Arm Lift Tacoma

Do you have bat-wing-like sections of loose, hanging skin and fat on your upper arms? An arm lift is an effective way to remove bat wings and get smooth, toned skin.

Unsightly hanging skin is typically caused by the aging process and dramatic weight loss. The skin around the areas has grown with weight gain, so when the weight is dropped, the skin is left larger than the area. Age reduces the elasticity of skin, making it less likely to shrink down to match the reduced area.

Also known as a brachioplasty, an arm lift surgery involves an incision on the upper arm, either on the elbow side or the side closest to the body. Depending on the amount of tissue to be removed, these incisions can stretch from armpit to elbow or be smaller.

After the incisions are made, a suction device with a cannula is used to remove excess fatty tissue. Sutures are used to recontour and tighten tissues in the area, and excess skin is excised. Once the remaining skin is redraped, the incision is closed using sutures.

One variation on this procedure is the mini-arm tuck, used when the majority of the excess skin is close enough to the armpit to be accessed by the plastic surgeon. In this case, the incision required will be much smaller and placed in the armpit area. Another variation, the extended brachioplasty, is necessary when excess tissue is also found in the chest areas adjacent to the armpits. To excise this, the incision must extend to this chest area.

While recovering from an arm lift, you may need to wear a compression garment to keep the recontoured tissues in their new position as the area heals. If absorbable sutures were used during the procedure to close the incision, they will not need to be removed. If the sutures used were not absorbable, they will be taken out within 14 days. Any temporary drainage tubes will be removed.

So if you want to put an end to bat wings and drooping skin, visit Dr. Chung for an arm lift.

Questions about the arm lift procedure? Contact our office today for more information.