There’s a new plastic surgery procedure in town that’s putting up some high numbers.
Of course, the main stays of breast augmentations, facelifts and the like constitute most plastic surgeries, but the ‘upper arm-lift’ procedure has, fairly recently, come in with a respectable 15,000 or so patients.
There are a number of celebrities that have inspired women to try out this procedure, but one name really tops out the list.

Michelle Obama Arms

It’s hard to say how much of this recent trend is pure star power. In general, upper arm-lifts have increased about 4,000% since 2000, which is no number to scoff at.
To put it in perspective, only 300 people went for the procedure in 2000. Up to 15,000 now, that’s essentially a market coming out of thin air.
The arms are, of course, not the traditional target of plastic surgery, nor are they the first thing you think of when you think supermodel. Breasts, hips, waist, and yes, legs. But arms definitely come in later on that list.
But it makes sense, when you think about it. Slimmer deltoids and upper triceps can have quite an effect on someone’s profile. Just slight slimming can have dramatic contouring implications.

The nuts and bolts of the procedure

So how’s a brachioplasty actually performed? Well, it partially depends on the skin elasticity of the patient.
Unfortunately, the less elastic a patient’s skin, the more pronounced of a sagging effect that might occur if too much fat is removed.
In fact, a lot of a brachioplasty is actually just tucking in of excess skin. However, if possible, brachioplasties can be done in conjunction with liposuction–thereby reducing the arm’s profile both through removal of excess skin and excess fat.
Of course, this would be a surgical procedure, and the standard protocol applies. That means to expect a longer recovery time than a purely noninvasive procedure.
Interested in an upper arm-lift? Call Washingtonian Plastic Surgery today to schedule an appointment with Dr. Navin Singh.