As we get older, it seems our skin becomes a size too big. It doesn’t help that our skin also loses its elasticity and becomes thinner with the passing years.
Certain areas are more noticeable than others. Take your upper arms when you’re out at the lake or wearing a sleeveless blouse on a warm summer day. You raise your arm and make a gesture, and the skin and tissue on the underside of your arm flaps to and fro. Whoa. The dreaded “bat wing” phenomenon.
Sounds like it’s a good time to call Elite Plastic Surgery to schedule an arm lift with Drs. Cullen, Armstrong, or Martin to get those arms tightened up and ready for summer!
What is an arm lift?
In an arm lift our Elite surgeons remove the excess skin and fat from the upper arms, creating a more contoured appearance. An incision is made on either the bottom or inside of your arm. It runs usually from the elbow to the armpit. If you don’t need to remove too much excess skin, a smaller incision can be made just below the armpit. Excess fat and skin are removed, and the underlying muscles are tightened or repositioned. In most cases, some liposuction will be included to remove unwanted fat in the area.
How would I know if an arm lift would be good for me?
Some people assume that exercise can firm up loose upper arm skin. This isn’t usually true. Exercise can tone the muscles in the arms, but when the skin is loose and saggy, one million triceps exercises won’t firm it back up.
So, if you have skin that is inelastic and hanging, an arm lift could be a great way to return contour to your upper arms.
What will my recovery be like?
The key to your recovery is patience when using your arms. You have to be very cognizant of all of the ways you can put stress on your arms…and their incisions. After your surgery, we’ll have a compression garment around your arms. This minimizes swelling and helps the arms adapt to their new slimmer contours.
You’ll probably need at least a week off from work. Any lifting has to be avoided, as it can stress your incisions and delay your recovery. You can’t begin any real lifting for at least one month, possibly up to six weeks. After six weeks you’re probably good to go.
What about scarring?
You will have scarring with an arm lift. The incision is lengthy. Your scars will fade over the next 18 months to the point they will hardly be noticeable. It helps to keep sun off of your scars for at least a couple of months.
Interested in saying goodbye to those upper arms flapping in the breeze coming off Lake Michigan? A Michigan winter is the perfect time to have an arm lift. Call the team at Elite Plastic Surgery, (616) 459-1907, and set up a consultation.
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