Batwing Deformity Fixed with Brachioplasty, Raleigh, NC*

Multiple areas of excess skin deformity occur after weight loss surgery which can be addressed with body contouring surgery. This patient had bariatric surgery with subsequent 130 pound weight loss. It affected parts of her body differently. Her breasts became sagging. Her thighs and abdomen and buttock became loose and she had those areas addressed. She also did not like her arms as they had loose skin and excess fat. She underwent brachioplasty which removes excess skin from the upper inner part of the arm. This procedure sounds pretty simple however it can be associated with problems related to over resection. Patient's with fatty component rather than purely loose skin can suffer poor scarring because of the tension involved in the closure. The skin in this area is extremely thin and does not support multiple layers of Suture closure which leads to better scar quality. As a result, scarring can take longer to fade and require long-term care including paper taping and subsequent silicone gel sheeting or topical creams. This patient was very happy with the improvements made despite the scar.