But if you have loose skin on the underside of your upper arms, you may keep them covered up instead. And that’s a shame.
Significant weight gain or weight loss, or simply the relentless march of time, can create loose skin on the upper arms. Colloquially known as “bat wings,” this unsightly, loose skin can move back and forth when the person is moving her arms.
Dr. Saltz can address this problem with a plastic surgery procedure called brachioplasty, commonly known as an arm lift. This procedure removes excess skin and fat in the upper arms.
If a person is overweight, there is a perception that simply losing weight will firm up the upper arms. This can make the problem worse. The same is true of performing only liposuction on the upper arm area. This is because once the skin and support tissues in the upper arms have been stretched to a certain degree, they won’t tighten back to their younger degree of tautness. And no matter how many triceps exercises you do, this won’t dramatically change.
An arm lift is probably the best option.
How is an arm lift done?
In an arm lift, Dr. Saltz makes an incision either on the inside or on the back of the arm near the elbow. The length and pattern of the incision, which could extend all the way up to the underarm, will depend on the amount and location of the excess skin present. Fat deposits in the area may be removed through excision or liposuction. Once the fat has been removed, the supportive tissues in the arm are tightened and contoured using internal sutures. The skin is then re-draped and smoothed to conform to the new tighter contour.
What results can I expect?
There will be bruising and swelling, but your new firmer upper arms will be noticeable immediately after the procedure. We usually have our patients wear a compression sleeve or full compression top to help the arms adapt to their new, tighter contour. There will also be some scarring, but this fades pretty quickly.
An arm lift with Dr. Saltz delivers long-lasting results, especially when the patient maintains a stable weight and exercises regularly. However, the firmness of the arms may still be affected by the natural effects of aging.
Want to put an end to your flappy upper arms? Call us Saltz Plastic Surgery in our Salt Lake, (801) 274-9500, or Park City, (435) 655-6612, offices to schedule a consultation for an arm lift.
