Tighten Up Your Upper Arms for Summer
The underside of your upper arms is particularly susceptible to the pull of gravity. Plus, your muscles and supporting tissues slacken somewhat with age. The result can be loose, giggly arms that you may have heard referred to as “bat wings.”
Bat wings? You know them — those unsightly, inelastic flabby areas on the underside of upper arms.
Dr. Gurley can fix your bat wings 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. Unfortunately, weight loss can make the problem worse. And the same is true of simply performing liposuction on the upper arm area. The problem is loose skin and slackened muscles.
But an arm lift, sometimes done in conjunction with liposuction, is the path Dr. Gurley recommends.
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For an arm lift, Dr. Gurley makes an incision either on the inside or on the back of the arm between the elbow and the arm pit. The length and pattern of the incision, which can extend all the way up to the underarm, depends 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.
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After an arm lift, there will be bruising and swelling, but your new, firmer upper arms will be noticeable immediately after the procedure. There will be a scar, but it is usually hidden by the underside of your arm. You’ll need to wear compression sleeves during your recovery to help your arms adapt to their new contours.
An arm lift brings 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. Be careful to avoid surgeons who do not routinely perform this operation, as an artistic eye and judgement are just as important as skill.
Interested in tightening up those loose upper arms in time for summer? Call Dr. Gurley at (636) 812-4300 for a consultation.
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Judith Gurley, MD (Board-Certified Plastic Surgeon)
Dr. Judith Gurley is a skilled plastic surgeon with over 25 years of experience. Board-certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery, she trained at Washington University School of Medicine, where she served as an Attending and Assistant Professor. She is also an active member of The Aesthetic Society, American Society of Plastic Surgeons, Association of Women Surgeons, St. Louis Society of Plastic Surgery, and FACS / American College of Surgeons Professional Association. With contributions to peer-reviewed journals and pioneering innovations, including FDA-approved treatments, she has been recognized as a Top Doctor.