Frequently Asked Questions About Arm Lift Surgery

Do I need an arm lift? Or can I just have liposuction of the arms?

Liposuction of the arms is useful for patients with a limited amount of excess fat of the arms that is unresponsive to dieting and exercise. Liposuction is most successful in patients with reasonably good skin tone. Arm lift is useful for patients with a large amount of excess skin with or without some excess fat.

What’s the best thing about arm lift?

The best thing about arm lift is the removal of hanging skin (which some people refer to as “bat wings”). This makes the arms slimmer, more attractive in shape, and allows more clothing options.

What’s the worst thing about arm lift?

The worst thing about arm lift is the scars, which extend on the inner arms from the armpits to the elbows. These are reasonably concealed with the arms down and do fade significantly with time. But they are clearly a significant trade-off.

I plan to lose a lot of weight. Should I do an arm lift now or wait?

Wait. It is best to be within about 10 to 20 pounds of your planned long-term weight prior to arm lift. The more weight you lose prior to surgery, the more skin excess Dr. Friedman can remove during surgery. Major weight loss after arm lift surgery may cause some recurrent skin excess. If you maintain a stable weight after surgery, your results will generally be long lasting.

Will there be drainage tubes after arm lift surgery?

Dr. Friedman generally places arm compression sleeves after surgery. These are worn for at least 2 weeks continuously after surgery, helping to reduce swelling and maintain your contour. He generally does not use drains for arm lift.

Back To Top