Arm Tightening with Threads

Yes and no. Brachioplasty is a cosmetic surgery that will remove extra skin and reduce the circumference and thickness of your arms. The down side are the unsightly scars the surgery leaves behind. If you are willing to deal with the long scars, and perhaps willing to conceal them with long sleeve clothing, then brachioplasty may help you. Surgery is best for those who have drastically lost massive weight following bariatric surgeries. But unfortunately surgical brachioplasty will do nothing to your unsightly 360 degrees rippled look of the arm skin. That’s where thread lifting can help.

In a nutshell, and as the word implies, It is placing multiple bio stimulating types of threads under your skin of your arms to entice your dermis and sub-dermis to generate much-needed new collagen and elastin (called neocollagenesis). Granted it’s not a panacea, but the safety and ability of PDO (polydioxanone) or PLLA (Poly L- Lactic Acid) biodegradable threads to generate collagen and elastin is well established in the medical literature for the past decades. These threads are placed superficially in the dermal layer, then pulled in an effort to tighten loose, wrinkled skin.

Since the idea is to stimulate the collagen and elastin of the dermis and sub-dermis our preferred threads are PDO threads (polydioxanone) since their use has been well-established for decades in vascular surgeries.

Usually with a very thin, sharp needle known as the introducer. This needle holds the thread inside, which prevents the thread from coiling around itself inside your dermis.

Usually we apply a numbing agent on the area to be threaded. You may sense a slight discomfort upon entry of the sharp needle under the skin, but this is transient and minimal. If you have experienced acupuncture the sensation is similar.

Usually the threads are smooth but sometime they are twisted and curled like a tornado, which helps the thread grasp surrounding tissue.

Since the skin is the target organ, threads are placed right under the skin or the layers just beneath it.

The threads are between 27-gauge to 21-gauge. In layman’s terms … very thin.

No, but initially you may see some dimples, which are normal and usually disappear in several days.

This also depends on the patient’s arms. If there is excessive sagging in the inner part of the arm, thin, smooth threads may be beneficial because they promote the dual effect of collagen and elastin production.

This depends on the patient, but most of the skin rippling occurs in the inner part of the arm where the gravitational pull of the arm is greatest.

Yes, the threads we implant during arm rejuvenation have been proven to be safe. Similar threads have been commonly used in cardiac, vascular and cosmetic surgery for decades.

Usually the threads start to dissolve several months after the procedure and may completely disappear before a year. That said, the benefits can last well beyond that because of the collagen and elastin production that the threads promoted.

Most of our patients return back to normal activities and to the gym the following day. There is no down time. In fact, hydration and activity may help circulation to the arms and kickstart the process.

Below are some of the alternatives to arm rejuvenation without unsightly scars or prolonged down time. Again the concept is to boost skin tightening, firming and toning by generating needed collagen and elastin of the skin and the layers beneath the skin.

• Superficial Liposuction – Even though liposuction is a household name, superficial liposuction is an entirely different technique from conventional liposuction. Its aim is to juvenate dimples and irregularities of the skin. Vaser and power assisted liposculpture is our preferred method at the Liposuction & Cosmetic Surgery Institute in Chicago. Minimal fat is extracted by superficial liposuction of the arm. Additionally, we may use an energy device concomitantly to address the skin laxity. Downtime is a day or two. The procedure is commonly performed under local anesthesia and starts around $3500.
• ThermiRF and BodyTite – These are radiofrequency energy devices used to tighten the skin. We use these technologies commonly during liposuction procedures to promote skin tightening.
• J-plasma Renuvion ™️ – This is a safe and new skin tightening device created by the Bovie company. This technology utilizes plasma energy to heat and tighten skin.
• Ultherapy – Utilizes the science of focused ultrasound to tighten, lift and smooth the skin of the body. This treatment comes with no downtime, but it can be uncomfortable during treatment. It starts around $1500.
• Healite ™️ near infrared Diode light – The Healite is non-ablative near infrared 830 nm frequency with 590nm wavelength diode laser panel. It is best used after microneedling or fractional resurfacing lasers to boost collagen production.
• Genius ™️ or Secret ™️ – These are hybrid treatments that combine radio frequency heat treatments with microneedling, which promotes both tightening and skin rejuvenation. There is little-to-no downtime and treatments start between $750 and $1000.
• Fractional CO2 LASER – A total skin resurfacing option. A fractional CO2 laser will provide optimal skin rejuvenation, but patients should know that the procedure can be uncomfortable, and the downtime, during which the patient must stay out of the sun, can be months long.
• Microneedling with PRP – This treatment has been around quite a while. This treatment promotes skin resurfacing. The microneedling creates microchanneling and promotes the body’s natural healing process. The PRP is a booster that helps speed up and intensify the process.
• Sculptra injections – Sculptra is PLLA (poly-L-lactic acid), which stimulates your body’s natural collagen and elastin production. It was FDA approved and it can diminish the appearance of deep wrinkles and sagging lines of the arms.
• Chemical peels – Our choices is the research backed and established fruit origin alpha hydroxy acids. At our four Chicagoland clinics we use a combination of various acids to get results. For example, glycolic acid to exfoliate and smooth, while retinoic acids promote collagen and resorcinol/kojic acids repair the effects of sun damage. The salicylic acid is also used and best for darker complexions.
• MesoTherapy – Is the science of injecting a combination of an anti-aging cocktail of nutrients, antioxidants and vitamins intradermally, directly inside the skin to entice the skin to regenerate collagen and elastin. It requires a few sessions for optimal results.
• Cosmeceutical Skin Care – Even though we place this at the end it is probably the most important self-administered simple treatment you can do to help take me to skin aside from avoiding excessive sun exposure. Visit our online shop to explore our full line of cosmeceuticals. A few essentials are listed below:
• Radiant Lift is a retinol, which is the only proven ingredient to actually restore and rejuvenate human skin.
• Therapeutic Firming Body Lotion is a retinol, antioxidant combo that can hydrate and aid in the appearance of dimpled, rough skin.
• Silk body ™️ and Silk hands ™️ contain fast absorbing Green Tea Polyphenols, Caffeine USP, Bisabolol, Ceramide-2, Squalane, Yucca Glauca Root Extract, Hyaluronic Acid for smoothing body moisturizing.