What Are Bat Wings and What Can You Do About Them?

Wiggly, jiggly upper arms are a problem for many women, even those that exercise regularly. If you find yourself grabbing for a sweater to cover your arms, even when its scorching hot outside, come into Reveal Beauty and explore your treatment options. Go sleeveless with confidence when you kiss your bat wings goodbye. 

What Are Bat Wings?

Bat wings sound like something you might see at the zoo, not on your own body, but this clever little term is often used to describe loose skin and fat on the upper arms. Bat wings can dramatically increase the circumference of the upper arm, causing it to appear out of proportion with the rest of the body. They can make it difficult to wear some types of clothing, including shirts with tight or fitted arms. They also cause some women embarrassment when wearing sleeveless tops or swimsuits. 

Women are much more likely than men to develop this loose skin/fat combination on the upper arms. Women store fat more easily than men and the arms are a common site of excess fat for our female patients. Loosening skin also plays a role. As you age, skin elasticity declines, resulting in extra sag and jiggle. Weight loss speeds this process for many women. When you gain weight the skin stretches, but as weight is lost, the skin may not contract sufficiently. 

Will Exercise Eliminate My Bat Wings?

Diet and exercise will improve your health, encourage a healthy weight, and possibly tone up the arms, but don’t be surprised if your results are a little lacking. Exercise typically works best to tighten and tone up mild sagging. If your bat wings are more pronounced, you may need something a little more intensive. Give diet and exercise a try first, but if you don’t achieve your desired results, plastic surgery can help. 

Exercise is always a good option for looking and feeling your best, even if it doesn’t fully resolve your aesthetic concerns. Dr. Clinton encourages his patients to exercise often and live an active, healthy lifestyle. 

Surgical Options for Treating Bat Wings

If you’ve done your best to lose the flab in your upper arms, but still have some jiggle, plastic surgery may be the solution. Call us at 205-408-9787 to schedule a consultation at our Birmingham, AL plastic surgery practice. 

There are two primary options for treating excess fat and loose skin in the upper arms: liposuction or an arm lift. Dr. Clinton will explore these options with you and help you choose the most effective treatment option. 

Liposuction

Patients with tight, elastic skin may be able to treat their bat wings with liposuction. This is a surgical fat removal treatment. It is a very effective option for targeting fat cells in problem areas, like the upper arms. 

Liposuction manually removes fat cells. In adults, these fat cells don’t usually regenerate. This means that you’ll likely experience a permanent change in the shape of the upper arm. Weight gain and weight loss are still possible and aren’t recommended. Weight fluctuations can change the contours of your results. 

Upper Arm Lift (Brachioplasty)

An upper arm lift, or brachioplasty, removes skin and fat from the back of the upper arm. This is our most effective treatment option for bat wings. It is ideal for patients that have lost significant weight or that have poor skin elasticity. 

Patients that have undergone bariatric surgery often choose an upper arm lift to reshape and contour their arms after weight loss. We also offer full body lifts for post-bariatric patients looking to complement their arm lift results. 

Don’t hide your arms any longer. Come see Dr. Clinton for surgical treatment of bat wings in Birmingham, AL.