Can I Have Arm Sculpting Surgery if I Have A Pre-Existing Medical Condition?
Do you have sagging, loose skin and excess fatty deposits in your upper arms? If the answer is yes, then you’re probably considering having arm sculpting surgery. Whether you require a brachioplasty or liposuction, you need to know whether you’re a good candidate for surgery.
Arm liposuction is a popular procedure that removes excess fat from the arm area. It gives greater definition to the muscles and eradicates bat wings. For some women, however, liposuction will be unable to resolve the whole problem. While some skin tightening occurs with Artlipo’s Celebrity Arms active lipo technique, it may be insufficient for excess loose skin. Another name for a brachioplasty is an arm lift. An arm lift removes excess underarm fat while tightening up sagging, loose skin. It’s a more complex procedure than liposuction but can produce excellent results for women with a lot of sagging skin.
While both forms of cosmetic surgery are very effective for the right candidates, not every woman should have these treatments. If you have a pre-existing medical condition, is arm sculpting surgery suitable for you?
Who Are the Best Candidates for Arm Surgery?
Patients who are healthy with no pre-existing, serious conditions or active diseases are the best candidates for arm surgery. They should be at or close to their ideal body weights. They should also have a realistic expectation of the surgery’s outcome. A person who smokes shouldn’t have arm surgery. There should be no cigarette or tobacco use four to six weeks before having surgery.
Before the surgery, the surgeon gives each patient her pre-operative evaluation. This ensures she is ready to have surgery. The surgeon looks at the patient’s medical history and current health. He or she will also check for underlying medical problems that could make the surgery dangerous. For patients who are on existing medications, this evaluation may lead to an adjustment of their dosage. It will also enable the surgeon to work out how to approach the surgery safely.
Which Conditions Could Make Arm Surgery Risky?
Some medical conditions make any elective surgery, including cosmetic surgery, riskier. Patients suffering from connective tissue disorders, such as Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, may be poor candidates. This is because of the poor quality of their tissue and the difficulties they experience during healing. For procedures, such as brachioplasty, which involves a lot of incisions, the risks could be much higher for such patients. Patients who take oral steroids on a long-term basis are also not ideal arm surgery candidates.
Can Arm Surgery Treat Some Pre-Existing Conditions?
Although existing medical problems may preclude some patients from having arm surgery, others can benefit from cosmetic surgery. Liposuction, for example, while done primarily for cosmetic reasons, can sometimes treat conditions, too. These include:
- Gynecomastia – This is where fat accumulates beneath a man’s chest to give the appearance of breasts.
- Lymphedema – This is a long-term, chronic condition involving the collection of excess lymph fluid in the tissues. Usually occurring in the legs or arms, lymphedema causes swelling and pain that liposuction can reduce.
- Lipodystrophy syndrome – This condition sees fat accumulating in one area of the body while being lost in another. With liposuction, the patient can achieve a more natural-appearing distribution of body fat.
- Lipedema – This medical problem involves abnormal fat accumulation, usually in the lower body. Liposuction is the only effective long-term treatment for this problem.
- Lipomas – Cosmetic surgery may remove these benign fatty tumors.
Can I Have Arm Surgery?
If you’re seriously considering having arm sculpting surgery, contact the Artlipo team today. We can give you all the advice you need to determine whether cosmetic surgery is right for you. We can also arrange your consultation with our surgeons, who can evaluate your case.

Dr. Thomas Su, is the owner and cosmetic surgeon of Artistic Lipo. He has led our full-time clinic specializing in awake-only liposuction since 2007. Dr. Su began his medical career in internal medicine, practicing that until 2005, when he began to provide a full spectrum of non-invasive cosmetic procedures.