Sagging upper arms improved with liposuction and arm lift surgery [Column by Dr. Jaeho Cho]

[MediaFine Expert Column] Forecasts suggest that this summer will be hotter than usual due to global warming and El Nino. As clothing gets lighter in such conditions, interest in body contouring and liposuction surgery tends to rise.

Liposuction is a body contouring method that physically removes fat excessively accumulated under the skin. Recently, methods for more effective body improvement are being combined with it, such as stem cell procedures that speed up recovery during the liposuction process, or lift surgery that removes sagging skin to refine the body contour.

As the weather starts to warm up, interest in arm liposuction tends to increase. The arms burn relatively few calories compared to how much they are used, which makes fat there unusually hard to lose compared with other areas. Because muscle and fat accumulate together on the outer side, burning the fat through strength training alone is not easy either. In addition, many women want a slim, feminine arm line, and there are limits to achieving that through exercise alone.

Arm liposuction mainly removes fat accumulated in the area from the shoulder to the elbow. This area contains two large muscles, the biceps and the triceps, which control the movement of the entire arm. Generally, when fat builds up in the upper arm, it accumulates not only on the inner side where there is less muscle, but also on the outer and rear sides. When these two muscles are well developed, the amount of fat that can be removed is relatively small, and removing too much can make the muscles stand out more and actually spoil the contour. Conversely, when there is more fat than muscle, it is easier to create a smooth arm line by adjusting the amount removed, and the result after liposuction tends to be better than with muscular arms.

Another important factor is skin elasticity. When liposuction is performed, empty space inevitably remains where the fat was removed. If the skin's ability to retract, that is, its elasticity, has declined, fine wrinkles may appear on the skin surface or the skin may remain loose. The skin on the inner arm is thin and soft and therefore has less elasticity, so removing an appropriate amount is important. If stretch marks or sagging are already severe and skin elasticity has declined, arm lift surgery can be performed together.

Lift surgery removes the sagging skin tissue, then pulls and sutures the remaining skin to restore firmness and contour. When applied to the arm, it is mainly performed on the inner side where the skin has loosened. It is often carried out together with liposuction, which has the advantage of allowing a dramatic change in the arm line. However, it is a correspondingly difficult surgery, and precise dissection and incision that do not affect the range of motion of the area connecting the arm and the upper body are important.

If you are considering arm liposuction, or an arm lift that can also address sagging skin and stretch marks on the upper arm, it is worth checking in advance whether the clinic you choose has resident medical staff with extensive anatomical knowledge and experience.

The arm has a cylindrical structure, so it is an area that requires precise, three-dimensional suction taking both the outer and inner lines into account. The skin tissue on the inner arm is very thin and prone to sagging, so removing an appropriate amount of fat is important to prevent this. In addition, depending on the individual condition of the arm, combining an arm lift can create a smooth, slim arm line. (Dr. Jaeho Cho, Chief Director, TheLINE Plastic Surgery)

Source : MediaFine (https://www.mediafine.co.kr)​