Arm lift in Puebla

What is brachioplasty?

Brachioplasty is the surgery that removes the excess loose skin and, in many cases, the fat on the inner upper arm, reshaping its contour from the armpit to the elbow. It corrects the "hanging arm" or "bat wing" appearance that develops when the skin loses elasticity and no longer retracts.

It is one of the most requested body-contouring surgeries after major weight loss, whether through diet and exercise or after bariatric surgery, situations in which the skin is left over and does not readapt to the arm’s new volume. It is also indicated for the sagging that comes with ageing.

Unlike liposuction —which only removes fat and needs skin with good elasticity to retract— brachioplasty treats the excess skin directly. When the problem is mainly localized fat with firm skin, liposuction alone may be enough; when loose skin predominates, brachioplasty is required.

Techniques used by Dr. Arístides Arellano

Technique is defined at the assessment, based on how much skin is left over, where it sits and whether there is also fat to treat:

• Standard brachioplasty: an incision along the inner arm, from the armpit to the elbow, allowing removal of excess skin along its full length. It is indicated when sagging is marked, common after major weight loss.
• Mini-brachioplasty (short scar): when the excess skin is concentrated in the upper third of the arm, the incision is limited to the armpit area, leaving a more discreet scar hidden in the axillary fold.
• Liposuction-assisted brachioplasty: skin resection is combined with arm liposuction in the same operation, to remove the fatty component and refine the contour when excess skin and localized fat coexist.
• Extended brachioplasty: in patients with very large weight loss, the incision may be extended toward the lateral chest wall to treat the excess skin that continues below the armpit.

How is it performed?

Brachioplasty is performed under general anaesthesia or sedation with local anaesthesia, in an operating room, lasting approximately 2 to 3 hours depending on the technique and whether it is combined with liposuction. In most cases it is an outpatient procedure or one with a short hospital stay, and compression dressings or a compression garment are fitted on the arm afterwards.

It is important to understand the trade-off inherent to this surgery: brachioplasty leaves a permanent scar on the inner arm. Dr. Arístides Arellano places it so that it is as concealed as possible, but its length is proportional to the amount of skin removed. The scar fades over time, though it never disappears completely; for many patients it is an acceptable trade for the improvement in contour, and it is a point reviewed in full at the consultation.

All surgery carries risk and requires a prior medical assessment. Results may vary according to each patient, their anatomy and their individual healing process.

Who is a good candidate?

• Excess loose skin on the inner upper arm that does not improve with exercise or weight loss.
• Major weight loss —through diet, exercise or bariatric surgery— that left excess skin on the arms.
• Stable weight; it is best to have reached and maintained the target weight before surgery.
• Good general health, without active smoking, which increases the risk of healing complications.
• Conscious acceptance of the inner-arm scar as part of the result.
• Realistic expectations, reviewed in detail at the consultation.

Recommended post-surgical treatments

Wearing the arm compression garment is key during the first weeks to control swelling, and Dr. Arístides may prescribe manual lymphatic drainage and specific scar care to encourage a more discreet maturation. See the full guide: Post-surgical recovery and care.

Before and after

The cases below are real patients of Dr. Arístides Arellano, published with their written informed consent. Out of respect for each person’s privacy, only expressly authorised cases are published; at your in-person consultation Dr. Arístides can show you further cases with a starting point similar to yours. Results may vary from patient to patient.

Approximate price

The reference price starts at approximately $45,000 MXN, depending on the complexity of the case and the indicated technique. The price is all-inclusive: it covers use of the operating theatre and facilities, pre-operative laboratory work and the post-surgical recovery treatments. It is not the surgeon’s fee alone. Approximate price — the definitive cost is set at your private consultation with Dr. Arístides Arellano.

About Dr. Arístides Arellano

Dr. Arístides Arellano is a plastic surgeon holding a specialty licence: he practises under a Mexican medical licence (D.G.P. 1125959) and a specialty licence in Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery (0002008), both issued by the Directorate General of Professions (DGP), which reissued his certificate of professional standing in 2025. His career began before Mexico’s present-day specialty-board system existed: he belongs to the founding generation of plastic surgery in Puebla, the second generation of a surgical tradition started in 1971 by Dr. Francisco Arellano Ocampo. Trust is verified, not promised: both licences are public and anyone can look them up in the DGP’s National Registry of Professionals.

Related patient guide

Before deciding, it is worth reading how to choose a plastic surgeon in Puebla — part of the informational guide series reviewed by Dr. Arístides Arellano.

Trust is verified, not promised. All 210 scanned documents —degree, licences, diplomas, publications and certificates, from 1977 to 2025— are open in Dr. Arístides Arellano’s credential archive, alongside an explanation of the difference between a specialty licence and a board certification.

Recovery · step by step

• Days 1–3Relative rest with the arm elevated to reduce swelling; pain managed with prescribed analgesia and the compression garment in place.
• Weeks 1–2Sutures removed as applicable; lifting weight and wide shoulder movements that tension the suture are avoided.
• Weeks 3–4Arm mobility improves progressively; light everyday activities resume as medically advised.
• Weeks 6–8Return to exercise and effort with the arms is gradually authorised.
• Months 3–12Residual swelling resolves, the scar matures and lightens progressively, and the definitive contour appears.

Frequently asked questions

Before and after

What is brachioplasty, and when is it needed? It is the removal of hanging skin on the inner arm, typical after major weight loss or with age. The test is simple: if the skin hangs and does not retract when you raise the arm, liposuction alone makes it worse — it removes volume and leaves more empty skin. That case needs skin excised, and that leaves a scar running along the inner arm. The definitive cost of each case is set at the private assessment consultation. All surgery carries risks and requires a prior medical assessment; results vary from person to person.

Photographs of real patients, published with their written informed consent. Results may vary from person to person; these images are not a promise of outcome.

Every figure published on this site is approximate and is not a quote. Any procedure or treatment first requires a private assessment consultation with Dr. Arístides Arellano —$800 MXN, charged separately— and it is at that consultation that the definitive cost of your case is determined.

Educational content; it does not replace a medical consultation. Results may vary from person to person.