Get Rid of Flabby Arms With an Arm Lift in Lubbock

Americans seem to be increasingly interested in looking younger and more beautiful all the time. Popular diets, fitness trends, and plastic surgery play a huge role in what we see on social media as well as everyday lifestyles. In Lubbock, you can also see a growing emphasis on losing weight and being healthy. This has led to a greater number of patients seeking an arm lift in Lubbock. 

The extreme at the other end of the spectrum is the growing rate of obesity in America. When weight gain gets out of control and is beyond the aid of diet and exercise, some people turn to more drastic measures for help. When weight has been high and is then quickly lost, the body ends up with stretched out loose skin. But weight loss isn’t the only culprit behind saggy skin. Excess skin can become loose as a result of age or heredity. An arm lift in Lubbock—or brachioplasty—can have a dramatic effect on the right patient to tone and reshape the upper arms. 

Why Consider an Arm Lift in Lubbock

An arm lift is an effective plastic surgery procedure for many types of patients. It enhances contour and gets rid of excess skin to give the arms a younger, more toned appearance. According to the most recent statistics published by the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, the number of patients having brachioplasty has risen over 5,000 percent since 2000. So, what is it that makes the procedure so increasingly popular? 

Enhances drastic weight loss

When you finally reach your weight loss goal, the last thing you want to see is saggy skin where the fat used to be. Whether you have bariatric surgery or lost weight the old fashioned way, stretched skin is a common problem. Some patients feel discouraged or even doubt whether the weight loss even improved their appearance at all. An arm lift will eliminate the problematic skin to give patients the complete look they desire. Drastic weight loss is something to celebrate, and an arm lift in Lubbock offers a way to tie up the loose ends so you can truly enjoy your makeover.

Improves Proportioning

As they age, many women start to store fat in different areas of their bodies. The upper arms can sometimes look much larger than the forearms when excess fat builds up. With an arm lift, your plastic surgeon can remove the excess skin and fat to slim down the upper arm. The procedure gives patients improved proportioning in the arms, makes clothing appear more flattering, and creates a balanced look for the entire body. 

Reveals Workout Results

It is hard to feel motivated to do arm strength exercises when your muscles are hidden under excess fat and skin. With the extra bulk out of the way, your arm workouts will look and feel much more productive. Additionally, lifting weights and doing exercises like pushups will be easier without the extra padding around the upper arms. An arm lift helps to sculpt the arms and also makes workout results more visible. 

Boosts Confidence

Women who deal with large or saggy upper arms often feel insecure about their appearance. Even waving “hello” or clapping their hands can trigger feelings of self-consciousness. Instead of avoiding friendly waves or hiding their arms in loose blouses, brachioplasty patients can enjoy using their arms freely without worrying about flab showing. The results of an arm lift in Lubbock can spark a boost of confidence that radiates into almost every area of a patient’s life. When you feel good about your appearance, it allows you to let go of insecurities and focus on the things you really care about.

Are You a Good Candidate?

Do you avoid wearing arm revealing clothing because you don’t like the way your upper arms look? Do you refuse to wave your arms because you’re self-conscious of the skin that hangs down? If the answer is yes, brachioplasty could be of great benefit to you. If you meet the criteria below, you may be a good candidate for the procedure. 

  • You have excess arm skin due to significant weight loss or aging
  • You do not smoke or are willing to commit to a nicotine-free lifestyle before and after surgery
  • You are committed to a healthy lifestyle with regular exercise and a well-balanced diet
  • Your general health is good, and you have no medical conditions that would increase risks
  • Your weight is relatively stable and in a healthy range

Brachioplasty does leave a scar running down the underside of the arm, which will be visible when the arms are lifted or exposed. A good candidate for the procedure will have a significant amount of extra skin hanging down. Your surgeon will be able to tell you if your arms would benefit from an arm lift in Lubbock. It is important to remember that any plastic surgery is not a substitute for a healthy diet or routine exercise. Instead it provides a supplement to achieve your desired body shape when you already maintain a healthy lifestyle.

What Happens During Surgery?

On the day of your surgery, you will be administered general anesthesia to keep you comfortable. Your surgeon will remove excess fat and skin from the underside of your arms through an incision that runs between the elbow and the underarm. The length of the resulting scar will depend on how much skin and fat had to be removed. 

Often the process of tightening the arm skin is paired with liposuction to remove fat deposits in the same area. Consult with your doctor to decide if adding liposuction to your arm lift will help you achieve your desired results. There are no drains for brachioplasty patients and the sutures are absorbable. To learn more about what to expect from an arm lift in Lubbock, watch the video below:

The Results

For the best possible results, you will want the best plastic surgeon. Lubbock patients should seek for a doctor who is highly skilled, board-certified, and has plenty of experience. After an arm lift, your arms will look smoother and more toned. The results will be evident immediately following your procedure, but may take 6-8 weeks to be completely visible. Some patients express concern about the extent of scarring from an arm lift. The placement of the incision, the skill of your doctor, and the neatness of the closure will all have an effect on the appearance of scarring. The changes in your arms may seem subtle on their own, but your body will look more youthful and slender overall after your brachioplasty procedure.

Minimizing the Appearance of Scars

It is important to realize that, just like with any plastic surgery, an arm lift leaves a scar. For most brachioplasty patients, the benefits of the procedure far outweigh any concerns about scarring. First of all, scars are much easier to conceal than overly large, saggy upper arms. Secondly, plastic surgery scars fade with time and proper care. The length of the surgical incision varies depending on how much skin your plastic surgeon removes. For patients with greater amounts of excess skin, the incision will need to be longer. However, if you are a good candidate, a scar should not deter you from having an arm lift in Lubbock. Your plastic surgeon can evaluate your arms to determine whether the procedure will help you reach your cosmetic goals. Consider the following ways to minimize the appearance of scars:

  • Follow all post-operative instructions: Choosing a highly-skilled and experienced plastic surgeon benefits you the most if you follow all of their instructions. For example, if your doctor’s orders include a ban on showering for a few days, then it’s in your best interest to follow those directions. Strictly adhering to their advice will help you avoid infection and other complications. And, it will give your incisions the best chance to heal properly so you end up with minimal scarring. 
  • Stay out of the sun: It can be tempting to show off your new arms in a tank top and spend some time in the sun after brachioplasty. But, it is more important than ever to keep your arms (or at least the incision sites) out of the sun as your body recovers. UV rays are very damaging to newly formed skin and scar tissue. As nice as that sunshine feels, it can cause arm lift scars to appear darker than the rest of your skin. If you must be outside, wear sunscreen or cover your scars with medical tape to protect them from the sun.
  • Learn about scar healing products: There are many products on the market that claim to help promote scar healing. Creams, lotions, gels, and other treatments can minimize the appearance of plastic surgery scars in some cases. Drugstores also sell silicone sheeting strips as an alternative method for scar healing. Your doctor can recommend certain options if you are interested in trying products to help minimize your scars after your arm lift in Lubbock.

Scarring is an unavoidable part of plastic surgery. The question you have to ask yourself is, would you rather live with a thin scar or sagging upper arms? A well-qualified plastic surgeon will keep your incisions as short as possible and make sure they are in the least conspicuous place. This way, scars are only visible when the arms are raised. For most patients, the boost in confidence, enhanced appearance, and improved body proportions more than make up for the scarring that comes with an arm lift in Lubbock.       

Recovering From an Arm Lift in Lubbock

Arm lifts typically take less time in the operating room than more extensive surgeries like breast augmentation. The procedure takes about one hour on an outpatient basis. Patients usually have compression bandages on for about two weeks to help minimize swelling. Some discomfort, swelling, and bruising are common during the early stages of recovery. Your doctor will prescribe pain medication to keep you comfortable. Most people can expect to resume regular activities in about five to seven days. However, you should not participate in any strenuous activity or heavy lifting until your incision site is completely healed. 

Brachioplasty FAQs

Learning everything you can about your plastic surgery procedure is key to getting the most out of your experience. Well-informed patients enjoy feeling more calm and confident about their surgery because they know what to expect at every stage. To help jumpstart your research, here are some answers to questions that are commonly asked about brachioplasty:

  • Is an arm lift painful? During the procedure itself, patients do not feel any pain at all because of the effects of anesthesia. Some mild pain and discomfort is not uncommon during the first few days of recovery, but they can be managed easily with prescribed pain killers.
  • Will liposuction alone work for my arms? Liposuction gets rid of stubborn fat, but it does not eliminate the excess skin that hangs from the upper arms. The two procedures work well together to sculpt the arms and reduce their size. In fact, a study published in Plastic Reconstructive Surgery revealed significantly enhanced cosmetic results and an improvement in the quality of life for brachioplasty patients who also had underarm liposuction. 
  • How much skin is removed? The amount of skin excised depends on how much excess skin the patient has. If your plastic surgeon removes too much, it can cause the skin to be overly tight and can even separate the incision.  
  • Can brachioplasty be combined with other procedures? For most patients, an arm lift works well when done in conjunction with other plastic surgery procedures. If your arms sag due to age or weight loss, it is likely there are other areas of your body that may also have lost their youthfulness.  

Discover Greater Confidence

If age or weight loss has not been kind to your arms, you don’t have to live in long sleeves forever. When considering an arm lift in Lubbock, be sure to do your research so you can find the best plastic surgeon. Lubbock is home to Dr. Jane Rowley, a board-certified plastic surgeon who carefully listens to the concerns and expectations of her patients. At Rowley Plastic Surgery, our goal is to educate and work with each patient so they can have the best results possible. Call our office to schedule a no-obligation consultation and discuss your options in discovering greater confidence in your physical appearance.

Tummy Tuck or Liposuction: Which Lubbock Plastic Surgery is Right for You?

Bringing a child into the world is beautiful in so many ways. But, motherhood can leave women with body changes that do not make them feel very beautiful. Pregnancy and breastfeeding often cause stretch marks, breast changes, weight gain, and fat buildup. Mothers deserve to feel confident, and when they have insecurities about their appearance, it is easier said than done. Lubbock plastic surgery can resolve all of the cosmetic issues that commonly affect women who have had children.    

For women ready to rediscover the body they had before aging and having children, there are several different plastic surgery procedures. Patients have options that enable them to address stubborn pockets of fat, loose belly skin, and other concerns. When it comes to Lubbock plastic surgery, you may have heard a lot of terms–tummy tuck, liposuction, breast lift, etc.–but how much do you know about what those procedures really involve? Below we’ll explain some of the common surgeries, what they are for, and how you might combine them to get the results you want.

What Can a Tummy Tuck Do?

A tummy tuck, “also known as abdominoplasty, removes excess fat and skin and, in most cases, restores weakened or separated muscles creating an abdominal profile that is smoother and firmer.” Every woman’s abdomen stretches while she is pregnant. Sometimes (especially after having multiple pregnancies), the skin does not return to the way it looked before pregnancy. Women can lose all of their baby weight and still have flabby skin hanging around their midsection.

Skin isn’t the only thing that is stretched beyond the point of return; women who have gone through pregnancy may also experience diastasis recti, a separation of the abdominal muscles. This condition cannot be fixed by doing ab workouts like sit ups or crunches; in fact, those exercises may actually make things worse. The skin looseness and laxity of muscle isn’t something that responds to diet or exercise–they are structural issues that require a surgical solution. A tummy tuck is the Lubbock plastic surgery that gets rid of that extra skin and repairs muscles that have been stretched during pregnancy. It creates a leaner abdominal area and helps tighten the core.

Because a tummy tuck is geared toward tightening up loose muscle and skin, it’s not a weight-loss procedure like liposuction (more on that below). But, like weight-loss techniques, it can result in more contoured appearance and slimmer silhouette. As with any medical decision, having a tummy tuck requires considerable thought, research, and planning. Dr. Jane Rowley has over 20 years of experience with abdominoplasty and has said this about the procedure: 

“This is actually a more significant procedure than most people understand. The media often portrays this as a ‘skin surgery,’ but this is a surgery that actually involves the entire core of your body, with tightening of the abdominal muscles and tightening of the skin. The results can be exceptional on the right patient. Although weight loss might not be significant with this procedure, contouring and tightening of the abdominal wall is significant.”

Tummy Tuck Surgery

Patients who undergo a tummy tuck should expect their procedure to last about two hours at an outpatient surgery center. This type of Lubbock plastic surgery requires the use of general anesthesia. Through a low horizontal incision, your surgeon will pull taut the skin that overlays the abdominal area, and get rid of the excess. Your abdominal muscles will be tightened with permanent sutures in multiple layers. The navel is repositioned and the skin is sutured back together. After the surgery is complete, you will need to have a drain in place for about one week. In 2-3 weeks, most patients should be able to return to work. A full recovery typically takes 6-8 weeks.   

For more information on abdominoplasty, watch the video below:

What is Liposuction?

Excess belly skin is not the only reason people seek body contouring procedures. Sometimes, the issue involves fat that is resistant to diet and exercise. Liposuction is a surgical procedure that removes your excess fat in a specific area. It’s a Lubbock plastic surgery option that helps remove stubborn fat in different areas of your body that don’t respond to the traditional approach to fat loss. 

Some body parts react better than others when fat is suctioned out. This is because skin elasticity varies in different regions of the body. If your doctor uses liposuction to remove fat from an area with poor elasticity, your procedure could make your skin look saggy or loose. Consider the following regions for the best liposuction results:

  • Outer thighs: For women in particular, the outer thighs can be a difficult place to lose fat. Genetics play a big role in whether you see fat accumulation in the outer thighs. When you use liposuction to slim this area, pants and jeans will fit better, and you will appear longer and leaner.
  • Hips: The hips are one of the biggest focal points of a woman’s body, but can be one of the toughest areas to slim down. When the hips are slimmer, it enhances the body because it makes the bust appear larger and gets rid of love handles. Liposuction eliminates excess fat on the hips and has a significant impact on the entire silhouette.  
  • Submental (chin/jawline) area: The submental region may not be commonly recognized as one of the top places to have liposuction, but it can have dramatic effects. As our bodies age, fat cells can gather around the neck area creating an unattractive fullness under the chin. Just a small amount of fat removal produces a significantly enhanced chin contour. Submental liposuction is a relatively simple Lubbock plastic surgery that can make you look younger and leaner.  

Liposuction: What to Expect

Different types of techniques are available for liposuction, but they operate on the same basic principle. First, a small incision is made. Next, a small tube (called a cannula) is used to suction out the fat. If you are having the procedure done on a small area, then local anesthetic is all that is needed. If you are choosing to have the procedure on multiple areas, you may need general anesthetics. After your procedure, you will need to wear compression garments for the first 2-4 weeks. Patients can experience mild to moderate pain and swelling for several weeks, but normal activities can be resumed fairly quickly. 

Liposuction has long been a popular Lubbock plastic surgery choice. Getting rid of unwanted fat can give you greater confidence in your physical appearance. New studies are even suggesting that getting rid of that fat can have some heart-healthy bonuses as well as the cosmetic benefits. Liposuction is not, however, a procedure for general weight loss. If you are able to maintain a healthy, stable weight but struggle with stubborn fat, you may be a good candidate for the procedure. Patients need to be in good health and should not smoke before the surgery or during recovery. 

Combine Procedures in a Mommy Makeover

Pregnancy and breastfeeding can affect women’s bodies in many different ways. If you are concerned about more than loose belly skin or stubborn areas of fat, you may want to consider how a tummy tuck or liposuction can be combined with other procedures. This combination of procedures is commonly referred to as a mommy makeover. Lubbock plastic surgery options done in tandem can give any patient dramatic changes in appearance. Here’s a look at some of the surgeries that are commonly combined with abdominal procedures.

Breast Augmentation 

Having children changes the breasts just as much as it affects the abdomen. As pregnancy hormones surge, the mother’s breasts increase in size. However, breastfeeding and losing baby weight often causes the breasts to shrink and look deflated or smaller than they did before pregnancy. Breast augmentation not only helps restore lost volume, it builds confidence and helps women feel more like themselves again. Women seeking breast enhancement with implants can adjust the size and shape of their breasts to achieve a fuller and more symmetric appearance. Some of the options for breast augmentation include:

  • Breast implant type: Saline, silicone gel, or IDEAL IMPLANT® Structured Breast Implants
  • Various sizes to fit your exact goals
  • Methods of placement: over or under the chest muscle
  • Incision locations: under breast crease (inframammary crease incision), around the areola (periareolar incision), or in the underarm area (trans-axillary incision)

Breast augmentation is the most popular plastic surgery procedure in the nation. Adding volume to the breasts helps many women feel more confident after experiencing breast changes during motherhood. With so many ways to customize your breast enlargement, you can get the look you once had or a whole new one. The choice is yours!

Breast Lift  

Renewed confidence in your breasts’ appearance doesn’t always require implants. Many women simply want a younger, fresher look without the added volume. Breasts can become saggy, elongated, tubular, or pendulous with multiple pregnancies and age. In these situations, Lubbock plastic surgery is the only way to give the bust a more normal appearance. A breast lift can assist patients by removing excess breast skin and adjusting the breasts into a more youthful position. The nipple is also moved to a more upward position. After a breast lift, shopping for clothing and swimwear is much easier (and more fun!) because the breasts are no longer hidden or stuffed into ill-fitting outfits. If you don’t wish to change the size of your chest, but do want a perkier look, then a breast lift may be right for you.  

Simultaneous Breast Augmentation and Breast Lift 

A breast lift alone won’t change the size of your breasts. If you want to increase your cup size, consider having a lift along with a breast augmentation. Combining these two procedures leads to shapely, larger, more youthful looking breasts. On the right patient they can provide a dramatic overall enhancement. 

Sometimes, sagging breasts do not respond well to the placement of breast implants. This happens with very large implants, as they can be too heavy for sagging breasts to support. Patients who want to add volume to their breasts at the same time as their breast lift should carefully consult with their doctor to ensure the procedures will complement each other. 

When to Consider a Mommy Makeover

The tummy and breasts often look very different after having children. A mommy makeover can be a convenient way to address all of your cosmetic desires at the same time. Keep in mind that having more than one Lubbock plastic surgery at once will increase your recovery time and can increase the risk of complications. However, on the right patient, combined procedures will yield beautiful results. Watch the video below for Dr. Rowley’s thoughts on mommy makeovers. 

How to Get the Most out of Lubbock Plastic Surgery

As with any plastic surgery, patients need to have realistic expectations about their results. The key to this is having thorough consultations with a board-certified plastic surgeon. Patients that are informed about their surgery tend to heal better and have more satisfying outcomes with their procedures. So, to ensure you are educated, don’t hesitate to ask your plastic surgeon questions such as:

  • How is the procedure performed?
  • What are the risks of this surgery?
  • What can I expect during recovery?
  • Will the results be permanent?
  • Will I need to have additional procedures down the road? 

Women can work with their board-certified surgeon to tailor the combination of procedures that meet their unique needs. Whether you have had children or not, plastic surgery can be a powerful tool to help boost your confidence and satisfaction with your appearance.  

For the best results available, contact the leading surgeon in Lubbock plastic surgery, Dr. Jane Rowley. Dr. Rowley is a board-certified plastic surgeon with over 20 years experience with these procedures. She has helped women regain their confidence as they make positive cosmetic changes. Dr. Rowley will help you achieve your personal goals with compassion and expertise. If you are ready to discover your plastic surgery options, call today to schedule your no-obligation consultation.