Are you one of those who’s slaving off in the gym, trying hard to get rid of those ungainly, unsightly bat wings that go flop-flop every time you move your arms? If yes, then this article is meant just for you.
Did you know?
15,000 arm lift surgeries were carried out in 2012, as compared to barely somewhere in the region of 300 in the year 2000.
Who would have ever thought of Michelle Obama spawning an arms race so huge, that it has seen an increase of over 4,000% in the past decade? Of course, when we say arms race, we’re referring to the one where scores of women race to their plastic surgeon to get their arms surgically sculpted. See? And here you were, thinking of a very Bush-esque kind of arms race.
So, coming back to our hot issue, doctors are reporting that the latest trend to hit the cosmetic surgeries circle does not involve the face or the lower body, but upper arms, surprisingly. It is being speculated that this trend has been fueled by a significant number of people wanting to shape up following drastic weight loss.
Breast augmentation still reigns as America’s favorite cosmetic surgery procedure, upper arm lifts, or brachioplasty is steadily gaining popularity. The statistics that follow reveal more –
- 15,000 individuals were reported to have undergone surgical arm lifts in 2012.
- 98% among these were women.
- The average age of these patients was between 40 to 54.
- The amount collectively spent on this procedure was $61 million.
- The average cost of the procedure is around $4,000.
Now that we’ve put the numbers out of the way, let us get to the actual influencing factors behind this trend.
The FLOTUS Effect
Michelle Obama at the Inauguration. Michelle Obama on Oscars night. Michelle Obama on the Vogue cover. Whew! The First Lady has never spared an opportunity to flaunt those toned and muscular upper arms of hers. And when it comes to this rather fashionable First Lady, nothing about her goes unnoticed. Mrs. O’s sculpted figure is enviable enough to have inspired scores of women yearning to mirror her style and grace. We’re talking about a woman who, at the age of 45, is sprightly enough to give the regular 20-somethings an exhausting run for their money.
How does she do it?
In her own words, the First Lady admitted that she undergoes a grueling 90-minute workout, thrice a week with a trainer. Encouraging her is Mr. President himself, who often rises before 5:30 am, joining the missus for a round of exercise before breakfast.
The celebrity effect has been instrumental in driving middle-aged women to cop the look, sans the sweat. Besides the First Lady, other celeb influences include Jennifer Aniston, Jessica Biel, Kelly Ripa, and Demi Moore.
The Age Factor
Those dreaded bat wings can be a nightmare to anyone belonging to the middle-aged club and thereabouts. Lifting weights do help, but only to a certain extent.
For those who undergo a gastric bypass surgery, or even a dramatic weight loss program, saggy skin is something that they undeniably have to live with. The arm lift surgery involves sucking the fat from the back of the arm, and tucking the extra skin in the armpit.
A mini arm lift procedure can be done with local anesthesia, and leaves the tiniest hint of scarring under the arms. An extensive procedure includes liposuction, along with an incision that runs from the armpit to the elbow, and is recommended only for those who have dropped a lot of weight in a short span, leaving significantly saggy skin.
To go under the knife or not is of course, ultimately up to you. To the hardworking exerciser, this may seem like just another trend spiraled out of control, no thanks to the celebrity angle. But to the ones looking for a quick fix for getting rid of bat wings, it could be a delightful option.
