Beauty Doc Blog

As we age, our skin loses its elasticity. This can show in all sorts of ways, but one of the most noticeable, especially in the summer time, is on the arms. Arms often become flabby as the skin loosens and sags. This can result in previously healthy-looking arms that turn to jiggly, unattractive flab when we hit a certain age.

This is why some people turn to an arm lift to correct their sagging arm skin. An arm lift is a cosmetic procedure that targets the part of the arm from under the armpit to the elbow. Sometimes called “batwing” skin, this is the area that suffers from excess fat and sagging skin the most along the arm.

Some people only suffer from excess fat on their upper arm, not excess or sagging skin. In these cases, liposuction might be enough to correct the problem. Be sure to talk to your doctor about your particular arm issues, and see whether an arm lift or liposuction is right for you.

If you do have aging or sagging skin that hangs off of your arm, then an arm lift will correct the problem. The procedure is straightforward: your surgeon will administer anesthesia, and then make an incision from your upper arm to your elbow. He or she will cut away the excess skin, and suture the wound.

One important caveat when considering an arm lift is the scar – it is a large scar that runs down the back of your entire upper arm, from underarm to elbow. This will heal over time and the red color will fade, but the scar itself will always be there. Do not consider this surgery if you are not willing to trade sagging arm skin for this scar.

Your doctor will give you a compression garment to wrap around your arm while it heals. This garment will help your skin to heal into a new shape that is tight, firm and attractive. The healing process might involve some bruising, swelling and other discomfort. This is normal, and lasts up to several weeks in some patients. Your doctor can prescribe medication to alleviate the discomfort, and reduce the swelling during this period.

The results of an arm lift will be visible right away, but the full effect won’t hit until the healing has finished. After two or three weeks, you should notice that your arms are more shapely and toned-looking. Your youthful appearance will be greatly enhanced by trim upper arms, so if you want to rejuvenate your look, this procedure might be for you.