The fastest-growing area for plastic surgery isn’t on the face or below the belt. The arms have it, according to a report released Monday by the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, which found upper-arm lifts have jumped a staggering 4,378% in the past decade.
The trend is fueled in part by people who want to tone up after dramatic weight loss, experts say.
The society collects data each year on cosmetic surgeries, minimally invasive cosmetic procedures and reconstructive surgeries conducted in the U.S. The statistics for 2012 showed a modest jump in overall procedures since 2011, but a 16% decrease since 2000.
The rates of some body contouring surgeries, such as upper-arm lifts and lower-body lifts after weight loss, have gone up.
Upper-arm lifts, known as brachioplasty, involve trimming loose skin from a saggy underarm area — those dreaded “batwings” — and may also incorporate liposuction to remove excess fat. Patients are put to sleep for the procedure, but can go home the same day.
While the number of brachioplasties per year is still relatively small, about 15,000 in 2012, it seems clear that arms are having a moment, even as breast augmentations, nose jobs and face-lifts remain far more prevalent.
In Hollywood, toned, taut arms have replaced six-pack abs as celebs’ most sought-after body part. Just ask Jennifer Aniston and Kelly Ripa, who’ve never met a sleeveless top they didn’t like.
And who could forget First Lady Michelle Obama, who still garners as much attention for her biceps and triceps as she does for her “Let’s Move!” campaign.
But celeb envy isn’t the main reason behind the rise in arm lifts, experts say. It’s that more Americans are becoming successful at dramatic, “The Biggest Loser”-style weight loss.
Chris Haston
The number of men and women who have lost 80 or more pounds through gastric bypass or diet and exercise is behind the surge in skin-tightening surgeries, experts say.
Dropping 80 pounds of fat or more, either through diet and exercise or surgeries, leaves people with sagging skin that can’t be tightened with dumbbell reps. It’s these people who are behind the rise in arm lifts, said Dr. David Reath, chairman of the public education committee for the society and a plastic surgeon in private practice in Knoxville, Tenn.
People who are true candidates for the operation have so much extra skin that it’s “almost a disability,” Reath said.
Carrying around that burden can put a dent in someone’s new, healthy lifestyle, he added.
“If somebody’s in exercise class and doing the moves, they stop and their underarm area keeps moving,” Reath said. “It can be uncomfortable and unsightly.”
If you’re just a little overweight and looking at surgery as an easy way to tone, you’re probably out of luck, said Dr. Paul Carniol, clinical professor at New Jersey Medical School and a plastic surgeon in private practice in Summit, N.J.
“If it’s someone 20 to 30 pounds overweight who wants the surgery, I actually discourage them,” Carniol said. “This operation leaves a visible scar, and most people can tighten up their arms with diet and exercise.”
The scar left by an arm lift runs from the armpit to the elbow, he said, but his patients with large amounts of extra skin don’t mind the trade-off.
Aside from surgery, doctors can also use infrared or radio frequency devices to tone the arms, he said.
The arm lift trend is likely to hold strong as more people learn it is an option, Reath said.
“Arms are kind of ‘in’ in terms of looking good,” he said. “The population of people who have had significant weight loss are now getting around to taking care of this. There’s always a little bit of a snowball effect as far as people becoming aware.”
tmiller@nydailynews.com
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Plastic surgery for toned arms: Upper-arm lifts surge more than 4000% in a decade – New York Daily News
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Plastic surgery for toned arms: Upper-arm lifts surge more than 4000% in a decade - New York Daily News
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