Since 1998 · Zagreb & Daruvar
Arm and Thigh Skin Tightening in Croatia
Pronounced excess skin on the upper arms and inner thighs cannot be removed by exercise. Surgical tightening removes that excess — with a permanent scar whose position and extent we assess and explain before the procedure.
Pronounced excess skin on the upper arms or inner thighs can remain after major weight loss or a loss of skin elasticity. Exercise can strengthen the muscles, but it cannot remove excess skin. Surgical tightening removes that excess, with a permanent scar whose position and length are explained before you decide on the procedure.
Is this for me?
Why the skin stays loose after weight loss
Skin stretches more easily than it shrinks back. After losing a lot of weight, or after years in which collagen and elastin weaken, the skin stays wider than the body beneath it — and that excess shows most where the skin is thin and poorly supported by muscle. That is why the most common areas are precisely the upper arms and the inner thighs.
Skin tightening is a surgical procedure that removes the excess skin together with the fat tissue attached to it, and the remaining skin is adjusted to the new contour of the area. On the upper arms the procedure is called brachioplasty; on the thighs, femoroplasty — a lift of the thigh area. In the price list, femoroplasty appears under that professional name, although on the website we refer to it as thigh skin tightening.
This page is about the arms and legs. For excess skin on the abdomen there is a separate procedure, which we describe on the tummy tuck page.
“Excess skin can be an aesthetic and a functional problem. Repeated chafing, pain, and skin inflammation can be just as important an indication as dissatisfaction with appearance.”
Upper arms
Upper arm skin tightening, brachioplasty
When the skin on the upper arms is markedly lax, the incision is placed on the inner side of the arm; the excess skin with its fat tissue is removed there, and the rest is tightened. If localized fat tissue is present alongside the excess skin, the procedure can be combined with liposuction, depending on the findings. That can reduce the volume of the area and make it easier to shape the contour of the arm.
The procedure benefits most a person of stable weight, in good general health, and with pronounced excess skin. Smoking is a particular problem here: the skin of the upper arm is thin, and the incision runs across the direction of its tension, so healing is more delicate than elsewhere. Because of the increased risk of healing problems, you need to stop smoking before the procedure, following your surgeon’s instructions.
When brachioplasty is indicated
With milder skin laxity, or when the main problem is localized fat tissue, liposuction or non-invasive tightening treatments can be considered. Brachioplasty is intended for pronounced excess skin that non-surgical methods cannot remove.
If the excess skin is mild, a less invasive procedure — or postponing the surgery — may be recommended. The decision is based on the expected change weighed against the length and visibility of the scar.
What to know about the scar on the upper arm
The scar after brachioplasty is permanent, and it is not hidden the way a scar in the bikini area is. It runs along the inner side of the upper arm, and its length depends on the amount of skin being removed. With a smaller excess, a shorter incision limited to the armpit area is sometimes enough.
The two difficulties the literature lists as most common after this procedure are wound separation — typically in the armpit, where the arm is constantly moving — and thickening of the scar. After the procedure, arm movements need to be limited according to the instructions you receive, to reduce the strain on the wound, especially in the armpit area.
“The planned position and approximate length of the scar are marked and explained before the procedure, so the patient can make an informed decision.”
Thighs
Thigh skin tightening, femoroplasty
The area treated is bounded above by the groin, reaches to roughly half the circumference of the leg at the front and back, and extends toward the knee along the inner third of the thigh. The operation reduces the excess skin and the fat tissue attached to it, and the incision and postoperative scar sit in the groin fold itself.
The preoperative workup includes checking your health with laboratory blood and urine tests. The procedure can be performed under spinal or general anesthesia — and, for a smaller scope, under local tumescent anesthesia. After the procedure we recommend rest from walking for a few days and wearing compression stockings, and the stitches come out about ten days later.
When the cause is a previous liposuction
Loose skin on the inner thigh is sometimes not the result of weight loss, but of a more radical liposuction of that same area. When too much fat tissue is removed there, the skin lacks the volume to tighten around, so it folds.
We talk about this openly, uncomfortable as the subject is, because it also concerns how we ourselves work. In liposuction of the inner thighs, we would rather remove less fat tissue — and we discuss that before the procedure.
“Loose skin on the inner thigh is sometimes the consequence of a previous, overly aggressive liposuction. That is why we would rather remove less fat than send you for an incision later.”
The scar in the groin and healing
The scar is placed in the natural fold of the groin and is normally covered by underwear. Its position is less exposed than the scar on the upper arm.
A scar in that area is exposed to tension, moisture, and friction when walking, so in some patients it can widen or migrate downward over time. That, along with slower healing of the incision, is the most common difficulty after this procedure — especially after major weight loss, when the skin itself is of poorer quality. Scar care according to the instructions is part of the treatment, not a cosmetic extra.
Why us
Why choose us for skin tightening
A family polyclinic since 1998
We have been performing aesthetic surgery for more than 27 years, under the same family.
The scope is assessed first
At the consultation we assess the excess skin, the expected change, and the position of the permanent scar.
Four operating rooms with air recuperation
Our operating rooms are equipped with air-recuperation systems that contribute to controlled conditions during surgery.
Preparation on the day of surgery
Laboratory tests, an ECG, and the anesthesiologist’s examination can all be done with us on the day of the procedure — no trips to other facilities.
In-house anesthesiology team
The Polyclinic’s co-founder is a specialist in anesthesiology, reanimatology, and intensive care.
Tumescent technique
Part of the procedures are performed under local tumescent anesthesia, a technique we have used in body contouring for years.
Liposuction and tightening as one plan
When localized fat tissue accompanies the excess skin, tightening can be combined with liposuction, depending on the findings.
Zagreb and Daruvar
The same team follows you from the consultation to the last follow-up.
Why trust us
When the procedure is not recommended or is postponed
The decision about surgery is not based on technical feasibility alone, but on whether the expected change justifies the extent and position of a permanent scar.
The procedure may be postponed or not recommended when the excess skin is mild and the expected change small relative to the scar. If further major weight loss is planned, it is better to postpone the procedure, because losing weight afterward can change the tightness of the skin again.
The same applies if you cannot stop smoking, because in these areas smoking measurably worsens the healing of the incision. And it applies if you cannot carry out the recovery properly at this point in your life, because limiting movement after the procedure is a condition of a good result.
How it is performed
How we perform the procedure and what recovery looks like
The procedure begins with marking the excess skin while you are standing, because the position of the skin changes when you lie down. The marked skin with its fat tissue is then removed, and the remaining skin is tightened and sutured. When fat tissue is also present, we perform the liposuction in the same session, because it reduces the tension on the incision.
The procedures are planned and performed by Duško Maletić, MD, MSc, a specialist in surgery and the founder of the Polyclinic, and Mario Bartol, MD. The Polyclinic has practiced aesthetic surgery since 1998, with long experience in body contouring, liposuction, and the tumescent technique, and trains physicians from other countries.
- Areas
- upper arms (brachioplasty) and thighs (thigh lift, femoroplasty)
- Anesthesia
- included in the price; the type is agreed with your surgeon
- Recovery
- stitches out in about ten days, compression for a few weeks
- Performed by
- Duško Maletić, MD, MSc and Mario Bartol, MD
Anesthesia and preparation
The procedures are usually performed under local tumescent anesthesia, and can also be performed under general anesthesia. For the thighs, spinal anesthesia is an option as well. Which suits you better is agreed with your surgeon and the anesthesiologist, and the preparation depends on that choice. Anesthesia is included in the price.
The preoperative workup includes an assessment of your health with laboratory blood and urine tests, and an ECG where needed. The laboratory tests, the ECG if required, and the anesthesiologist’s examination can all be done at the Polyclinic.
Recovery step by step
The first few days
Rest; after thigh surgery, rest from walking as well.
Compression
A compression garment or compression stockings, worn for a few weeks.
Stitches out
About ten days after the procedure.
Upper arms
Arm movements are limited according to instructions, because the wound in the armpit is easily strained.
Scar care
Begins once the wound has healed and continues for months, following instructions you receive in writing.
Full activity and sports
Returned to gradually, as a rule over about six weeks.
Like every surgical procedure, this one carries risks. The most common are fluid accumulation, slower healing or separation of the wound, a thickened or widened scar, altered sensation around the incision, and asymmetry. Less common are infection, hematoma, and swelling that lasts longer. Your individual risks are explained at the examination, in relation to the area, the scope of the operation, and your health.
What changes
The expected result and its limits
The procedure removes the excess skin and changes the contour of the treated area. In patients whose inner thighs chafe, it can also reduce the functional problems linked to walking. The scar remains permanent, and its appearance and final position depend on the scope of the procedure and individual healing.
Who we are
Who will be taking care of you
The procedures are planned and performed by Duško Maletić, MD, MSc, a specialist in surgery and urology and the founder of the Polyclinic, and Mario Bartol, MD. Anesthesia and monitoring are managed by the Polyclinic’s anesthesiology team. The Polyclinic’s co-founder is a specialist in anesthesiology, reanimatology, and intensive care.
Alongside them are the nurses who follow you from preparation to the last follow-up and scar care, in Zagreb and in Daruvar. Follow-up visits and sticking to the instructions during the first weeks matter for wound healing, scar care, and recovery.
Meet the whole team
Price
Price and the first step
The prices of upper arm and thigh skin tightening are listed in the price list, and anesthesia is included in the price. The final plan — including the areas to be treated and possible simultaneous liposuction — is set after the examination.
If you are comparing your options, also look at liposuction, because excess fat and excess skin are addressed by different procedures, and at the tummy tuck if your main concern is the abdomen. The first step is a consultation, where the excess skin, the possible role of liposuction, the position of the scar, and the expected recovery are assessed.
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Arm skin tightening (brachioplasty)
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Thigh lift (femoroplasty)
Anesthesia is included in the price, and the type is agreed with your surgeon before the procedure. The price is the same regardless of the type of anesthesia chosen.
See the full price listPatient reviews
What our patients say
Reviews taken from our Google Business profiles, Zagreb and Daruvar, translated from Croatian.
★★★★★
“I recently had a varicose vein procedure. All praise to the entire team.”
★★★★★
“My experience with breast augmentation with Dr. Maletić in Daruvar was excellent. I am extremely satisfied with the result. All the nurses are very kind and professional. I absolutely recommend them.”
★★★★★
“All praise for Polyclinic Maletić in Daruvar! I had lip augmentation with fillers and I am very satisfied with the result. I would especially like to commend Dr. Mario Bartol, who is extremely kind, professional, and has a wonderful approach to patients, which made me feel comfortable and safe throughout the whole treatment. All the nurses are also very kind, accommodating, and professional. I warmly recommend them to anyone considering aesthetic treatments!”
★★★★★
“Laser acne treatment is the only treatment that has helped me, and I would not choose any other facial treatment over it. Dr. Ines is one of the kindest people I have ever met and always has useful advice. Kind staff and top-level service — I warmly recommend her to everyone!”
★★★★★
“I had a wart on my face removed with a laser. A very professional service with excellent results. The wart was quite large, but after just one treatment it was gone. All recommendations!”
★★★★★
“Blepharoplasty, 4D laser, and double chin. Perfect. All recommendations!”
★★★★★
“The best team of physicians, extremely professional and kind. I have been loyal to Polyclinic Maletić for more than 10 years and I am always satisfied with the results. Thank you.”
★★★★★
“I came to Dr. Maletić with my big problem and a lot of stress. I was met with such warm empathy and kindness, and patience in answering all my questions. Thank you, Dr. Maletić, for your advice and sincere support. I know I can always turn to her for advice, and that means a lot to me. The staff of the Zagreb polyclinic are also very accommodating and kind. Thanks to them as well.”
★★★★★
“Dr. Maletić’s practice, both in Daruvar and in Zagreb — and I have had several procedures — I can only recommend, because I felt very comfortable there and in expert hands!”
★★★★★
“An extremely professional, pleasant, and skilled team that knows and loves its work. It is a fine thing to be in the hands of some of the greatest experts in their field, who provide the kind of service I would wish for — and recommend to — anyone.”
Questions and answers
Frequently asked questions
Can excess skin on the arms be tightened without surgery?
It depends on the amount of excess skin and its elasticity. With mild laxity, liposuction or non-invasive tightening treatments can be considered. With pronounced excess skin, especially after major weight loss, non-surgical methods cannot physically remove or shorten the skin. The right approach is determined at the examination.
How visible is the scar on the upper arm?
The scar runs along the inner side of the upper arm, and its length depends on the amount of skin being removed. Unlike a scar placed in the groin or breast fold, it can be visible. Its planned position is shown to you before the procedure. In some patients the scar heals thin and pale, while in others it can remain thickened.
Is arm tightening the same as arm liposuction?
No. Liposuction removes fat tissue but does not shorten the skin, so where the skin has become very lax it can leave a looser appearance than before. Brachioplasty removes precisely the skin. When both are present, the two are often done in the same procedure.
Why is the skin on my inner thighs loose even though I have not lost weight?
Alongside aging and loss of elasticity, one possible cause is a previous, more extensive liposuction of that area, after which the skin can lack the support of subcutaneous volume. That is why the amount of fat tissue removed must be matched to the quality and elasticity of the skin.
How long is the recovery, and when do I return to work?
After thigh surgery we recommend rest from walking for a few days and wearing compression stockings; after upper arm surgery, limiting arm movements. The stitches come out about ten days after the procedure, and compression is worn for a few weeks. The return to full activity and sports is planned gradually, as a rule over about six weeks.
Can the arms and thighs be done in the same procedure?
Sometimes they can be performed in the same session, but the decision depends on the scope of the surgery, the expected duration of the operation, and your general health. When a combined procedure would be too demanding, the areas are planned in two separate appointments.
Is the result permanent?
The removed skin does not grow back, so with a stable body weight the result is long-lasting. Larger weight changes and further aging of the skin can alter the appearance of the area over time, which is why it is better to plan the procedure once your weight has stabilized.
Book a consultation for skin tightening
Zagreb and Daruvar, weekdays 8:00–20:00.