Whether you have lost weight or your skin elasticity just isn’t what it used to be, you may be considering an arm lift or arm liposuction. The arm contour can impact your self-esteem and confidence. Many people are unhappy with their upper arms. Excess fat and skin on the upper arms can result in flappy skin under the arms. Ultimately, it’s a very personal decision to undergo any type of cosmetic surgery. So, it’s essential that you have all the information you need to choose the right procedure for you.
What Causes Arm Skin to Sag?
Sagging arm skin can be caused by both weight gain and weight loss. But, also, as you age, it’s natural for your skin to lose some elasticity. As a result, your skin gradually loses its firmness over time. Other factors that can affect your skin elasticity include poor nutrition, smoking, and continuous UV exposure.
For anyone trying to tone their upper arms, it can feel like it takes a frustratingly long time. While there are exercises and movements to tone the upper arms, you may be struggling. If your arms are no longer responding to diet and exercise alone, you may be considering cosmetic surgery to tighten and contour the arms. When dealing with excess sagging skin, sometimes the only way to tackle it is through a cosmetic procedure.
What’s the Difference Between an Arm Lift and Arm Liposuction?
Two of the best ways to address upper arm concerns are an arm lift or liposuction. The underlying cause of your upper arm issue and the individual situation will determine the surgical recommendation.
Arm Lift Surgery
Arm lift surgery is typically used in patients who have excessive amounts of skin. This could be after losing a substantial amount of weight. Your weight needs to be stable before going ahead with the surgery.
An arm lift can remove excess skin, tighten and shape the contours of the arms. Also known as a brachioplasty, an arm lift involves making an incision inside the upper arm. This allows your plastic surgeon to remove excess skin. If you experience severe sagging then your surgeon may need to make an incision from the armpit to the elbow to remove all the excess skin. But this really depends on the severity of sagging skin.
Most arm lift patients need about 2 weeks of downtime to recover from the procedure. An arm lift requires a larger incision, so you may be left with a scar that you can see inside of the arm. Over time, any scarring will fade and become less noticeable.
If you have lost a significant amount of weight, you may also have loose skin in other areas of the body. Some patients decide to combine complementary procedures together to have a greater impact on the final look. You can combine an arm lift with a range of procedures including:
Arm Liposuction
Liposuction solely addresses fat and has limited effects on the skin. Your surgeon makes tiny incisions and inserts small cannulas connected to a suction device to remove fat from the arms. When you use liposuction on the arms, there is a good chance that the skin will tighten around your newly shaped arms.
Recovery is shorter than an arm lift, with most patients reaching a good level of recovery in about 1 week. Most liposuction techniques use small incisions leaving tiny arm liposuction scars that are discreetly placed. Like any surgery, scars are unavoidable. However, an expert plastic surgeon will do everything in their power to create neat scars in the natural creases of the body. Most patients are left with hardly visible scarring that you can’t see in clothing or in certain positions. As the scarring is as long as the incisions, you can expect very small scars.
You also have the option to use Vaser liposuction instead of traditional liposuction. Vaser liposuction uses ultrasound technology to target and liquefy fat cells. Vaser lipo can help to get rid of “bingo wings” and upper arm fat to sculpt the arms, remove fat, and improve the shape. Your skin laxity will play a role in determining whether Vaser liposuction is a suitable procedure for you and your concerns.
Arm Liposuction Before and After
Arm Liposuction vs Arm Lift
In general, an arm lift targets skin while liposuction focuses on fat removal. If you have extensive upper arm issues, a combination of both procedures may be suitable. It’s quite common to perform the two surgeries at the same time to sculpt the arms.
Essentially, if you know the culprit of your arm concerns it can help you find the right procedure. Do you have excessive and sagging skin in the upper arm region? If so, then an arm lift makes more sense as it will target, remove, and tighten skin. But if there’s no issue with excess skin but you have stubborn fat deposits in the upper arms, you may need to opt for the arm liposuction route.
Which Arm Cosmetic Surgery is Right for You?
Any person undergoing plastic surgery should be at a healthy and stable weight. While each arm procedure has its benefits, the best arm procedure for you depends on your individual concerns. If you have lost a significant amount of weight and have excess arm skin, then an arm lift is the most suitable procedure. But if you want to target fat loss, then liposuction could be right for you.
The reason it’s so important to speak to a qualified plastic surgeon is that they have the expertise and knowledge to offer the best recommendation. They can provide the right advice so that you can undergo a procedure to achieve the result you’re after.
If you’re considering either arm liposuction or an arm lift, it’s important to talk through your options. Maintain an open mind and be completely open and honest with your plastic surgeon.
Book a consultation today at the Harley Clinic.
