“Flapping underarms or batwings, the most depressing things about being fat appeared due to overweight, aging, or hormonal changes!”

  • It is a common problem to experience excess fat and poor muscle tone in the upper arms.
  • Aging is a prime cause of experiencing skin laxity and flabbiness in the upper arms.
  • You are likely to attract flabbiness in your arms if you are overweight.
  • By maintaining a healthy BMI (body mass index), one can avoid excessive fat deposition in the body.

Dr. Karishma Kagodu, MS, M CH., Managing Director of Dr. Karishma Aesthetics, performs brachioplasty/ arm lift surgery with or without liposuction, or she may recommend liposuction as a stand-alone procedure to restore lost arm contour.

What Causes Bat wings?

Flabby or saggy arms gather all the unwanted attention, as your arms are the eye-catchy point of your body appearance. Regardless of your beautiful looks, bat wings or fatty underarms are enough to destroy a pleasing appearance. However, it is inevitable to give cosmetic attention to the issue and find out the reasons behind them.

Several factors are responsible for causing flabby, saggy underarms, including aging, being overweight, massive weight loss, and hormonal fluctuations. Besides these accelerating factors, genetics, lifestyle, and a bad diet may trigger the concern, as some people are unaware of the ideal weight management and body mass index.

A quick listing of some direct factors that may cause bat wings are:

  1. Aging: Aging is the very first factor that can cause fatty underarms. After 30, skin becomes lax, and muscle tone diminishes, especially when you are genetically predisposed to carry extra fat in your arm. If you are struggling with saggy, loose skin in the upper arms and excess fat depositions, arm lift surgery may be recommended to address your concern.
  2. Change in hormones: The appearance of fatty upper arms can also be prominent even after age 20. The hormonal fluctuations occurred due to age-related concerns, or medical treatment may be the causative factors for batwings. Hormonal changes affect the rate of metabolism resulting in a decrease in calories burnt per day, so the appearance of batwings becomes visible.
  3. Overweight: If you are unaware of the ideal weight management, you will likely attract flabbiness in your upper arms. However, maintaining an ideal weight and following a healthy lifestyle, including a balanced diet and exercise, is recommended to prevent the batwing’s appearance.

Why do women develop batwings?

  • Women have a lower testosterone hormone, a male sex hormone, but a decrease in the same level triggers fat depositions, especially in the upper arms, hips, and thighs.
  • Batwings can also occur due to massive weight loss, as drooping underarms are not just caused by fat but also by excess, sagging skin.
  • The natural aging process can also cause the skin to lose elasticity, resulting in batwings.
What can you do to address batwings?
  1. A)Diet & exercise: It is healthy to follow a diet and exercise regime to slim down your upper arms. You can include plenty of cardio into your daily exercise routine to increase your calories burnt daily. But one has to note that stubborn fat does not respond to rituals, regimes, or doing countless reps of triceps extensions. However, consulting a plastic surgeon is suggestible to find the best permanent solution.
  2. B)Liposuction: Liposuction is suggestible if you are dealing with unwanted fat deposits in your upper arms but still have pretty skin elasticity. The board-certified plastic surgeon will make a few tiny incisions during liposuction to remove unwanted fat via a cannula. Recovery usually takes about a week.
  3. C)Arm lift surgery/ Brachioplasty: If your batwings result from loose, saggy skin and fat in the upper arms, arm lift surgery/ brachioplasty is recommended to restore the lost arm contour. An arm lift might be performed at the same time as liposuction, depending on the amount of fat removed.

A board-certified plastic surgeon in Bangalore, India, Dr. Karishma Kagodu performs arm lifts and other body contouring procedures at her practice.

To learn more about what you can do to get rid of flabby upper arms/ batwings, call +91 8042036382, +91 9108969006, +91 7624809006, and schedule your consultation today.  

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