Gastric-bypass surgery is only the first step many morbidly obese patients take in their total body make overs. One residue of massive weight loss is the dreaded "bat-wings". You know what I'm talking about - that upper arm skin which hangs like bat wings if you spread your arms wide ready for flight. Wave your hand and the bat-wing waves too. For some after massive weight loss there is so much skin it's difficult to find shirts with sleeves that fit, and worse, it's embarrassing to wear sleeveless shirts.
What to do?
Exercise:
The first line of defense is to do weight or strength training during the phase of rapid weight loss. Many patients report satisfactory skin shrinkage of the upper arms when they've incorporated light exercise during weight loss. Bicep curls and tricep pulldowns are the best exercises for firming upper arms. Arm training takes minimal equipment (2 light dumbbells 3-5 lbs each) and limited space. It should be noted, the younger the patient and the fewer times they've seen significant weight change, the better chance they have of toning and shaping their arms with exercise. Now, that doesn't let older patients off the hook for doing exercise - it just gives a bit more encouragement for younger people who undergo weight loss surgery.
Liposuction:
The next, but not very plausible option is liposuction. Lipo is only appropriate when there is a lot of fat and the skin is tight. The lipo sucks out the fat and allows the skin to shrink. This isn't plausible for most WLS patients because they've already lost the fat leaving an empty balloon of upper arm skin.
Brachioplasty:
The last resort is the $5,000 arm lift called brachioplasty Brachioplasty is a surgical procedure that eliminates excess skin from the upper arm.
Incisions and Scars in Arm Lift
Scars are the greatest drawback of this operation. They will extend from the armpit to the elbow, along the inside of the arm. This operation exchanges one cosmetic problem (loose skin) for another (scars). In general, those with very loose saggy skin are most likely to find this exchange worthwhile. Those with a small amount of looseness will probably not want the scars.
Kaye Bailey ? 2005 - All Rights Reserved
Kaye Bailey is a weight loss surgery success story having maintained her health and goal weight for 5+ years. An award winning journalist, she is the author and webmaster of http://www.livingafterwls.com and http://www.livingafterwls.com
Fresh & insightful content is added daily, check in often.
To subscribe to the LivingAfterWLS monthly newsletter "You Have Arrived" click on http://www.livingafterwls.com and enter your details in the subscription box.
shuttle to Midway Beardstown .. Lockport Chicago limo O’HareThis little known secret has been used by bodybuilders for... Read More
Weight loss can be one of the most difficult things... Read More
We all know it's hard to begin losing weight, no... Read More
Negative calorie foods are said to use more calories to... Read More
Although liposuction is one of the most commonly performed cosmetic... Read More
Diet PillsTaking diet pills is definitely not an effective weight... Read More
We all know that weight loss is important. We know... Read More
If I collected a dime for each time I've seen... Read More
You may be considering a low carb diet program, but... Read More
Digestion is a chemical process. Our body combines different types... Read More
It's easy to lose sight of our goals, "Do I... Read More
Don't get discouraged. I, too, have found myself in this... Read More
Some of you will not like what I have to... Read More
All of us that have had a love-hate relationship with... Read More
People always ask me " how it is that your... Read More
Many critics in have attacked low carb diets for only... Read More
A common claim from gastric bypass detractors is that after... Read More
Contrary to common belief, your weight is not really the... Read More
We all have aspects of health we want to improve.... Read More
For those of you who aren't familiar with ephedra let... Read More
What do you think of the hundreds of weight loss... Read More
The most recent shocking news related to Atkins diet UK... Read More
The term 'thermogenic' refers to a group of drugs or... Read More
Many people today are interested in weight loss and weight... Read More
Are you feeling down and out? Do you feel even... Read More
Green Bay Hummer H2 SUV rentals ..You may not like what I have to say, even... Read More
Weight Loss Axiom Number ThreeInsulin and GlucagonThese are the two... Read More
Are you concerned about the lack of exercise your child... Read More
One of the greatest tricks that I use to stick... Read More
While the gastric bypass may seem like the perfect solution... Read More
Have you ever stepped on the scale after a week... Read More
Serious diet pills are intended for people who are overweight... Read More
The humble soybean boasts some extraordinary benefits. This nutritional powerhouse... Read More
Fat burners have become very popular in today's society, especially... Read More
No matter what the reason, successful weight loss and healthy... Read More
Understanding the theory of adaptation (see previous article, Adaptation I)... Read More
You step on the scale and groan at the number... Read More
More and more people are turning to hypnosis or hypnotherapy... Read More
It's really difficult for a person to socialise if he... Read More
For a healthy body, it is very important to have... Read More
As I become acquainted with many of our LivingAfterWLS.com community... Read More
Low self-esteem produces a game of control. It causes a... Read More
There are those that walk amongst us who have followed... Read More
It is estimated that about 32 million Americans are following... Read More
Your brain has this really interesting system that is kind... Read More
The only absolute truth in the area of exercise and... Read More
We all know that losing weight and improving your overall... Read More
Once in a while a good title comes along and... Read More
FINDING THE PERFECT DIETArriving at the Perfect Diet is no... Read More
How's the practicing going? Are you spending time each day... Read More
Weight Loss |