Ultrasound Solution Approved for Upper Arms

The upper arms are notoriously difficult to slim down, especially for those who are genetically predisposed to gain weight there. This can be further complicated for women, who, because of hormonal differences, are more likely to store fat in their upper arms. And the rise of rapid weight loss as a result of Ozempic, Wegovy, and other similar GLP-1 agonists has brought with it a need to tone what has become known as “Ozempic arms.” Surgery is an option—the American Society of Plastic Surgeons’ 2022 Procedural Statistics Release indicates that surgical arm lift procedures grew 25% from 2019 to 2022—but brachioplasty leaves scars.

An alternative has emerged with the FDA’s recently approval of Sofwave’s ultrasound solution for lifting lax skin on the upper arms. Early testing has revealed a 93% improvement rate, confirmed by blinded reviewers who were treated on both upper arms at four different sites in the United States, according to a press release. 

“The science is simple,” the press release says. “When we’re born, our skin is practically spring loaded with collagen and elastin—two essential scaffold proteins that work in tandem to smooth, plump, elasticize, and lift our skin. But collagen and elastin production declines with age, which explains why the arms of our 20s begin to lose their tautness over time.”

Sofwave uses ultrasound technology to heat the skin’s collagen and elastin reserves to a temperature between 140° and 160°, triggering a healing response that increases the production of those proteins. Patients can expect to see results 3 to 4 weeks after the first treatment, according to the press release, with ongoing improvements over time. This non-surgical solution is suitable for both men and women of all ages, and because Sofwave is not melanin-dependent, it is appropriate for all skin types.

“When I tell patients who’ve been using and loving Sofwave that we can now treat their upper arms—a part of the body that so many women are self-conscious about—the joy on their faces says it all,” says Dr. Quenby Erickson, a board-certified Chicago dermatologist.