Philadelphia, PA 215.561.9100

Villanova, PA 610.688.9100

Cross Medical Group Cross Plastic Surgery
Request A Consultation

Arm Lift

GIVE THE ARMS A MORE TONED AND SCULPTED APPEARANCE IN THE PHILADELPHIA, PA, AREA

Massive weight loss, natural aging, and other factors can eventually lead to sagging skin on the upper arms. An arm lift from the Philadelphia area’s Dr. Kevin Cross or Dr. Jackie Lyons at Cross Plastic Surgery allows you to reshape the portion of the underside of the upper arm that runs between the armpit and the elbow. This procedure—a popular one for the increasingly active—can be ideal for people who feel that their upper arms are sagging, loose, or too “heavy.”

An arm lift gives the area a sleeker and tighter appearance by sculpting the tissues there. The surgery can be performed on its own or combined with other procedures done elsewhere on the body for overall contouring.

Cross Aesthetics

SCHEDULE A CONSULTATION

Discover more about what to expect from an arm lift at the Philadelphia area’s Cross Plastic Surgery. Call (215) 561-9100 (Philadelphia) or (610) 688-9100 (Villanova), or send a message online to request a consultation.

WHAT CAUSES SAGGING ON THE UPPER ARMS?

Fluctuations in weight, aging, and genetics can contribute to a drooping appearance in the upper arms. The attachments between the muscles of the arm and the skin are weaker than those same attachments in other areas of the body. As a result, arm skin tends to loosen and fall away from the underlying muscles. With it comes a layer of fat that, for many people, is resistant to changes through diet and exercise.

WHAT IS AN ARM LIFT?

Which form of plastic surgery improves the upper arms? Can lax upper arms be toned? The answer is yes, it’s possible to restore a more toned appearance to the upper arms, and an arm lift will often be the best option to achieve this.

But what does an arm lift entail? If you’ve been wondering “How does an arm lift work?” this is what you need to know: An arm lift, which is also known as “brachioplasty,” is a form of body-contouring plastic surgery that involves altering the underside of the upper arm in the area that runs between the arm pit and the elbow as a way of improving its appearance. The soft tissue in this area is modified to enhance the definition or contours of the arms.

Excess skin is removed during an arm lift at the Philadelphia area’s Cross Medical Group.
An arm lift at the Philadelphia area’s Cross Medical Group addresses upper-arm laxity due to weight loss or aging by removing excess tissue and securing the remaining skin in place for a firmer, more toned look.

WHO IS A GOOD CANDIDATE FOR AN ARM LIFT?

Is an arm lift right for me? Who makes a good candidate for an arm lift?

If you’re wondering whether upper arm sculpting would be a good idea for you, here’s what you should know about the arm lift procedure:

Adults of any age may be eligible for an arm lift. Patients might consider having this type of surgery if they are bothered by upper arm or underarm skin laxity or want to tighten up loose skin that has occurred after weight loss or due to the natural aging process. They may have a normal, stable body weight but think their upper arms are too “loose.”

In most cases, the best candidates for an arm lift will be adults who have severe upper arm skin laxity, have a relatively stable weight and are not significantly overweight, are in good physical health, do not have any medical conditions that could impair healing or increase the risks associated with surgery, are non-smokers, and maintain a positive outlook and realistic expectations. Ideal candidates are committed to maintaining a healthy lifestyle.

HOW CAN YOU PREPARE FOR AN ARM LIFT?

To prepare for an arm lift, patients may be required to take a number of steps, including getting lab testing or a medical evaluation, starting to take certain types of medication or adjusting how they’re taking their medications, quitting smoking, abstaining from drinking alcohol, and stopping taking aspirin, anti-inflammatory drugs, or certain types of herbal supplements that thin the blood—if it is medically safe to do so. Be sure to arrange for transportation to and from the practice and have a friend stay with you for at least the first night after arm lift surgery.

Cross Aesthetics

SCHEDULE A CONSULTATION

Want to learn more about the benefits of an arm lift? Contact the Philadelphia area’s Cross Plastic Surgery for more information. Call (215) 561-9100 (Philadelphia) or (610) 688-9100 (Villanova), or send a message online to request a consultation.

WHAT IS THE PROCEDURE FOR AN ARM LIFT?

Arm lift surgery techniques have evolved significantly over the past few decades. While a "traditional" incision that extends from the armpit to the elbow still has the most power to correct an arm with significant skin laxity, liposuction alone or fat reduction combined with minimum-incision skin tightening are reasonable options for a large number of patients.

Even when the longer incision is necessary, refinements in skin-healing techniques and years of running a skin-healing laboratory at Cornell Medical Center gives Dr. Cross the ability to make the appearance of the incision minimally noticeable.

Surgeons performing arm lifts have traditionally been challenged by maximizing skin tightening in an area of the body where scars cannot easily be hidden. Fortunately, opportunities to hide scars do exist: Many patients have a natural shadow in the area between the biceps and triceps on the inner side of the arm, where an arm lift incision can be discretely hidden.

Furthermore, many patients have most of their skin excess and looseness in the upper one half of the arm. For these patients, an incision can be hidden in the recesses of the armpit.

The decision on the approach most appropriate for a given arm lift patient is based on that patient's goals, as well as their anatomy.

If skin laxity is minimal, but fullness is present, a three-step liposuction procedure can be used to sculpt and define the arms.

When skin laxity is limited to the upper half of the arm, removal of the skin is performed using an incision placed in the crease of the armpit. Special suturing techniques are used to ensure that the end result leaves the armpit crease looking as natural as possible.

When skin laxity extends along most or all of the upper arm, excess skin is removed along this entire area. While the incision is longer, this technique has the power of limitless correction and allows a large amount of crepey, thin, wrinkled skin to be removed, leaving the thicker, healthier skin in its place.

Eversion suturing techniques help to hide all arm lift incisions. Patients who choose to undergo the full-length approach ultimately find that a well-healed, well-camouflaged incision is more acceptable than the skin wrinkling and/or skin excess that it corrects.

Since arm lift surgery is limited to skin removal and, when needed, sculpting of underlying fat, it is a very well-tolerated procedure. An arm lift usually takes approximately one hour to perform and can be completed using just numbing medicine, with no other anesthesia. Most patients prefer to be asleep for the procedure, however. In this case, patients receive anesthesia by vein, and, once asleep, have a soft balloon put in their mouth to prevent them from snoring during arm lift surgery. The balloon is removed prior to waking up at the end of the arm lift surgery.

View before & after results from Cross Medical Group in Philadelphia, PA
View before & after results from Cross Medical Group in Philadelphia, PA

*Results May Vary

Before & After Photo Gallery

See for yourself the patient transformations that can be achieved by Dr. Cross and his team.

WHAT ARE RECOVERY AND RESULTS LIKE AFTER AN ARM LIFT?

After an arm lift, the arms are wrapped in a compression garment that should typically remain on for about two days. This helps to reduce swelling and improves comfort.

The arm lift incisions are covered with a watertight glue, and all stitches are dissolvable. Most patients only experience minor discomfort, return to normal activities within a few days, and can start exercising in less than a week. Arm exercises are restricted for the first two to three weeks, but use of the arms and hands to reach for items and, for example, to wash and brush one's hair, can begin right after the procedure. Results are apparent almost right away, and all incisions gradually fade over the first few months.

WHAT ARE SOME OTHER TYPES OF BODY CONTOURING SURGERIES THAT COMPLEMENT AN ARM LIFT?

There are several other forms of body contouring cosmetic surgery patients may want to consider in addition to an arm lift, especially if they have lost significant weight or have noticed excessive skin sagging as they have gotten older. When it comes to sculpting the body by removing lax skin, Dr. Cross also offers thigh, buttock, and lower body lifts, as well as tummy tuck surgery. A thigh lift or thighplasty involves the reduction of excess skin from the inner thigh area to reshape the thighs and sculpt a smoother, more proportional look. A lower body lift will include multiple procedures that are designed to enhance the contours of the entire lower half of the body. For patients who want a slimmer, flatter, and more toned abdominal area, we may recommend a tummy tuck. This procedure includes the removal of excess skin, tightening of muscles, and reduction of excess fat on the midsection.

Cross Aesthetics

SCHEDULE A CONSULTATION

For more advice about an arm lift, contact the Philadelphia area’s Cross Plastic Surgery. Call our office in Philadelphia (215) 561-9100 or Main Line's Villanova (610) 688-9100. You can also send a message online to schedule a consultation or get more information.

OUR OFFICE LOCATIONS

2200 Arch Street Suite 120, Philadelphia, PA 19103
Philadelphia, PA

2200 Arch Street Suite 120, Philadelphia, PA 19103
PH: 215.561.9100

775 E. Lancaster Avenue Suite 230, Villanova, PA 19085
Villanova, PA

775 E. Lancaster Avenue Suite 230, Villanova, PA 19085
PH: 610.688.9100

CONTACT OUR OFFICE

FOLLOW

Cross Medical Group


security code