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Losing weight is a great challenge and many find that after they've done the work, they're left with some loose skin. While tummy tucks are pretty well known, not everyone knows that you can do something about the loose skin on your upper arms as well. Don't continue hiding your arms under long sleeve shirts, talk to your aesthetic physician about an arm lift procedure.
"A lot of ladies come in, especially after pregnancy or weight loss, because they have some redundancy of skin in the arm area," describes Denver board certified plastic surgeon Dr. Jason Martin. "People call it 'bat wings' and it's a real problem for the ladies that we see that come into our office."
Dr. Martin says that physicians used to treat this problem with a longer incision from the elbow to the armpit area. He says, "You can imagine that it's a pretty difficult scar to heal and it's also visible even in clothes. Some patients do still need that type of formal procedure, but we can treat most patients utilizing these new devices, the SmartLipo and the Vaser The procedure removes any residual fat and tightens the skin on the upper arm. He calls the procedure a Mini Arm Lift and says that the incision is made in the armpit area, avoiding the long scar. Some patients who have only a mild problem don't even require a surgical procedure and can see enough improvement from a simple skin tightening procedure.
The Mini Arm Lift isn't for everyone though. As Dr. Martin says, it's for people who have mild to moderate issues that aren't severe. The procedure can be done in the office so there's no need for an operating room and the cost of anesthesia fees. Patients can walk in and walk out. and they also enjoy that the scar is hidden in the armpit area.
