Maybe you’re fit and healthy, but your skin isn’t as supple as it once was. Either you had good results from the diet or bariatric surgery. Either way, you see a result that isn’t so good: Flaps of loose skin hanging off your arms.
Some people consider doing arm lifts to minimize this irritating condition, sometimes called “bat wings.” Plastic Surgeons J. Vicente Poblete, MD, says most people come to him with skin on their arms that has a “bloated look.” Here’s what you need to know.
How does raising a hand help?
Weight watchers aren’t the only ones with this problem. As you age, your skin can become flabby and loose, creating excessive bags under your arms. If you’ve had significant weight loss or weight fluctuations, you’ll likely see this result.
If this is your situation, an arm lift, or what is called a brachioplasty, can create a better contour. “It gets rid of excess, sagging skin and fat that extends from the elbow to the armpit,” says Dr. Poblete.
What can you expect from the procedure?
If you choose this procedure, you will have an arm lift in an operating room under general anesthesia.
Your surgeon will remove some fat and an elliptical section of skin from the inner back of your upper arm. If there is a lot of excess skin, your surgeon may take some from the top of your arm, in the armpit area, and possibly extend into your chest.
The procedure takes two to three hours. You will then wear a compression garment to control the swelling.
You can usually expect to resume light activity within a few days. You can probably return to vigorous activity after three or four weeks, Dr. Poblete says.
Why doesn’t liposuction solve the problem?
If you have excess arm skin but the underlying fat keeps the skin tight, do an arm lift and liposuction the combination is sometimes an option. But for most patients, an arm lift, not liposuction, is the best solution for sagging underarms, says Dr. Poblete.
Patients ask for liposuction because there are no scars, he says. With an arm lift, especially if the surgeon removes a significant amount of fat and skin, there is some scarring afterward.
“It’s visible,” he says. “We try to hide it by bringing it closer to the inside of the arm, but we can’t predict how the scar will migrate.”
But liposuction alone will not address the problem of excess skin for most people. Even if your surgeon removes the underlying fat, excess skin remains after liposuction. The most suitable patients for liposuction are those with excess fat and whose skin is still relatively tight.
And, even with scars, most people who get an arm lift appreciate their results, says Dr. Poblete.
What are other important considerations?
“Patients should be realistic about what they start with and what the right procedure is for them,” she says. With a hand lift, removing loose skin and fat addresses their main concern, making them look better.
As with any surgery, there are potential complications. Discuss them with your plastic surgeon before treatment, says Dr. Poblete. And make sure the doctor doing the arm lift is a board-certified plastic surgeon.
The arm lift procedure is usually safe, he says. If you have significant health problems, however, you should avoid any elective procedure that requires general anesthesia.
