What are the Different Types of Arm Lift or Brachioplasty?

The extent of an Arm Lift or Brachioplasty surgery and the length of the scars depend on the amount of excess skin as well as its location.

For instance, if most of the excess hanging skin is located very close to the armpit (axilla) and do not extend more than two inches away from the armpit, it is possible to pull up and tuck this excess skin into the armpit. In other words, the excess skin is gathered up towards the armpit, excised, and the final surgical scar would end up looking like a semi-circular line which is hidden in the armpit. This procedure is referred to Axillary Brachioplasty or Mini-Arm Tuck.

For those who have much greater excess skin, which extends like a "bat wing" to the elbow, the only viable option is complete removal of the entire length of the arm flab from the axilla to the level of the elbow. This procedure would be considered a more traditional or Standard Brachioplasty or Arm Lift.

Finally, there are those who after having undergone massive weight loss, have redundant skin folds extending on the either sides of the chest, in addition to having hanging arm folds. These patients are candidates for an Extended Brachioplasty. An extended brachioplasty or arm tuck extends the scar from the elbow to the armpit and along the outer sides of the chest to the level of the horizontal bra strap. This enables the reduction of most of the upper torso in a way that patients can fit better into tops or shirts.

How Is An Arm Lift or Brachioplasty Performed?

During Standard Brachioplasty, it is possible to perform limited Liposuction of the arms in order to better contour and prepare the arms for a lift. This method involves an incision that extends from the axilla, or armpit, to the elbow on the inside of the arm. The excess skin flab is completely excised. First, the deep layers of the wound and then the more superficial, and finally the skin wound is closed with mostly dissolvable sutures. Before closure, drains are placed and brought out through small holes in the axilla. The final scar is usually a T-shaped line with the long limb going along the length of the arm, and the short limb extending across the armpit. (Some surgeons vary the shape of this scar into an L-shaped scar.) There are usually two different locations for the placement of the long arm of the T-scar. Some patients and doctors prefer placing this line on the most dependent or the lowest point of the arms, while others like the scar to run along the mid section of the arm. The advantage of the first type is that it does not show as much with the arms opened apart, but its disadvantage is that from the back it is more visible. With the second option, the scar is not as noticeable from either the front or the back as long as the arms are at the sides.

In the case of an Extended Brachioplasty, the incision is extended from the elbow to the axilla and then along the outer aspects of the chest, in some ways, like the seams of a shirt or jacket. The transition from the arm to the chest is made into a zigzag scar, which is placed in the axilla, in order to prevent formation of cicatrical scar bands.

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