Bingo wings are caused by a mix of stored fat, loose skin and low muscle tone at the back of the upper arm, so the best approach combines triceps exercise and overall fat loss, with non surgical arm contouring if stubborn fat or loose skin remains. Exercise alone rarely shifts them, because you cannot burn fat from one spot.
At a glance
- Arm exercises tone the muscle but cannot target the fat over it.
- Overall fat loss reduces arm fat, often last.
- Loose skin needs collagen stimulation or, if severe, surgery.
- Radiofrequency arm contouring works on fat and skin together.
- An arm lift is the option for large amounts of hanging skin.
What Bingo Wings Are Made Of
- Fat. The upper arm is a favourite storage spot, particularly for women.
- Skin. The skin on the back and inner arm is thin, and loses collagen with age.
- Muscle. The triceps makes up most of the back of the arm. When it is weaker, the arm has less shape.
What Exercise Can Do
Strengthening the triceps gives the arm more shape and firmness underneath. Try these two or three times a week:
- Triceps dips from a sturdy chair or bench.
- Push ups, on your knees to start with.
- Overhead triceps extensions with a dumbbell or water bottle.
- Resistance band pull aparts for the upper back and shoulders, which improve posture and arm line.
What exercise cannot do is burn the fat on your arms specifically. Doing hundreds of triceps moves will not target the fat over them.
What Diet Can Do
Losing body fat overall will reduce arm fat too, although the arms are often one of the last areas to change. Crash diets can make things worse by leaving skin looser, so steady loss is the better route.
What Treatment Can Do
| What is left | Option |
|---|---|
| Stubborn fat despite exercise | Radiofrequency arm contouring |
| Mild to moderate loose skin | Radiofrequency skin tightening |
| Large amounts of hanging skin | Arm lift surgery (brachioplasty) |
At our Surbiton clinic, SmartSculpt Pro arm contouring warms the fat layer and the deeper skin at the back of the arm, usually over a course of 8 sessions of around 30 minutes, with no downtime. Pairing it with the exercises above gives the best overall shape. See arm contouring for bingo wings.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you get rid of bingo wings with exercise?
Exercise strengthens the triceps and improves the shape of the arm, but you cannot burn fat from one spot with exercise, and it will not tighten loose skin. Combined with overall fat loss, it helps.
What exercises help bingo wings?
Triceps dips, push ups, overhead triceps extensions and resistance band pull aparts, two or three times a week, build the muscles at the back of the arm.
Why do women get bingo wings?
Women tend to store more fat on the upper arms, and the skin there is thin, so it loses firmness with age and weight changes.
Can bingo wings be removed without surgery?
Non surgical treatments such as radiofrequency can reduce stubborn fat and firm mild to moderate loose skin on the upper arms. Large amounts of hanging skin usually need an arm lift.
How long does it take to get rid of bingo wings?
With exercise, you may notice better tone in six to eight weeks. With treatment, changes usually build over a course of about 8 sessions and the weeks after.
Talk to us about arm contouring in Surbiton
360 Degree Clinic offers arm contouring with SmartSculpt Pro at 58A Victoria Road, Surbiton KT6 4NQ, about 10 minutes from Kingston upon Thames. Consultations are free, and we will tell you honestly whether treatment is likely to help. Call 020 3971 4025 or book a consultation online.