The Scarless Arm Lift

Regardless of weight gain or loss, droopy skin may plague both men and women on their upper arms. We often refer to this loose, hanging skin as “bat wings”. It is an unfortunate and often unavoidable symptom of aging or weight loss caused by stretched or excess skin. Younger patients can also be plagued by “bat wings,” however, unlike older patients, it’s usually caused not just by excess skin, but also by excess fat on the arms.  For these patients, the scarless arm lift is a powerful option.

Previously, when consulting with patients who are interested in upper arm contouring, I had to advise them that current options were limited to a Brachioplasty (arm lift), a tucking procedure that surgically reduces excess sagging skin, tightens and smooths the underlying tissues, and reduces pockets of fat in the upper arm region.

One downside to this procedure is that it requires not only the removal of excess fatty tissue but also the surgical removal of excess skin. This excision routinely involves cutting of the skin along the entire length of the upper arm. Although many have made attempts to limit the incision to the armpit area, this modification can result in worse results; these include even more unsightly scars and sub-optimal contouring of the mid to mid proximal arm level. Another downside of the traditional longitudinal incision is that it can be tough to heal, resulting in poor scarring. Most of us enjoy wearing short-sleeved shirts, especially during summertime, and hiding an incision scar can be quite difficult.

The Latest Breakthroughs 

Thankfully, with the fusion of two recent technologies, it is now possible to provide patients with an “arm lift” or optimal contouring (shaping) of their upper arms without the need for a Brachioplasty and unsightly surgical incision scars. These two new technologies include VASER Liposuction and Cool Helium Plasma skin tightening.

VASER Liposuction technology allows for the complete removal of excess fat in the arms which was not previously possible with traditional liposuction techniques. Although both traditional and VASER technology can remove fat, traditional Lipo can not fix skin redundancy without skin excision. Skin redundancy simply refers to excess skin. With

 and Cool Helium Plasma skin tightening the skin will shrink and tighten “right before your eyes” and provide the best possible results without the need for an incision.

I can now provide my patients with improved arm tone, muscle definition, and overall appearance. The best part of the news: all of this is possible without the prolonged recovery time and visible scarring of a traditional Brachioplasty. Since a VASER-assisted arm lift is minimally invasive, it is also a less risky option for older patients. Often these patients do not want to attempt the more invasive arm tuck surgery. The scarless arm lift also has a much shorter recovery time, which benefits old and young patients alike.

Almost anyone is a good candidate for this affordable procedure. To improve the appearance and texture of your arms, consider using VASER and Cool Helium Plasma technology. To learn more and to determine if you are a good candidate, please schedule a complimentary consultation with Dr. Mowlavi, Orange County’s VASER Liposuction expert.

SEE ALSO: The science of VASER contouring the male and female body.