Wrinkles aside, there’s one thing no aging woman wants: bat wings. You know—that saggy, drooping skin under the upper arms that your 8th grade teacher showed off every time she was writing your next assignment on the blackboard. Trust me, neither Michelle Obama nor Jennifer Aniston, both credited for inspiring arm aesthetics today, would ever be caught in such a compromising position.
According to surgical statistics reported by the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS) this year, women far and wide are saying, “no, thanks.” Turns out arm lifts (brachioplasty) have increased by 4,378 percent over the past 10 years, with 15,000 procedures performed last year compared with a mere 300 arm lifts performed in 2000.
While an arm lift is frequently performed by surgically removing excess skin from the back of the arms, it is also sometimes performed with liposuction alone. The type of procedure largely depends on the amount and quality of the skin that hangs in the trouble area.
"Women are paying more attention to their arms in general and are becoming more aware of options to treat this area," ASPS President Gregory Evans, MD, said in an ASPS news release. "For some women, the arms have always been a troublesome area and, along with proper diet and exercise, liposuction can help refine them. Others may opt for a brachioplasty when there is a fair amount of loose skin present with minimal elasticity."
Tone Determines Treatment
Changes in weight, age and heredity can all influence a less-than-youthful upper arm appearance. How do you know which treatment is right for you?
If patients have excess skin and fat between the underarm and elbow, with significant skin laxity and are looking to reshape their arms for smoother contours and an overall more proportioned arm, an arm lift, or brachioplasty, is most likely the appropriate treatment. While exercise can help to increase tone, skin laxity and fat often remain. An arm lift can reshapes the bottom portion of the upper arm by removing excess skin and fat from the underarm to the elbow.
If patients have good muscle tone and skin elasticity, liposuction may be effective at slimming and reshaping the upper arms by removing that excess fat. The key is having healthy skin that will snap back into place.
Trend Spotting
So the big question is, what’s fueling the trend? According to the ASPS, it’s difficult to pinpoint. However, experts point to one of the biggest influencers in the country: You guessed it—celebrities. Harris Interactive recently conducted a poll on behalf of the association (from March 28-April 1, 2013 among 1,219 women ages 18 and older), which found that we don’t just have brow and breast envy, but we’re now sitting up and taking notice of great arms that belong to A-Listers. On the admiration list: first lady Michelle Obama, Jennifer Aniston, Jessica Biel, Demi Moore, and Kelly Ripa.
"I think we are always affected by the people that we see consistently, either on the big screen or on TV," ASPS Public Education Committee Chair David Reath, MD, said in the news release, pointing out that it’s another case of self comparison and the desire to emulate what we see on tv.
And this time, who can blame us? Goodbye old lady bat wings; hello strong, beautiful arms!