Hottest Fad in Plastic Surgery: the 'Arm Lift'

Facelifts and nose jobs are old news: The cosmetic surgery of the moment, it seems, is the "arm lift." Brachioplasties have soared 4,728% over the past decade, says the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, even as overall cosmetic surgeries have fallen 16% since 2000. While other forms of cosmetic surgery remain far more common—just 15,000 arm lifts were performed last year—a surgeon tells the New York Daily News that brachioplasties are likely to keep growing.

The procedure, which can be done in a single day, involves removing excess skin from armpit to elbow, often along with liposuction. "Arms are kind of 'in' in terms of looking good," the surgeon says (see: Obama, Michelle). Why the trendiness? More people are quickly losing large amounts of weight, leaving extra skin hanging around. But the doctor doesn't recommend the surgery for people who are 20 or 30 pounds too heavy. "This operation leaves a visible scar, and most people can tighten up their arms with diet and exercise." What's more, the procedure costs about $5,000, USA Today notes. (More arm lift surgery stories.)