Say Goodbye to Those Bat Wings with Brachioplasty

If you’ve finally resigned yourself to the fact that nothing you do is going to get rid of your flabby arm fat that wobbles, droops, and makes your sleeves too tight, you’ve just learned what doctors have known for years — bat wings don’t respond to diet and exercise.

They do respond to surgery, though, and Frederick H. Watson, MD, has been helping men and women throughout McLean, Virginia, and Rockville, Maryland, firm up their arms for years.

Technically called brachioplasty, this specialized arm surgery targets the loose tissues that develop after extreme weight loss, as a result of fluctuating weight gain and loss, or simply because of the aging process. Here’s what Dr. Watkins wants you to know about brachioplasty.

What to expect from brachioplasty

Brachioplasty is a body-contouring procedure that aims to reduce the circumference of your arms between your elbow and your shoulder.

This part of your anatomy typically doesn’t spring back to its original size and shape after extreme weight loss or gain, so the skin and connective tissues tend to droop and sag. Even if you strengthen the support muscles in your arms, your bat wings may remain.

During this surgical procedure, Dr. Watkins makes an incision on the underside of your arm; the length depends on the amount of fat and excess skin he needs to remove.

Once he has access, Dr. Watkins removes extra tissue, reshapes the contours of your arms, and tightens the musculature.

If you’ve recently undergone weight-loss surgery, brachioplasty is a nice complement to your slimmer body and can give you a more balanced, symmetrical look.

If you have other areas of fat or loose skin that haven’t responded to diet and exercise, Dr. Watkins may recommend combining your brachioplasty procedure with liposuction or other procedures, such as a tummy tuck, to complete your new look.

Is brachioplasty right for you?

Every year, almost 15,000 people opt for brachioplasty — but it’s not right for everyone. Before you decide to get an arm lift, you should understand the procedure completely and have realistic expectations for the outcome.

Dr. Watkins takes the time to discuss all your options with you and helps you understand both the benefits and the risks of surgery. The minimum requirements for brachioplasty are:

A significant amount of upper arm skin laxity that doesn’t respond to conservative measures
Stable body weight
Good overall health
Nonsmoker

During your initial consultation with Dr. Watkins, talk to him about what you hope to gain — and lose — with brachioplasty. Make sure you mention any current and past health conditions and all medications you’re taking.

If you and Dr. Watkins decide you’re a good candidate for brachioplasty, he walks you through the procedure and shows you before and after photos of some of his other patients to give you a good idea of what your results will look like.

Brachioplasty results

For a few days after brachioplasty, your arms remain bandaged to protect the incisions. Once Dr. Watkins removes them, you’ll see the difference in your arms right away, although your skin may still be bruised and swollen.

As healing progresses, your arms take on a slimmer contour, and your incision scars fade more and more as the months and years roll on.

As long as you don’t gain weight again, your newly contoured arms will stay sleeker and firmer for years to come. However, age and gravity can’t be stopped, so you can expect some natural softening as you get older.

To schedule a brachioplasty consultation with Dr. Watkins, call us at either location or request an appointment online today.