ARM LIFT SURGERY
NEWPORT BEACH

For many women, sleeveless tops are a staple in their wardrobe. Not only are they extremely comfortable during warm weather, but they also showcase firm and slender arms that often remain covered up during cooler seasons.

Your arms may not get as much love as the rest of your body, but they are one of the most frequently exposed parts that get easily noticed by other people. Smooth, toned arms devoid of flabbiness and excess skin are considered sexy, even if you’re just wearing a simple tank top.

The ideal arms are lean and firm, showcasing the underlying muscles. The convexity of your shoulder deltoid muscles — the rounded, triangular muscle on the uppermost part of your arm and top of your shoulder — should merge with your triceps on the back surface, framing a well-built physique. The front surface of your arms should also be slightly convex, reflecting your toned biceps.

Unfortunately, that’s not the case for everyone, as the arms can serve as a repository of fats when you gain weight. The fat typically accumulates over the upper arm on the back and deltoid muscle, as well as hanging below the arms. 

Woman showing off both arms from arm lift surgery

And even after losing weight, there is the risk of developing saggy arms as you are left with excess skin that hangs loosely on your arms, resistant to diet and exercise.

Aging can also do a number on your arms, as it can make you lose subcutaneous fat, leaving your skin shriveled and wrinkled. Constant sun exposure can even further expedite the aging process.


If you want to flaunt your arms, eliminate unwanted fat pockets, and get rid of their “bat wing” appearance, then a Newport Beach arm liposuction and arm lift with Dr. Siamak Agha, a highly-skilled body contouring expert, might just be what you need.


Arm liposuction can make your arms look slimmer, while an arm lift can help you get rid of excess fat and skin, pulling your skin taut and improving your arm contours. 

Both procedures can dramatically improve your upper extremities to help you achieve a divinely slender pair of arms.

Read the rest of this article to know more about how you can attain the lovely arms you have always wanted.

Arm Enhancement Newport Beach
Arm Enhancement Newport Beach
Arm Enhancement Newport Beach
Arm Enhancement Newport Beach
Arm Enhancement Newport Beach
Arm Enhancement Newport Beach

What is Arm Lift Surgery?

Even if you engage in diet and exercise, it does not guarantee that you won’t develop heavy or saggy upper arms. 

Arm enhancement surgeries are your perfect solutions for troubled upper arms, eliminating any embarrassment you feel from wearing sleeveless clothes or bathing suits.

Depending on your skin quality, you can undergo one of these two types of arm enhancement surgeries:

Arm Liposuction – Perfect for patients who have firm, elastic, and non-damaged skin, arm liposuction sculpts and reduces the size of the upper arms by removing excess fat.  Once the excess fat is removed, the skin shrinks to fit the muscles of the arms, resulting in a slimmer-looking pair of upper extremities.

Woman showing the results of her arm lift surgery
  • Arm Lift – Also known as brachioplasty, the arm lift is best for patients with sagging skin in their arms, commonly known as “bat wings”. Instead of removing fat only, this process removes excess skin and fat to fit the underlying arm muscles and markedly improve its appearance, increasing your confidence in the process.

According to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS), the arm lift is one of the most popular procedures in 2019 for those seeking to undergo body contouring surgery.

Arm Enhancement Newport Beach
Arm Enhancement Newport Beach
Arm Enhancement Newport Beach
Arm Enhancement Newport Beach
Arm Enhancement Newport Beach
Arm Enhancement Newport Beach

What are the Different Arm Lift & Enhancement Techniques?

Dr. Agha plans a customized arm enhancement approach for each patient, depending on the degree of arm tissue excess and looseness.

Here are the most common approaches that Dr. Agha uses.

Arm Liposuction

Many patients have stubborn fat over the back of their arms and lower arms. This fat is often resilient and does not respond well to diet or exercise.  

If your skin quality is good and you only have minimal skin laxity, then arm liposuction might be a great option for you. Arm liposuction can help improve the contour of your upper arms by removing unwanted fat.

During the procedure, a cannula will be used to suction out the fat cells from your arms, leaving your skin firm and smooth.

Mini Arm Lift

If your problem is solely the presence of excess arm skin, then a mini arm lift will suffice. This procedure is commonly used for people with aging skin that is thinner and wrinkled.

Also known as the limited arm lift, the mini arm lift involves a small incision in the armpit, where most of the hanging skin is often closely located. Dr. Agha removes the excess skin and elevates the arm skin into your armpit.

But take note that the limited arm lift only makes a subtle difference in the degree of correction, so only people with mild skin laxity truly benefit from it. Most patients need an arm reduction to reduce arm circumference.

Short Scar Arm Lift

This technique is best used for patients with arm tissue excess and skin laxity only in the upper half of the arm.

Dr. Agha creates a discreet, crescent-shaped incision from the armpit to the mid-upper arm, where the majority of the excess skin and tissues are located. He then removes the excess skin and underlying fat before pulling the remaining skin taut and suturing the incision. 

Since the scar is concealed, it will only be visible when you fully lift your arms.

Extended Arm Lift

The extended arm lift is best for patients with arm skin and tissue laxity that spans the full length of the upper arm — from the armpit to the elbow. It is one of the most commonly used approaches since most arm lift patients fall under this category.

Dr. Agha creates an incision on the inner arm, extending from the armpit down to the elbow. Through this incision, an elliptical piece of excess skin and underlying fat is excised, while the arm circumference is reduced.  

Dr. Agha can remove up to several inches of excess arm tissue through this technique. It best suits patients with significant arm tissue excess but without any armpit laxity.

L-Brachioplasty

If you recently had massive weight loss or gastric bypass surgery, you probably developed a lot of loose skin not just in your upper arms, but also in your armpits.

For these patients, an L-brachioplasty can help correct the significant degree of arm tissue laxity as well as the hollowness and sagging of the armpit. 

The L-brachioplasty was pioneered by Dr. Dennis Hurwitz, who served as Dr. Agha’s mentor for many years. The procedure offers both arm reduction and armpit elevation.

It involves placing an L-shaped incision that runs from the lower armpit to the elbow. Through this incision, Dr. Agha removes the excess skin and tissue from the armpit and the whole upper arm. He then reconstructs the armpit at a much higher position while closing the upper arm incisions.  

Dr. Agha often performs elbow liposuction with this procedure since many patients continue to have lingering elbow fat after weight loss. Patients with outer chest skin and tissue excess can also combine L-brachioplasty with Dr. Agha’s pioneered J-upper body lift.

Woman posing showing off arm lift surgery

How Does Dr. Agha Do Arm Liposuction and Arm Lift?

Arm enhancement surgeries usually take 2-3 hours, depending on the technique used and how much correction of the arm contour is needed.

You can usually combine brachioplasty with other body contouring procedures, such as the upper body lift, breast enhancement, or liposuction.

Here is how Dr. Agha performs your arm lift.

Preparation

Expect Dr. Agha to ask about the following during your initial consultation:

  • General physical and mental health status
  • Pre-existing health conditions, especially neurologic conditions, heart disease, vascular problems, diabetes, thromboembolic disease, connective tissue disorders, wound healing problems, Raynaud’s disease, rheumatoid arthritis, and previous armpit lymph node dissection
  • Prior surgeries, including laparoscopic procedures
  • Medications currently being taken, including vitamins, diet pills, and herbal supplements
  • Allergies
  • Smoking habits and alcohol use
  • History of weight gain and loss

Your answers can affect your recovery and healing following the procedure, so make sure that you answer these questions completely and truthfully. 

Dr. Agha will also examine your arm area, taking into account the following factors:

  • Excess fat distribution
  • Tissue laxity
  • Skin quality

Knowing these will help Dr. Agha figure out which arm enhancement procedure will best suit you — whether it is arm liposuction, arm lift, or a combination of both. It will also help him decide which brachioplasty technique will be best for you.

He will then give you information on your arm enhancement options, then plan an appropriate plan of action that best suits your anatomy and meets your desires and expectations.

Other things that will be discussed include potential risks and complications, estimated cost, and procedure schedule. You will also be asked to obtain specific lab tests and a medical evaluation.

On the day of your surgery, Dr. Agha will mark certain landmarks on your arm and armpit in the pre-operative area to properly plan the incision site. The type of brachioplasty to be performed will dictate the location, length, and direction of the incision lines. You will then be given a dose of intravenous antibiotics as a precautionary measure.

Make sure to arrange for a friend or family member to drive you to and from the surgery center, as well as assist you during the first 24 hours post-op.

Anesthesia

You can get a brachioplasty under either general anesthesia or local anesthesia with sedation to put you under “twilight sleep”.

Once you’re asleep, Dr. Agha injects tumescent fluid at the liposuction or incision sites. This fluid consists of a low concentration of lidocaine and epinephrine that will help numb the surgical site and constrict blood vessels to reduce bleeding and bruising, respectively.

Arm Liposuction

Arm liposuction involves using a liposuction cannula through a small incision to suction the deep fat layer. Most patients will need liposuction of the lower arm, elbow area, and upper arm below the shoulder and over the deltoid muscle.

Arm Lift

Dr. Agha will make appropriate incisions on the arm markings depending on the planned arm lift technique. He will make sure to place the incision in an inconspicuous location so that it will be completely concealed within the armpit or down the inside of the arm.

The length of the incision depends on how much skin should be removed and where the excess skin is located.

After making the incision, Dr. Agha removes the excess skin and the underlying fat from the site, then elevates the lower incision and anchors it to the deltopectoral fascia, a thick connective tissue layer at the armpit area, to lift it up and reconstruct the armpit at a higher position. This will provide a tension-free closure of the incisions, resulting in a thinner and narrower scar in the future.

Post-Surgery

Dr. Agha carefully closes the incisions in three layers to minimize scarring.

He first brings the fat together on either side of the incision with sutures. This is then followed by a layer of suturing under the skin to take the tension off of the skin closure. Finally, he meticulously closes the skin incision with smaller sutures.

Dr. Agha places all the sutures beneath the skin, where they will be gradually absorbed by your body. Because of this, there is no need to remove the sutures later on, dramatically improving your comfort and satisfaction.

Dr. Agha does not typically use drains for brachioplasty procedures. Instead, he covers the incisions with a sterile dressing and wraps it with ACE. Doing so helps support your arms during healing, decreases postoperative swelling, and minimizes bruising.

With brachioplasty commonly done as an outpatient procedure, you can go home after the surgery.

I am 6 months out from my brachioplasty with Dr. Agha and wanted to add a picture of my arm lift scars. The placement is excellent. The scar is so small and flat. I couldn’t be happier with the outcome.

Samanthia

Why Should You Choose Dr. Agha for Your Arm Lift?

As a world-renowned body contouring surgeon, Dr. Agha has been performing arm enhancement surgeries since 2002.  

While most plastic surgeons only perform a few arm lift surgeries per year, according to data from the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, Dr. Agha performs about 30 or more arm lift surgeries every year as can be seen on his Instagram page. This extensive experience has helped Dr. Agha develop his approach to three-dimensional body contouring. 

Dr. Agha has pioneered his own arm lift variation, where he places his incision at the junction between the arm front and back. It produces a more inconspicuous incision than current arm lift techniques, where the incision is either placed on the brachial groove at the front of the arm or at the back of the arm through a posterior arm lift.

Dr. Agha’s aesthetic eye and more than 18 years of experience in plastic surgery have allowed him to perfect his brachioplasty style so that you can rock and flaunt your slender arms for everyone to see.

Do You Need Arm Lift Revision?

It is important that you get your arm lift done correctly the first time. 

However, if you have had less than favorable results, rest assured that as an expert, Dr. Agha has been revising and correcting poor arm lift results for years. Dr. Agha performs around five or more arm lift revisions a year due to various reasons such as:

  • Asymmetrical arms after previous arm lift
  • Poor or wide arm lift scars
  • Scar asymmetry
  • Lack of armpit correction
  • Remaining excess skin
  • Arm banding
Woman with crossed arms

Usually, Dr. Agha excises the existing arm scar and works through that incision. If the scar is too high, it can only be brought down so much. 

Although an arm lift revision will always improve your results, remember that it will never be as good as when you have Dr. Agha perform your original surgery. 

Each revision requires an understanding of your arm problems and a customized plan to correct them. Dr. Agha will make sure that you understand what the plan is and how much correction can be achieved before proceeding with an arm lift redo.

How Do You Recover from Arm Liposuction and Arm Lift?

In general, your arm enhancement recovery may span a few weeks, with most patients being able to return to work within a week after liposuction but 2-3 weeks after an arm lift.

Your arms will be dressed and bandaged with ACEs that start at your wrist and go up to your arm pit.  The dressing needs to be changed daily. 

If you have had an arm lift, make sure to keep the arm pit area dry and clean.  Dab your incisions with Dakins solution daily and cover the incisions with clean ABD.  Reapply ACE bandages from the wrist and move up.  Apply bandages snug but not too tight.

Keep your arms elevated on several pillows (as much as possible) so that they are higher than your heart level.  This reduces swelling which in turn reduces pain and tension on your incision lines, resulting in thinner scars.

If your hands swell up, remove the ACE bandages completely for a few hours or over-night while keeping your incisions covered and your arms elevated.   Reapply the ACE bandages after a few hours after cleaning the incision and covering them with clean ABD pads. 

Avoid lifting your arms above your head or activities that put tension on your incisions.

Swelling is normal and may be uneven. Your arms will be swollen for 3-5 weeks before it subsides. 

Here is an estimated recovery timeline for your arm enhancement surgery.

TimelineActivity
5 daysFollow-up with Dr. Agha
1 weekMay return to work after liposuction
2-3 weeksMay return to work after arm lift
4 weeksLight lower body cardiovascular activities allowed
8 weeksLifting, contact sports, and jogging allowed

What Results Can You Expect from Arm Enhancement Surgery?


Getting arm enhancement surgery will give you the following results:

  • Flatter and firmer arm contour
  • Arms that are proportional to your body type and weight
  • More clothing and fashion choices that flaunt your arms
  • Increased self-confidence and improved self-esteem

Even though the results of your arm lift or arm liposuction are permanent, you still need to maintain your weight and be conscious of your health and lifestyle. 

Otherwise, weight fluctuations may negatively affect your arm surgery results. Aging and pregnancy may also alter your long-term results.

What are the Potential Risks and Complications?

All surgical procedures have potential risks and complications — brachioplasty included. 

Be informed about the risks of body contouring surgeries in this article.

Arm Lift FAQs

Data from RealSelf show that arm enhancement procedures like arm lift and arm liposuction may cost anywhere between $4000 and $7000. 

However, the total cost depends on various factors, such as the type of anesthesia, anesthesiologist fees, technique used, practice location, and your plastic surgeon’s level of expertise. Combining additional surgeries would naturally cost more.

Arm enhancement surgeries are usually done for aesthetic purposes, so they are rarely covered by insurance. However, Dr. Agha offers financing solutions to help you curb the cost of surgery and make affordable monthly payments.

If you are still thinking whether or not you need to get an arm enhancement surgery, check out the following questions and try to answer them truthfully.

  • Are you uncomfortable with the proportion of your arms compared to your body?
  • Do your arms have saggy, loose skin or bat wings?
  • Do you find yourself avoiding sleeveless clothes to hide your arms?
  • Have you recently lost a lot of weight, resulting in droopy arm skin?
  • Have diet and exercise not made a huge difference in the size and laxity of your arms?
  • Do you suffer from insecurity and low self-esteem because of your arms?

Answered YES to any of these questions? If so, you might want to consider scheduling a consultation with Dr. Agha to discover whether an arm lift or arm liposuction is right for you.

Make sure that you consider the following factors that might affect your arm enhancement results:

You should avoid getting surgery if you are an expecting mother.

Being in tiptop shape is a must for every cosmetic surgery like arm surgery. You cannot have arm enhancement if you are suffering from severe comorbid conditions such as heart disease, diabetes, and obesity. You are also at higher risk for complications if you have symptomatic Raynaud’s disease, connective tissue disorders, or advanced rheumatoid arthritis, so you need to be properly screened first. It is also not advisable to go through surgery if you are heavily smoking.

Discuss with Dr. Agha the reasons why you want to get an arm lift or arm liposuction, including the results you’re expecting.

People with serious neurologic conditions, vascular problems in the upper extremities, and previous armpit lymph node dissection should not consider having an arm lift surgery.

Get Your Arm Liposuction or Arm Lift Done in Newport Beach, Orange County

Slender, firm, and toned arms need not be a distant dream, even if you have excess fat and skin hanging from your upper extremities. 

With an arm lift or arm liposuction performed by a trusted, board-certified, and experienced plastic surgeon like Dr. Agha, you can parade your beautiful arms in any tank top or swimsuit without getting embarrassed or self-conscious.