Stubborn fat in the upper arm area is tough to get rid of for a lot of people. While you might manage to shift the weight in other parts of your body, losing the extra flab on the upper arm can be a challenge. That’s where an arm lift can really help. This plastic surgery procedure can help sculpt your arms and give them a shapely, streamlined look.
An Arm Lift Helps Deal With Sagging Skin (Batwings)
The skin and flesh on your upper arms can start to sag for multiple reasons. While aging can cause the area around your upper arms to give in to gravity, you might face the problem even when you’re younger.
Anyone who has lost a lot of weight, especially if it was fairly quickly, could be faced with saggy skin where there once was a lot of excess fat. While the fat itself is tackled with a combination of a healthy diet and exercise, the extra skin can only be managed with a cosmetic procedure like an arm lift.
If you don’t have excess skin, but do carry excess fat in the area, ask your surgeon about a liposuction instead.
Either way, if you find that you are constantly trying to cover up your arms and wear clothing that conceals this part of your body, you could be a candidate for an arm lift. For those who have lost a significant amount of weight, the plastic surgeon will first check that your weight is stable before conducting the procedure. Fluctuating weight could undermine the results of the arm lift.
Arm Lifts Tackle the Problem on Multiple Fronts
An arm lift is a great choice because it handles not just the extra skin and fat, but any associated issues that are typical of someone with these problems. Your plastic surgeon will:
- Remove excess fat from the upper arm to give it a more toned and sculpted look.
- Tighten the skin of your upper arms so that you’re free of any sagging skin.
- Remove excess skin from the area, so you don’t have unsightly folds any longer.
- Smoothen the underlying supportive tissue of your upper arm to restore its shape.
What to Expect with an Arm Lift Surgery
Your surgeon will provide you with pre-surgery instructions that might include avoiding blood-thinning medication in the time leading up to the surgery. You will need to have someone available to help drive you home from the facility after the surgery and to help you around the house while you are healing.
On the day of the surgery, you will first be given an anesthetic to help ease any discomfort you feel. Your doctor will make incisions on the inside or back of your arm to remove excess fat directly or via liposuction.
The cut typically runs the length of your upper arm from the elbow to the underarm. Internal sutures tighten the skin and the underlying tissue. The skin on top is smoothed over and any excess skin is removed.
If your loose skin does not involve the entire length of your arm or just the very proximal portion, a limited scar brachioplasty may be an option for you. This limited scar can sometimes be hidden in the axilla.
See Results Almost Immediately
You’ll notice a marked difference in the appearance of your upper arms almost immediately after you have an arm lift. Do keep in mind that there might be a little swelling and bruising in the aftermath of the surgery, but this should subside in a few days. That’s when you’ll get to truly enjoy the full results of the arm lift with your gorgeous new sculpted look.
Contact Our Office
An arm lift surgery can help eliminate your batwing problem and give you the toned arms you’ve always wanted. If you’re interested in learning more about the procedure, contact our office to schedule a consultation with double-board-certified plastic surgeon, Dr. Erika Sato.