Arm Lift Surgeries See 4,000 Percent Rise

Arm lift surgery has registered a 4,378 percent rise in the last decade, according to data released by the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS).

In the year 2012, some 15,000 women underwent surgeries to tone their arms, compared to just 300 in 2000. Doctors say that the reason behind this increase in upper arm lift procedure might be due to the slew of celebrities sporting toned upper arms.  

The Society even conducted a poll recently and found that many women admire the toned arms of first lady Michelle Obama and Jennifer Aniston. Also, Jessica Biel and Demi Moore, and daytime TV talk show host Kelly Ripa get high votes for having toned arms. This poll was based on a sample size of 1,219 women who were around 18 years or older.

Upper arm lifts include surgeries that remove fat and a procedure where skin from the arm is removed, called brachioplasty.

"Women are paying more attention to their arms in general and are becoming more aware of options to treat this area. For some women, the arms have always been a troublesome area and, along with proper diet and exercise, liposuction can help refine them. Others may opt for a brachioplasty when there is a fair amount of loose skin present with minimal elasticity," said Gregory Evans, President, ASPS.

The trend of the upper arm surgery may also be attributed to the massive amount of weight Americans are losing. According to Jack Fisher, president of the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, from Nashville, about 200,000 Americans undergo some type of weight loss surgery every year. And, losing around 100 pounds comes with a lot of loose skin, which requires another surgery to be fixed, reports USA Today.

"Once skin is stretched out, it becomes like a broken rubber band," Fisher told USA Today. "Even when you lose weight, the skin doesn't go back to its normal shape."

Again, brachioplasty is a procedure that requires an incision and while the extra skin is gone, there usually is a scar.

David Reath, MD, Chair ASPS Public Education Committee said that people wanting to undergo this procedure should carefully look at the pros and cons of the surgery.

"It's a trade off. We get rid of the skin, but we leave a scar," he said in a news release. "So, as long as there's enough improvement to be made in the shape of the arm to justify the scar, then it's a great procedure."