“Bat Wings”
by Barbara Roberts
Remember the 2002 movie, The Sweetest Thing? Carmen Diaz and Christina Applegate? That one scene where they are holding up their arms and flicking the loose skin? They were so young! And probably lost some muscle tone on purpose, just for the movie… Bat wings are usually seen on older adults and people who carry a lot of weight in their upper arms. Aging causes muscle tone to deteriorate, but we can combat that with the right exercises.
It’s not so pretty. I am a people watcher, and living in SE Florida I get to see a lot of people at grocery stores, the mall, the beach, out to lunch and every other meal, as well as simply walking through my building. I look at their faces and expressions, their interactions with others. I notice how they’re dressed, and how their clothes are fitting. On men, I have observed on numerous occasions that their bellies get in the way of their waists, and older, retired men sport those skinny, flabby arms. They’ve obviously moved on from working out. On women, it’s not unusual when loose arm skin catches the eye when they gesture. There is definitely a relationship between age and going sleeveless. Being a woman myself, and one who is trying to minimize the appearance of flabby arms, let’s talk about this.
In the “olden days,” when women realized their arms were beginning to lose firmness and they noticed the loose skin jiggling when they lifted an arm, they merely wore clothes with sleeves. In today’s world, especially during spring and summer, the cutest tops and dresses are – sleeveless, and a good number of them are halter style. So many Boomers are into today’s fashion that we simply have had to come up with solutions to this age-old problem. The most effective way is to prevent it from even happening by continuing to use those arms. What happens is the kids get too big to carry, we wheel the groceries, and we stop doing pushups!
Muscles
We complain about not having upper body strength, but we also make it known that we do not like doing pushups, even the girly ones. In recent years, planks have gained popularity. They also help with arms, shoulders, and core strength, but we don’t do those either. I know some of you are really good at working out, while others of us are on-again/off-again. The bottom line is if we do let it all go, we have to work hard to build it back, and the longer we have neglected those arms the harder it will be to get them back in shape. Those slackened muscles need weights and weight-bearing exercises like push-ups, dips and planks. Here is a link to an exercise program from today.com to help with arms and shoulders. Most of us are staying away from the gym these days, but there are lots of videos on YouTube to help with realizing our goals too. Those Boomers enrolled in Silver Sneakers, or a similar fitness program might enjoy the online classes they offer, some of which involve light weights, to help improve muscle tone.
Causes of Saggy Skin
With advancing age, both men and women can be affected by loose skin, but men tend to lift heavier items and to lift weights. They also have a lot of testosterone running through their systems, which helps to burn fat for them. Women suffer from bat wing phenomenon much more than men do, thanks to hormones, aging and collagen loss, and in some cases dramatic weight loss, which all contribute to a loss of elasticity in the skin. But all is not lost. And exercise is only one of the remedies.
Other Solutions
Besides being active, picking up and carrying heavy items, using weights, doing other exercise, and eating well, there are some non-invasive skin-tightening procedures that might interest you. They really should not be approached as a substitute for all those other things, but as a way to maybe jumpstart the process. You’ve seen the ads on TV for eliminating the appearance of crepey skin. There are many skin care products on the market that make the claim to smooth out those wrinkles, but there is no cream available that can plump the skin up enough to get rid of bat wings.
However, there are some non-invasive skin-tightening procedures out there. These include the use of ultrasound or radiofrequency to send heat below the skin. They will stimulate collagen growth which will fill in some of that “deflated balloon.” It can take up to six months to see results. Laser treatments, usually 3-5 sessions, are also an option. Effects show up between 2 and 6 months. Depending on the elasticity in your skin, you might want to explore liposuction to remove unwanted fat.
However, if there is a lot of loose, saggy skin, the treatments mentioned above probably will not provide satisfactory results. Instead, as a last resort, there is a surgical option: a brachioplasty, also known as an arm lift. During surgery fat and excess skin are removed from each arm, from the elbow to the armpit. Surgery takes about 3 hours. Recovery time is usually one week and there might be some swelling discomfort.
What do you think? My choice is to avoid surgery for as long as possible. I’ve had two surgeries unrelated to vanity, and would not consider elective surgery as an option for my bat wings. I have been working out – not as dedicated as I could be – but I do see changes in muscle tone, all over my body. I want arms like Michele Obama! My issues concern my shoulders which don’t like dips. My arms do, but I still get shoulder pain so I have to be careful. Although I have my preferences, and do see results from the active things I do, I won’t hate you if you decide to get an arm lift! Good luck…
Feel free to continue the conversation. Leave a comment…
