Maybe it was the fascination with Michelle Obama’s amazing arms that spurred the upswing. Maybe it was the rise in preventative aging procedures done on the face and neck. Or maybe the world is getting hotter and we’re wearing fewer sleeves on our shirts. Either way, the plastic surgery procedure that saw the biggest rise between the years 2010 and 2012 was the upper arm lift, according to a report recently released by the American Society of Plastic Surgeons.

During the year 2012, over 15,000 upper arm lifts were performed in the US, a substantial rise from 300 in 2000. Dr. Vinas explains that while the exact cause for the rise in upper arm lifts is relatively unknown, he adds that it may be due to the increasing success of people’s weight loss.

As people become educated and aware of the many ways to weight loss, whether it’s through surgery or diet and exercise, they become better able to take control of their journey and successfully lose the weight they desire. Extensive weight loss, as we know, typically leads to excess skin.

The first surgery individuals typically seek after weight loss is a tummy tuck, in order to get rid of the excess skin on the abdomen. After that procedure is finished, the attention turns to the arms.

If you have experienced weight loss, congratulations, first and foremost! And if your weight loss has resulted in excess skin around the abdomen or arms, talking with a plastic surgeon will help you decide whether lift procedures are right for you. Board Certified West Palm Beach Plastic Surgeon, Dr. Luis Vinas, performs the arm lift using the Harmonic® Scalpel, with incisions limited to the armpit area (limited incision arm lift for mild excess only), an incision that progresses to the mid-portion of the arm (limited incision arm lift for moderate excess), or an incision that progresses from the armpit to the elbow (a classical arm lift, for moderate to severe excess). Excess fat is removed by direct excision as well as with liposuction, and the excess skin is trimmed and re-draped. The incision line placement for an arm lift is in the least conspicuous spot on the arm, most often at the lowest border of the arm.