Soon after President Obama took the oath of office, Michelle Obama came under an amazing amount of public scrutiny. Let’s set aside more in-depth analysis of the motivations behind the attention—such as whether some of the fixation has a racist or sexist source, or whether we in the U.S. are simply too celebrity crazy—and focus on the superficial for a moment. There’s no denying that, along with her other assets, Michelle Obama is a shapely, attractive woman.
Mrs. Obama’s arms, in particular, are often in the media spotlight. Partly because of the sleeveless outfits she often chooses, but also because her arms are toned and firm—arms worthy of admiration. If you need proof, check out the First Lady’s official portrait at www.whitehouse.gov/administration/first-lady-michelle-obama/
Is it possible for all of us to have arms like Michelle Obama’s? Well, no. But most of us can improve the look of our upper arms over time with a combination of cardiovascular exercise, strength training and good nutrition.
According to an article in Women’s Health magazine earlier this year, Mrs. Obama’s personal trainer combines strength-building moves like bench presses with short bursts of intense cardio. Lifting light weights helps give biceps tone and shape, while calorie-burning cardio exercise helps keep overall fat levels under control. Eating a balanced diet is an important component of any shape-up plan, and meals should include plenty of protein, fruits and vegetables and whole grain carbs.
But what if you have the dreaded bat wings? What if the skin of your upper arms hangs down to the point where you would never consider going sleeveless? Or worse, what if you sometimes have trouble fitting your arms into normal size sleeves?
Whether it’s due to old age, poor skin tone, massive weight loss or simple genetic misfortune, some people have flabby arms that no amount of exercise and good nutrition can change. For some, the embarrassment of loose skin and stubborn fat deposits is sufficient to seek surgical correction. The procedure is called “brachioplasty,” or arm lift or upper arm reduction.
A plastic surgeon can take one of three basic approaches to improving the look of upper arms depending on the needs of each patient. For those with localized fat deposits, liposuction through small incisions may suffice. For those with flabby skin near the top of the arm, the surgeon may be able to remove and tighten the excess through a short armpit scar.
Patients who have lost a great deal of weight are often those who need the most invasive procedures. In these cases, the plastic surgeon makes an incision that travels from the elbow up the inner arm and onto the side of the chest. Excess skin is trimmed and fat suctioned away, if necessary, and the wound closed with fine sutures. The result of this type of arm lift is dramatic, but it also leaves a scar that can be quite conspicuous, especially at first. Each patient must decide if the tradeoff is worthwhile—more than 18,000 people each year decide it is.
A good place to find out more about arm lift surgery is www.surgery.org, the home of the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery.