Fort Bend Lifestyles and Homes Magazine Jan 2010: Body Sculping, Reshape and Resize your Arms and Legs

By Cheryl Alexander

Does it seem as though no matter how much time you spend exercising or which diet plan you try, you still have stubborn areas on your body that don ’t respond? If you have recently lost a great deal of weight through bariatric surgery or if several pregnancies have caused you to gain and lose weight over the years, the drooping excess skin along your arms and legs may be extremely bothersome to you. Sound familiar? Then you may be a good candidate for body sculpting. Reshaping and resizing your arms and legs can be achieved with cosmetic procedures known as brachioplasty (arm lift or arm tuck) and thighplasty (thigh lift surgery).

Arm Lift (Brachioplasty)

Brachioplasty, also known as an arm lift or arm tuck, is a plastic surgery procedure designed to remove redundant, flabby and sagging skin folds on the upper arms. Hanging arm skin folds are not only unsightly, but also interfere with one ’s ability to fit in sleeved tops and can cause underarm skin rash and irritation.

Skin commonly loses its elasticity throughout the arms as a result of natural aging or rapid weight loss. Arm lift surgery tightens and tones the upper arms, restoring a youthful contour. Patients with excess fat on their arms may elect to have liposuction performed in conjunction with other cosmetic procedures for even more dramatic results.

The upper arm lift operation is typically an outpatient procedure, which takes two to four hours to perform and begins with an incision along the arm. The location and length of the incision will vary depending on the amount of skin removed, as well as the location of the excess skin flap. In the most extreme cases, the incision may extend from the armpit to the elbow to remove the maximum amount of skin. Your doctor may create either a curved or z-shaped incision during the procedure to minimize the appearance of scarring after healing.

If excess fat exists on your arms, you may choose to combine brachioplasty with liposuction for the best results. After suctioning fat and tightening the skin on the arm, the surgeon will remove the surplus skin on your upper arm and complete the lift by suturing the incision closed.

After the arm lift, you will be bandaged and given a prescription for pain medication to ease discomfort in the first few days after surgery.

Mini Arm Lift

The mini arm lift may be an option if you need only minor revision to the skin on your upper arms. The procedure for a mini arm lift is similar to that of a full arm lift; excess skin and fat are removed to create a more pleasing appearance. The difference, however, is that in a mini arm lift, the incision is much smaller. In most cases, the surgeon can locate the scar in the armpit, where it is less noticeable than down the length of the upper arm.

The mini arm lift procedure is usually used for patients who have lost a moderate amount of

weight due to diet and exercise, or for those who have developed some excess skin through aging. Most bariatric surgery patients will require traditional brachioplasty, as a mini arm lift is unable to provide the drastic revision necessary after extreme weight loss.

Scars are an important consideration for brachioplasty patients. With a mini arm tuck, the scar is limited to a semi-circular line hidden in the armpit. Standard brachioplasty, however, results in a permanent scar extending the length of the upper arm, from the armpit to the elbow. This scar is either placed on the inner side of the arm, which is hidden in a normal pose; or at the bottom of the arm like the seam of a shirt. The severity of the scar ’s appearance varies by patient and is unpredictable. Therefore, it is extremely important to decide whether it is more important to have smaller, firmer arms or arms that are scar-free.

On the upside, brachioplasty can offer the freedom of a lifestyle that you couldn ’t enjoy previously. In fact, the popularity of arm lift surgery has soared. According to the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, there were 21,870 brachioplasty procedures performed in 2007 —an increase of 769 percent since 1997.

Thigh Lift

Thighplasty, or thigh lift surgery, is a popular cosmetic surgery option if you are seeking firmer, more attractive upper legs. Like other area-specific body lifts, thighplasty helps tone and tighten excess, loose or hanging skin. Like the arm lift, the thigh lift is typically an outpatient procedure requiring two to four hours in surgery. There are several different types of thigh lift procedures that may be performed, depending upon the your needs and goals. Surgeons can use a bilateral, medial or inner thigh lift to safely remove excess skin. Thigh lift surgery is commonly performed in conjunction with liposuction surgery for even better results.

Inner Thigh Lift

Targeting the inner thigh, this type of thigh lift helps people who have trouble eliminating excess fat from this area of the body through diet and exercise. Additionally, an inner thigh lift may be used to treat reduced skin elasticity caused by the aging process or extreme weight loss. During an inner thigh lift, an incision is made at the junction of the thigh and pubic area. Then an area of skin (and possibly fat) is removed, and the skin is tightened to improve the contour of the leg and enhance the skin ’s elasticity.

Bilateral Thigh Lift

The bilateral thigh lift procedure targets the skin on the front and outside of the leg. During a bilateral thigh lift, an incision is made at the top of the leg along the bikini line. A certain amount of skin is removed before the surgeon pulls the remaining skin up and re-attaches it to the same area. In this way, a bilateral thigh lift functions to tighten skin along both the right and left side of the leg. This procedure is great for those who have excess skin following extreme weight loss.

Medial Thigh Lift

A medial thigh lift procedure reduces excess skin and fat on the upper portion of the inner thigh. If you are dissatisfied with the shape of your legs or would like to remove excess skin after an extreme weight loss, then you should consider this procedure. During a medial thigh lift procedure, an incision is made in the groin that goes to the back of the crease of the buttock. The skin is lifted and excess skin and fat are removed to improve the shape of the leg and tighten the skin.

Be aware that like brachioplasty, thigh lifts do leave scars; however, thigh lift scars are usually inconspicuous due to their location, so most people find that the scars pale in comparison to the benefits provided by the procedure. In many cases, thigh lift scars are easily concealed by underwear or bathing suits. If you are considering thigh lift surgery but fear the prospect of scars, an experienced thigh lift surgeon can discuss this possibility, as well as any other potentially negative aspects of the procedure so that you can make an informed decision.

Cost

Nationwide, the average cost of arm lift surgery is around $3,000, while the average cost of thigh lift surgery is around $6,000, not including additional compulsory costs. Though both surgeries are usually not covered by health insurance, most surgeons have payment options available to make arm lift surgery more financially feasible for patients.

Results

The results of arm and thigh lift surgery will be long-lasting, provided that you maintain a stable weight and general fitness. As your body ages, it is natural to lose some firmness, but most of your improvement should be relatively permanent.