Answer:
(From Grabb and Smith CD-ROM:)
About 10% of patients undergoing liposuction have treatment of the arms.
Results are subtle but are usually satisfying to the patient. Unfortunately,
many patients seeking improvement in arm contour have significant skin
excess and require skin excision for optimal contour improvement. Even
the most skillful brachioplasty, however, results in a longitudinal scar
along the inner aspect of the arm from the axilla to the elbow. Because
most patients want surgery in order to be more comfortable showing their
arms in public, it is the rare patient who will accept the scarring attendant
on a brachioplasty as an acceptable trade-off for reduced contour. In fact,
brachioplasty accounted for only 0.16% of all cosmetic surgery procedures
performed in the United States in 1994. Patients willing to accept brachioplasty
scars are almost always those with severe degrees of skin excess secondary
to massive weight loss or senile skin laxity. For readers seeking more
information on brachioplasty, the work of Guerrerosantos is central to
an understanding of this topic. More recent contributions on brachioplasty
are also available.