Arm Lift (Brachioplasty)

Surgery to remove loose, hanging skin from the upper arms — often after significant weight loss or with age — and tighten the contour between the elbow and armpit. At the Aleksandra clinic Dr Sidorowicz excises the excess skin and firms the area, sometimes combined with liposuction. The quote includes dressings, a compression garment and review visits.

An arm lift, or brachioplasty, removes the surplus skin and soft tissue that can hang from the inner upper arm after major weight loss or as skin elasticity declines with age, a change that liposuction alone cannot correct because the problem is loose skin rather than fat. The surgeon removes an ellipse of excess skin along the inner or back of the upper arm and tightens the remaining tissue, leaving a scar that runs between the armpit and the elbow; where there is also excess fat, liposuction may be combined to refine the contour. At the Aleksandra clinic the procedure typically takes two to three hours under appropriate anaesthesia. Because skin is excised, a scar is unavoidable and is positioned as discreetly as possible; its appearance improves over the following months. A compression garment is worn to support healing and reduce swelling, and patients are advised to limit heavy use of the arms during early recovery; bruising and swelling settle over a few weeks. The trade-off of a scar for a firmer, more proportioned arm contour is one Dr Sidorowicz discusses frankly at consultation. The procedure is best suited to adults with significant loose upper-arm skin whose weight is stable, and it is commonly sought after large weight loss. Suitability, scar placement and realistic outcomes are reviewed before surgery.