New Methods to Fight Arm Flab

Aging in human beings tends to come with sagging and dimpling on the upper arms. According to Robert Jetter, a plastic surgeon located on Park Avenue in New York City, “The skin of the arms starts to loosen at around age 40 and can form a batwing that gets progressively worse. Sometimes there’s excess fat and sometimes it’s just sagging skin”. However, Sharon Giese, a plastic surgeon in New York City is working on an easier way to combat arm flab through the use of Radiesse.

A Real Life Arm Flab Issue

When Kim Campbell put on her first sleeveless dress of the season during the summer of 2017, she took note of sagging and dimpling on her upper arms. The 52-year-old Astoria resident who works in optical sales said “I tried firming creams, spent a lot of money and saw no results”. She thought of surgery but the fear of scars made her decide not have any work done. Instead, she started wearing cardigans over everything. Not long after, Campbell heard about a new procedure performed by Sharon Giese that made use of Radiesse which is filler that is injected into wrinkles and is also used to stimulate collagen production to thicken creepy skin. According to the doctor, she said one injection per arm is usually enough to make a change. A year later, Campbell testified to the authenticity of the procedure. “I had lines above my elbows that were virtually gone after two weeks, and there was overall tightening. It’s been almost a year now; and when I look at old pictures, I’m reminded of how much I hated my arms. Now I’m happy with them.”

How does Radiesse work?

Radiesse basically consists of microspheres of calcium hydroxyapatite mixed in a water-based gel. It is naturally found in the body as it is a substance that builds bones and teeth in the body. However, the Calcium Hydroxyapatite found in Radiesse is man-made so it is transformed into tiny, smooth particles for easy travel through a narrow needle. After the shot of this substance into the body, the solid microspheres functions in two ways:

1. They add volume directly under the area being treated which softens wrinkles and hides veins on hands
2. They stimulate the ongoing production of natural collagen

Expectations when using Radiesse

While individual results vary, there are some basic expectations:

• Some patients might consider a topical anesthetic but the mixture of Radiesse with lidocaine (a local anesthetic) reduces pain from the treatment.
• Patients might go through some insignificant swelling that will resolve in one or two days.
• The injected gel is slowly engrossed and the microspheres gradually break downs so the success of this procedure can last a year or more.   

Other ways to combat Arm Flab

In order to fight the condition of arm flab, also known as “batwings”, where a flabby section of skin hangs down from the arms, many women are turning to plastic surgery. According to the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, there is an increasing percentage of women doing arm lifts and having brachioplasty (an arm lift). Other treatments used to get rid of arm flab include using Sculptra, liposuction and radio-frequency and Ultrasound machines.

The radiofrequency method was the one used by a 47-year-old New York resident, Angela Eddie, to improve her arms. Eddie visited plastic surgeon Norman Rowe for a series of six treatments meant to obliterate fat cells “The radiofrequency machine was a little uncomfortable, but not painful – like a warm rubber band snapping on my skin. I’m a big skeptic, but this really worked. My arms look thinner and the skin is tighter,” according to Eddie

Furthermore, Dana Cancel, a 44-year-old stay-at-home mom shelled out $4000 to get liposuction on her arms. “It got rid of my flabbiness and made the skin tighter” says Cancel. She was treated by Howard Sobel, a dermatologist. “I felt very uncomfortable wearing spaghetti straps before, but not now.”

Moreover, Gina Graziano who works in sales turned to the Futura Fit Muscle stimulation machine at the office of a dermatologist for a series of six treatments meant to improve muscle and melt fat. “My arms were always a bit out of proportion with the rest of me, and I had real trouble toning them”, the 29-year-old Fort Greene resident said. “I also had some loose skin. This really made a difference.”

However, while others are turning to plastic surgery related options to fight arm flab, some choose to go the old-fashioned way and exercise at the gym. Patients looking for definition should use higher heavy weights with lateral lifts to sculpt shoulders, overhead presses for biceps and dips for triceps. Patients looking for a leaner look should take Pilates classes and add light hand weights to their cardio workout in order to eliminate arm flab and get the results they desire.