There was a time when if you wanted to improve the appearance of your arms, all you needed was some lotion, a dumbbell and a dream. Today, we have more or less the same goals as we did decades ago—elegant, contoured arms with smooth, bump-free skin—but the means to achieve them have moved on and expanded.
Fitness + Nutrition
Whether the goal is to stop the processes or maintain their effects, exercise and diet play a role in how sleek and toned hands can look. One key area to focus on in the gym? The triceps. “My go-to exercise for toning the triceps is the dumbbell standing tricep extension,” explains trainer Lacey Stone, who says her celebrity clients “love the results they get from doing this often.” Coach Gunnar Peterson adds to this game plan with bench dips, close-up push-ups and overhead extensions, calling them “the triple threat.” However, arm tanning won’t create that coveted contour if the diet isn’t right—Stone says a healthy diet is at least 70 percent of a person’s appearance. Additionally, expectations should be realistic based on each individual’s starting point. “No amount of exercise can completely eliminate flabbiness,” says Stone, “but if you have a healthy diet, get five to six hours of cardio a week and consistently do the triceps exercises I suggested three times a week for four to eight. weeks, you will see tremendous changes.”
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Skin care
A common skin concern on the hands is tiny bumps called keratosis pilaris. “They’re caused by the appearance of dead skin layers and hair follicle blockage,” says Melville, New York dermatologist Kally Papantoniou, MD. “These ‘bumps’ may be darker or reddish in appearance.” A combination of mild cleansers and moisturizers can help hydrate and restore the skin barrier. There are also both OTC and prescription moisturizers that contain urea or lactic acid, which can chemically exfoliate the skin to speed up the process.
Packed with rejuvenating glycolic acid, Glytone Exfoliating Body Emulsion ($43) softens rough bumps and dry patches. Strong, but gentle AmLactin daily moisturizing lotion ($13) boosts skin renewal. Grab and go Dermadoctor KP Duty High Potency Body Peel ($28) chicken skin resurfacing towels.
Less Invasive Treatments
Today’s growing arsenal of non-invasive arm treatments can be used in conjunction with surgery or on their own for patients who aren’t necessarily looking for a more dramatic change. Chicago plastic surgeon David Dreyfuss, MD says BodyTite is one of several radiofrequency-based treatments to reduce fullness and, for some patients, correct moderate skin laxity. “Only two small incisions of about 2 millimeters are required,” he explains. When done alone and not in conjunction with surgery, it requires local anesthesia. “While fat reduction is visible within weeks, it can often take four to six months to see the skin tightening associated with BodyTite.” Another non-invasive option is CoolSculpting, which eliminates unwanted upper arm fat with cryolipolysis—freezing the fat cells and causing them to be eliminated from the body through the body’s natural waste process. It can also be used in conjunction with radiofrequency for slimming and skin-tightening results since, on its own, “it’s strictly for fat removal,” says Richmond VA plastic surgeon Ruth Hillelson, MD.
Ultrasound can help address both hand shape and skin texture, especially with the help of radio frequency and skin cooling. An Exilis Elite treatment incorporates all three technologies, and Dr. Papantoniou says it’s great for itchy skin. “These sessions are comfortable and feel like a hot stone massage,” she adds. For shapelier arms, electromagnetic stimulation is a useful alternative. “Emsculpt focuses on increasing muscle mass,” says Grand Rapids, MI plastic surgeon Bradley Bengtson, MD. Dr. Dreyfuss notes that electromagnetic muscle stimulation in the hands is relatively new, and while it is effective, the results are not permanent, and maintenance treatments (typically recommended on a quarterly basis) are beneficial for maintaining them.
This 26-year-old patient sought out Greenwich, CT dermatologist Lynne Haven, MD for CoolSculpting to slim her arms. Dr. Haven performed one treatment, which resulted in a loss of 1 inch around each arm and an improvement in the contour of the upper arm.
Surgical Solutions
“There is a lot of confusion with patients about liposuction versus skin removal,” says Dr. Bengtson. When it comes to figuring out exactly how to approach reshaping a patient’s hands, “the hard part is determining how much fat is contributing versus excess skin.” “Brachioplasty is appropriate for patients with moderate to severe skin laxity,” says Dr. Hillelson. Also known as an arm lift, brachioplasty involves making an incision in the armpit area that can extend to the elbow in order to remove loose, damaged, excess skin. “The extent of the incision and scar will depend on the degree of excess skin,” explains Dr. Hillelson. While the surgery will greatly improve the appearance of the arms, Dr. Dreyfus emphasizes that patients “will have a permanent scar that extends from the elbow to the armpit. However, while it may be very obvious, over time, it weakens dramatically.” Some patients may benefit from a much smaller incision. La Jolla, CA plastic surgeon Robert Singer, MD adds that many patients with moderate skin laxity may benefit from a modified brachioplasty with an incision limited to the armpit, as well as liposuction. “Additional treatments with Emsculpt to improve muscle tone can further improve results in the right patient,” he says. If fullness of the upper arms is the primary concern and there is good skin elasticity, removing the fat – not the skin – through liposuction is the way to go.
“Patients with good skin quality and fatty fullness are candidates for arm liposuction,” says Dr. Dreyfuss. Because liposuction is ideal for less sagging skin, younger patients often see the best results from the treatment, which is usually done as an outpatient procedure. Most often performed under sedation or general anesthesia, arm liposuction “requires two small incisions — about 3 millimeters in the lower and upper regions,” says Dr. Dreyfuss. This is followed by the use of a compression garment for up to four weeks to minimize excessive fluid retention. In addition to simply removing fat, Houston plastic surgeon Henry Mentz, MD says liposuction can also sculpt. “I firmly believe that 3D contouring can deliver the most beautiful results,” he explains. “Microaire’s assisted liposuction allows for detailed contouring and can be combined with BodyTite to improve skin tightening and accentuate contours of the deltoid, triceps and biceps.”
After undergoing significant weight loss, this 53-year-old patient wanted to correct the unwanted fat and loose skin on her arms that she was unable to improve on her own. Dr. Bengtson had a brachioplasty to remove excess skin and fat, giving her arms a firmer, more toned appearance that matched the rest of her body.
