Classic brachioplasty
Removal of the skin excess through an inner-arm incision, from armpit towards elbow depending on the surplus.
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Arm lift cases
Arms operated on by Dr. César Padilla at Quirónsalud Málaga Hospital.
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Arm lift
Why it happens
Inner-arm skin is thin and poorly supported; once stretched — by major weight loss or simply by the years — it does not spring back. The result is familiar: skin that keeps moving after the arm has stopped.
Plainly said: exercise tones muscle but cannot retract skin that has lost its elasticity. For genuine skin excess, brachioplasty is the only route.
Techniques
Removal of the skin excess through an inner-arm incision, from armpit towards elbow depending on the surplus.
When fat accompanies the excess, water-assisted lipo removes it first so only the right amount of skin is excised: sculpted arms, not just trimmed ones.
Internal radiofrequency maximises skin retraction: in moderate laxity it can shorten the scar needed.
For excess limited to the armpit area: the scar hides in the axillary fold.
Before surgery
Your consultation starts with a thorough assessment of your anatomy and goals, followed by a photographic study used to plan the procedure and compare your results later on.
Practical points that apply to every surgery: arrive at a stable weight, have your medication reviewed (antiplatelets and anticoagulants are usually paused beforehand, always together with your doctor) and stop smoking well in advance.
Specific here: weight should be stable — further loss would leave new excess skin. First the scales, then the short sleeves.
The pre-operative tests and the anaesthesia assessment are completed at Quirónsalud Málaga Hospital.
Recovery
More uncomfortable than painful: tension along the inner arm, well managed with prescribed analgesia.
Tension along the inner arm; compression sleeves on. Arms appreciate relative rest and no lifting.
Quiet routine avoiding raising arms above the shoulder or carrying weight; check-ups and incision care.
Progressive normality; arm training waits for clearance at review.
Swelling fully down: firm, defined arms on show.
Scars
The scar runs along the inner face of the arm, armpit towards elbow, its length matching the excess removed. With the arm at your side it does not show; it appears when you raise it. Pink at first, it matures into a fine line.
That is this surgery’s toll and it is said clearly in consultation: a scar visible in certain postures in exchange for firm arms. The overwhelming majority of patients sign that deal happily.
Surgical honesty
Muscle tones; overstretched skin does not retract. If your problem is skin, no routine will solve it.
Honesty first: there is a scar, and its length depends on the excess. BodyTite can shorten it in moderate cases — not remove it.
Without treating the fat and the transition to shoulder and elbow, the arm ends up flat. Hence the WAL combination: reshaping, not just trimming.
Losing weight afterwards would leave new excess. First the scales, then surgery.
Patient information
Every surgery carries risks and this one is no exception. You will go through them in detail during your consultation and in writing in the informed-consent form; this is the honest summary.
Expected — not a complication
Uncommon
When not to operate. With weight still dropping, or expecting a scar-free result. This surgery is chosen with full information.
Hospital
Consultation, surgery and post-operative follow-up in a leading hospital: state-of-the-art operating rooms, ICU and private rooms.
12
Operating rooms
24 h
ER & ICU
100 %
Private rooms
Price
A closed, personal quote after assessment, varying with the technique (classic, with WAL, with BodyTite) and the degree of excess. It includes the operating room at Quirónsalud Málaga, anaesthesia, aftercare and follow-up visits.
About cheap offers. You will see plenty. Our honest advice: research and choose your surgeon first, and only then compare prices — never the other way round.
FAQS
Along the inner face of the arm, from the armpit towards the elbow; its length depends on how much skin must be removed. Hidden with the arm down, visible when raised — and said clearly before surgery.
No loads or arms above shoulder height for the first weeks; training resumes progressively once cleared at review. Rushing here is paid for in the scar.
Yes — commonly with a mastopexy or tummy tuck within a full body-remodelling plan.
The anaesthetic protocol is decided at your consultation, with the assessment of the anaesthesia team at Quirónsalud Málaga Hospital as part of the pre-operative workup.
Content reviewed by
Dr. César Padilla
Specialist in Plastic, Aesthetic and Reconstructive Surgery
Member of the Spanish Society of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgery (SECPRE)
15+ years of practice · Quirónsalud Málaga Hospital
Last content review: August 2026
