jul 1
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BRACHIOPLASTY SEATTLE
You've put in the work — through weight loss, exercise, or just time — and your arms are the one place that still doesn't reflect it. Loose, sagging skin on the upper arms isn't a failure of effort; it's a limit of what skin can do on its own, and surgery is often the only thing that actually changes it.
WHAT IS AN ARM LIFT?
An Arm Lift, or Brachioplasty, is a cosmetic procedure to remove the loose, flabby skin on the inner and posterior upper arm. As we age, or with weight fluctuations, the skin here stretches out and simply doesn't tighten back up with diet and exercise alone. It's an area that carries a lot of quiet insecurity for patients, since it's one of the most visible parts of the body in short sleeves or a tank top.
There are often extra fat deposits on the back of the arm too, which I can address with liposuction at the same time as your Arm Lift. The incision is placed on the inner aspect of the arm, out of view from the front. Many of my patients come to this after a significant weight loss journey — they feel healthier and more active, but the "bat wings" left behind are a reminder of where they started. My goal with an Arm Lift is to restore a more toned contour to your arms, so short sleeves stop being something you plan around.
A CLOSER LOOK
A careful evaluation of your arms is needed to determine the right approach for your anatomy and goals. During your Seattle plastic surgery consultation, I'll assess the quality and location of your skin laxity, the amount of excess fat, and whether liposuction should be added to refine your contour — liposuction is one of the most common procedures I pair with an Arm Lift for exactly this reason. There are multiple approaches to an Arm Lift that can be tailored to your specific anatomy, so the plan we build together fits your body, not a standard template.
THE PROCEDURE
An Arm Lift is performed as an outpatient procedure in our AAAASF-accredited Ambulatory Surgery Center in the Nordstrom Medical Tower in downtown Seattle, under IV sedation or general anesthesia.
On the morning of surgery, I mark the areas for skin removal while you're still awake, so the plan is precise and your time under anesthesia stays as short as possible. Once you're asleep, I remove the excess skin and fat and close the incisions with deep, dissolvable sutures for the best possible scar. Liposuction is often combined with the skin excision to refine your final contour. Every part of this is built around one goal: a natural, balanced result that complements your body, not one that looks operated on.
Drains are not used with an arm lift. All your sutures will be underneath the skin and dissolvable. Tape will be placed over your incisions when surgery has been completed and you will be placed in a compression garment.
TYPES OF ARM LIFTS
STANDARD ARM LIFT
A "Standard arm lift" will tighten skin mainly on the posterior aspect of the upper arm. The incision is made to run from above the inner elbow to the axillary region and be hidden when the arms are down by a patient's side.
Liposuction is commonly performed simultaneously with an arm lift to debulk the arm and help contour the aesthetic results. The ideal candidate for this procedure has loose skin on the entire back of the arm that cannot be tightened with diet & exercise alone.
SHORT SCAR ARM LIFT
Although a very attractive option, few patients are ideal candidates for a short scar arm lift. The scar is positioned not on the arm itself but within the axillary crease. Due to its short nature, this plastic surgery procedure is limited in its ability to tighten skin. Ideal candidates have only a small amount of loose skin on the backs of the arms.
Liposuction of the remainder of the arm can be done simultaneously.
EXTENDED ARM LIFT
An extended arm lift combines a standard arm lift incision along the inner aspect of the upper arm and extends through the axillary region onto the sides of the chest. This plastic surgery procedure is ideal for patients with significant skin laxity of the upper arm and is commonly performed after massive weight loss.
This procedure can be combined with liposuction and in conjunction with a breast lift to help tighten the tissue on the lateral chest.
TRADITIONAL
ARM LIFT
SHORT SCAR
ARM LIFT
EXTENDED
ARM LIFT
AM I A GOOD CANDIDATE?
The best candidates for an Arm Lift are individuals who have reached a stable weight and are in good overall health. If you have significant skin laxity on your upper arms that doesn't respond to exercise, you may be a great candidate. As with all surgical procedures, being a non-smoker is essential for proper healing.
Beyond the basics, your candidacy comes down to a few specifics I evaluate in person during your consultation:
Where your excess skin is located, and how it behaves with arm movement. This is what determines incision length and placement, and which approach fits your anatomy.
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Your weight stability. If you've had bariatric or weight loss surgery, I want to see six months to a year of stable weight before we plan surgery together — this ensures your results hold up long-term.
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Whether liposuction should be added. Many patients have pockets of stubborn fat alongside loose skin, and combining the two at the same time often gives a better contour than skin removal alone.
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Any previous scarring on the arm and your current medications. Both factor directly into how I plan your incisions and your surgical approach.
Patients with a past medical history that poses any risk with anesthesia or healing may need proper work up and clearances prior to surgery. Some medications may need to be stopped prior to surgery. We'll review your history carefully beforehand.
ARM LIFT RECOVERY
Recovery from an Arm Lift comes with one detail that surprises most patients: because the incision often crosses through the armpit — the axillary region — shoulder movement puts real tension on your incision. This isn't a procedure where you can just "take it easy" and figure the rest out as you go.
For the first week or so, you'll keep your elbows close to your sides, in what I call the "T-Rex position." If your elbows lift too high too soon, you'll feel a strong pulling sensation at the incision — that's your body telling you something real. More specifically, we don't want your elbows going above 90 degrees for 4 to 6 weeks after surgery, depending on how you're healing.
Because the incision crosses the armpit — a place that's naturally warm, moist, and prone to sweat — hygiene matters here more than on almost any other procedure I perform. I'll ask you to skip deodorant for a minimum of 4 weeks. Keeping the area clean and avoiding pressure on it is one of the most important things you can do for a good result.
You'll wear a compression garment afterward, and how long depends on how much liposuction was part of your surgery: about 3 weeks if a modest amount was done, or a minimum of 3 to 4 months if a significant amount of liposuction was performed.
Keeping your arms elevated helps too — avoid letting them hang down for long stretches, since that can let swelling migrate into your hands and cause numbness or tingling. During recovery, you'll end up relying heavily on your legs and your core to move through your day, since your arms are doing much less of the work than usual.
01
How Long Until I Can Lift My Arms Above My Head After My Arm Lift?
A minimum of 4 weeks is necessary until patients can lift their arms above their head after an arm lift.
03
Can Liposuction Be Combined With An Arm Lift?
Liposuction is commonly combined with an arm lift to address the fat layer on the back of the arm and fullness around the mid arm.
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What Is The Biggest Complication Of An Arm Lift?
The most common complication following arm lift surgery is widening of the scar.
04
Will Liposuction Without An Arm Lift Tighten My Arm Skin?
No, liposuction alone will not tighten arm skin. If mild skin laxity is present, a radio frequency device can be used successfully. In most cases, however, skin excision is necessary to achieve desired aesthetic results.
SEATTLE ARM LIFT
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