The axillary breast tissue develops due to polymastia along the mild line. This is something that is a sort of common occurrence in women. At times it is asymptomatic and it occurs due to cyclical changes in one’s body. Axillary breast tissue can be congenital in which abnormal breast tissue can be found along with the presence of normal breast tissue. It can be found as a mass anywhere along the axilla to the inguinal region. During the menarche, pregnancy and the lactation period, enlargement of the axillary breast tissue happen. Sometimes it is discovered on a mammogram. Due to the presence of axillary breast tissue, a lady can feel discomfort, pain, milk secretion, axillary thickening, and local skin irritation. Moreover, axillary breast tissue may impair the aesthetics of the area.
The shape and size of your breast depends on the breast tissue. Medically speaking, axillary breast tissue consists of glandular tissue. Breast tissue can form in areas beyond normal breast location due to hormonal changes, genetics or other changes that can affect the breast tissue. An amount of fatty tissue can also be found in the axillary breast tissue. It can be generally found in areas such as armpits (axilla) and this tissue is not considered to be a healthy tissue. According to medical studies, axillary breast tissue can occur in 2% to 6% of women. If you have axillary breast tissue, you tend to dislike how it looks as it can make the area looks lumpy and hard, especially when your arms are down. Moreover, feeling a thicker and palpable tissue in the breast is quite discomforting. As already mentioned, with pregnancy it can become even more evident as the axillary breast can swell and feel more sensitive. Weight gain can aggravate the trouble.
More often than not, women seek surgical consultation for removal of the axillary breast tissue due to fear of development of carcinoma, though in majority of cases this tissue is totally benign and non-cancerous. However, a small portion of the women seek surgical opinion purely for cosmetic reasons. The clinical presentation of axillary breast tissue ranges from palpable thickening in their breast to large pendulous mass including nipple and areola. It can occur in both breasts. If the axillary breast tissue is found malignant, the surgeon may opt for its removal.
Your axillary breast tissue can be safely removed with surgery. If the mass to be removed is of a small quantity, it is done with liposuction. However, traditional operative methods are used if the area under consideration requires extensive correction. The exact mode of the operative intervention will be discussed during your consultation. Post surgery you will have the following benefits of an operative intervention.
- an undesirable contours in the axillary breast tissue is done away with
- arms can be moved effortlessly
- clothing does not cause any irritation.
What happens during axillary breast tissue removal?
If the removal is with liposuction, then local anesthesia is the preferred anesthetic route for the procedure. However, if it is a surgery that involves excision, then general anesthesia is given. The procedure may last for an hour or so. It begins with an incision in the axillary mass. In case of a liposuction, the incision may measure just a few millimeters, whereas for surgical removal it may be a little longer. The excess tissue in the breast area is removed with the technique adopted. The axillary breast tissue is also called accessory or supernumerary breast tissue. The operative site is then closed and dressed.
Post procedure:
As part of the recovery process, certain restrictions are placed to speed up the healing of the operated site. You can experience some swelling, bruising and numbness for a few weeks. If a lot of breast tissue is removed, the swelling and the bruising may be a bit extensive in nature. In order to avoid these discomforts, you may be prescribed some pain medications. You are advised to avoid rigorous physical activities for at least a month post procedure to reduce swelling and bruising arising out of surgery. You have to take a week off from your work and rest your body completely during the initial phase of recovery.
Swelling post surgery may make the area appear a bit puffy, however as the swelling abates you will be able to see the full result of the surgery. As for liposuction, the result may be visible in a matter of few weeks, but in the case of a surgery, you need to wait for a few months to see the full result. You may be advised to wear compression garment post surgery to bring down the swelling. Proper wearing of the compression garment facilitates speedy recovery and retraction of your skin for better results. Post-operative care instructions should be followed thoroughly to make the scar less visible. It is advisable to protect the scar from sun for at least a year as tanning can appear them evident. Application of a scar-reduction cream or other topical treatments can be considered to make the scar less visible.
Axillary breast tissue removal widely done in the medical field and is a safe way to get rid of your excess tissue in the breast area.
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