Body contouring tends to focus on the middle of the body, including the hips, thighs and waistline. However, these are not the only areas where time appears to take its toll. The upper arms can also become lax and develop isolated areas of fat and tissue. This issue, often referred to as “bat wings,” can make a woman feel self-conscious to the point of avoiding sleeveless or short-sleeved clothing. Fortunately, there is a surgical procedure that can reverse the appearance of bat wings and give you a smoother, more youthful contour to your upper arm.
THE LOWDOWN ON BRACHIOPLASTY
Brachioplasty, also known as an upper arm lift, is a surgical procedure to enhance the contour of the upper arm. The procedure removes loose skin and excess tissue and fat to create a smoother, leaner profile. Brachioplasty is one of the plastic surgery procedures performed by Dr. Mashhadian at his office on Rodeo Drive. It is a common procedure that helps thousands of patients achieve a more attractive upper arm contour every year.
WHEN TO CONSIDER BRACHIOPLASTY
There are a number of situations when brachioplasty might be the right procedure for you:
- You have flabby upper arms that have not responded to diet and exercise.
- You recently lost a significant amount of weight and the skin of your upper arms did not conform to your new body contour.
- You have difficulty finding clothing to fit properly because of excess skin and tissue on the upper arms.
- You are self-conscious about your appearance and avoid certain types of clothing for fear of revealing your flabby upper arms.
The best patients for a brachioplasty have achieved a healthy weight and do not have any major medical conditions or concerns that could impact the safety of the surgery. Dr. Mashhadian will go over your medical history, concerns and cosmetic goals in detail at your consultation to determine whether brachioplasty is the right option for you.
PROCEDURE DETAILS
Brachioplasty can be performed on an outpatient basis, using general anesthesia or local anesthesia with sedation. The procedure does involve a rather lengthy incision in many cases, which runs from inside the elbow to the armpit. Some women may not need as long of an incision if they have less skin and tissue to remove. The incision will be carefully placed on the underside of the arm where visible scarring will be the least noticeable.
If you have minimal sagging and good skin elasticity, Dr. Mashhadian may be able to perform liposuction instead of a full upper arm lift. This procedure uses a small tube called a cannula, which is inserted directly into the deposit of fat. The cannula loosens the fat cells in the area before gently suctioning them away. This procedure is minimally-invasive and results in significantly less visible scarring and a shorter recovery time. However, it does not offer the best results for all patients.
In some cases, liposuction may be performed with the arm lift to achieve the best results. In this case, the procedures are done during the same surgery, so patients enjoy an optimal outcome with just one time under anesthesia and one recovery period.
