Loose tissue in the upper arm is most often caused by weight loss. The previously stretched skin does not tighten following the weight loss and it sags. The operation of arm lift (brachioplasty) aims at correcting this. Liposuction is of no help if there is a lot of loose skin since it can make things worse.
The tissue looseness causes a lot of embarrassment for the individual especially when wearing short-sleeved clothes. The key issue that needs to be discussed thoroughly with the patient is the extent of scarring that results from this operation. Generally, in those cases where the amount of skin sagging is great, its exchange with the post-operative scar is preferable to most patients. This is especially so when one considers that scars continue to improve over the next few years. Therefore, the patient must always remember that the scars will never disappear completely but they may take 2 to 3 years to reach their final stage of maturation.
Usually general anaesthesia is preferred and therefore a stay for one day in the hospital is necessary. The discomfort is mild to moderate and the patient is expected to resume her work in about 8-10 days. The results are always long-lasting and gratifying, provided, as indicated above, the patient has an advance knowledge about the nature and extent of the postoperative scars.
