Be it due to age or weight loss: when affected patients are unhappy with the sagging skin in the upper-arm region and are ashamed of it, the so-called „bat wings“ affect their quality of life. While everyone enjoys a hot summer in light and loose clothing, these patients wear long-sleeved shirts as they are deeply ashamed. In this case, arm surgery is the only permanent option to improve their self-esteem and joie de vivre in the long term by removing this physical flaw.
The procedure of an upper arm lift
During an upper arm lift, an incision is made on the inside of the upper arm under general anaesthesia. First of all, excess fat is removed by liposuction, which reduces the volume of the upper arms. The next step consists in the removal of excess skin the patient has perceived as unpleasant so far. In addition to that, the supporting tissue is tightened, which lies just under the skin and is responsible for shaping the upper arm. Internal sutures tighten the supporting tissue beneath the skin, and the skin is then fixed smoothly over the new contour. This way, the total volume of the upper arms is reduced significantly. All in all, aesthetic plastic surgery thus provides a range of different surgical techniques to smooth the upper arms and leave a defined shape.
Usually performed under general anaesthesia, the surgery takes between one and two hours. At the same time, one should be prepared that physical exercise must be avoided for two weeks, so any movement stressing the seam is to be prevented. This is also why the patient must refrain from sports for at least six weeks. Numbness in those parts of the body is normal after this type of arm surgery but the sensitivity will be fully recovered after about half a year. The final result can only be evaluated after some time, when all the swelling and bruising is gone.
Upper arm lift for men
Due to their fine tissue, especially women are affected by flabby upper arms but men may also benefit from an upper arm lift. With it, the contours and proportions of the upper arms get evenly defined also at an advanced age and with major weight loss, so the arms look stronger.
| Type of intervention | General anaesthesia |
|---|---|
| Duration of the procedure | 1.5 to 2 hours |
| Hospital stay | 1 night |
| Recovery time | 10 to 14 days |