Ballerina Arms is ICON's signature arm contouring procedure — awake arm liposuction with same-session skin tightening, designed around one goal: the long, lean, defined line of a dancer's arm. It has become one of our most requested treatments, and patients travel from across the country specifically for it.
Why Arms Deserve Their Own Approach
The upper arm isn't just a smaller version of the abdomen or thighs — it has its own proportions, its own skin quality considerations, and its own aesthetic goal: long, lean, defined lines rather than simple volume reduction. Treating arms well means understanding this anatomy specifically, not applying a generic body contouring approach to a smaller area.
Every Ballerina Arms Procedure Is Done Fully Awake
All of Dr. Zayid's awake liposuction procedures, including Ballerina Arms, are performed entirely awake, in office, with no general anesthesia — without exception. For patients who qualify, this begins with an oral anti-anxiety medication on arrival. Once you're in a calm, relaxed state, the procedure begins.
Planning Your Entry Points
Discreet entry points are selected specifically for the area being treated. During Ballerina Arms, the focus is on bringing out the natural contours of your arm to create a long, lean, athletic look — and entry points are placed so they stay discreet, without giving away that any work was done. These points are decided together at your consultation, then revisited the day of your procedure while Dr. Zayid marks the areas where fat will be removed and skin tightened.
The Numbing Process
You're placed onto a sterile procedure bed, where numbing begins using our signature two-medicine solution. This solution separates fat from the underlying muscle while simultaneously constricting blood vessels — which allows the numbing to last longer and meaningfully limits the bruising and swelling you'll experience afterward. For Ballerina Arms specifically, this entire numbing process rates about a 3 out of 10 for discomfort and takes only about ten minutes total. After that, you won't have any sensation for the rest of the procedure.
Ultrasound and Power-Assisted Liposuction
Next comes the liposuction itself — ultrasound-assisted liposuction first, using ultrasonic technology to emulsify fat for a smooth, seamless removal process, followed by power-assisted liposuction for gentle, efficient fat extraction. For each arm, this takes about fifteen minutes and is done in a way that brings out the arm's natural contour. You can expect to feel a vibrating pressure sensation throughout — not pain.
Renuvion Skin Tightening
After liposuction, we move into Renuvion skin tightening, which uses J-Plasma helium technology to tighten the fibroseptal network beneath the skin, pulling the skin closer to your new underlying contour. Tightening begins at the time of treatment and continues to develop for up to twelve months afterward as the treated tissue remodels.
Immediately After Your Procedure
You're placed into a compression garment right away, which you'll wear continuously for about thirty-six straight hours. During this window, some achiness, pressure, and light drainage from the entry sites is normal. From there, you'll wear compression for the majority of the day throughout the following month, along with lymphatic massage to support proper contouring and limit the likelihood of fibrosis. Patients are consistently so comfortable afterward that we very rarely, if ever, need to write a prescription for narcotic pain medication.
Entry Sites Fade Quickly
Entry sites are placed discreetly and shrink dramatically as they heal, down to as little as a two-millimeter dot by the twelve-month mark.
Why It's Become a Destination Treatment
The name "Ballerina Arms" reflects the goal: long, elegant, defined arms — not simply smaller ones. Achieving that specific look requires real precision and an eye for arm-specific proportion, which is part of why patients travel from across the country specifically for this technique rather than seeking arm liposuction closer to home.
What to Expect
Consultation
We assess your arm's specific fat distribution and skin quality to confirm candidacy, plan your entry points, and build your personalized plan.
Procedure Day
After your comfort medication and our signature numbing solution take effect, we perform ultrasound-assisted and power-assisted liposuction followed by Renuvion skin tightening through your discreetly placed, pre-planned entry sites.
Recovery
Continuous compression for the first 36 hours, then daytime compression and lymphatic massage through the following month. Most patients return to work within two days and to full activity within seven days.
Results
About 10% skin tightening is visible immediately, with your final, defined contour developing over three months and skin continuing to tighten for up to a year.