A standard change that many individuals experience with age and considerable weight loss is a sagging appearance on the upper arms due to excess fat and moderate to severely loose skin. Though exercise could improve muscle definition and tone in the upper arms, if you have significantly loose skin in the same area, you may not be able to see your progress. The best choice for tightening the skin and underlying tissue of the upper arms for enhanced muscle contours is arm lift surgery in Houston – also called a brachioplasty.
After getting this body contouring procedure, most patients feel notably more confident in their appearance due to the rejuvenated look to the upper arms and visibly enhanced muscle definition. To determine if you are eligible for arm lift surgery, schedule an in-person assessment with a Board-certified plastic surgeon to discuss the procedure and its possible benefits.
An arm lift in Houston addresses issues patients have when there is fat and skin that causes the arms to be flabby—this is often referred to as “batwings” for the shape it takes on the body. Flabby arms can be a source of discomfort and handicap. Exercise and diet can help reduce the size of the arms, but it may leave loose skin that just won’t retract or go away. The arm lift technique is used to remove the loose and bothersome skin in order to provide a better contour. It is often combined with liposuction to help decrease the amount of fatty tissue and provide a gradual contour to the arms.
The surgery uses liposuction through an incision along the back of the upper arms to remove extra fat in strategic areas to enhance muscle tone before tightening the tissues. After that, Dr. Deigni excises the surplus, loose skin before repositioning and tightening the remaining skin over the muscles and closing the incision with sutures.
Brachioplasty patients in Houston usually return to work and light-impact activities within two to three weeks after the operation, when most discomfort has eased. A full recovery and return to strenuous activities could take three to six weeks, depending on individual health factors and the surgical cosmetic changes that were made during the operation. As with any surgical procedure that requires more extensive incisions, scars from an arm lift typically take one year to heal and fade substantially, but may remain somewhat visible.
Like all body contouring procedures, arm lift patients should maintain a stable weight after their operation so that newly added fat tissue does not reverse the surgery’s results. Arm lift results are long-lasting but do not prevent future skin laxity or additional fat from accumulating on the upper arms as you age. In most cases, patients maintain visible enhancements for several years or decades after surgery.
Exercise is a healthy option to improve muscle tone and definition in your upper arms, but working out can only enhance muscle tone and does not help with any loose skin tissue that stubbornly refuses to go away. Therefore, when you have more significant amounts of sagging skin on the upper arms, the best solution is to get an arm lift procedure.
Though patients primarily undergo the operation to tighten the upper arms’ skin, the surgery could improve muscle tone to contour your arms further and boost your confidence afterward. If you are having difficulty improving the appearance of your upper arms with diet and exercise alone due to skin laxity, consider the long-lasting benefits of arm lift in Houston. Call us to learn more about whether you are a prime candidate.
If you have questions about an arm lift or want to take the first step, call us at 281-721-4373 and ask about a medical assessment to discuss your options.