Extra Tissue Under the Arms – How Can It be Removed?

The appearance of extra or bulging fat underneath the arms can make a person very self-conscious about their appearance. The person with the bulging fat might not wear certain clothing that can expose the arms (such as bathing suits and tank tops due to self-image issues). Thankfully, there are options available to a person with this extra fat that can address the issue and even remove some of it. Keep reading to learn more about improving the appearance of the armpits and gaining a more youthful look to the treated area.

Extra Fat Under the Arms – Why Does it Happen?

The appearance and long-term issue of prominent soft tissue under the arms of a person can happen due to a number of factors. Some of the reasons that soft tissue can start to make a prominent appearance under the arms includes an accumulation of fat, lymph nodes that begin to enlarge, and abnormal breast tissue. These variations can happen during the embryonic development stage which means the breast tissue can sometimes be deposited in an area of the body that is located outside of the breast. Medical professionals can refer to this condition in a number of ways including accessory, aberrant, or ectopic breast tissue.

The formation and appearance of aberrant breast tissue most often happens below and above the normal location of the breast (AKA the area known as the milk line). There are times when this condition can occur on more distant sites of the body such as the axilla (AKA the armpit) which is the area on the body located directly under the shoulder joint where nerves and vessels enter and leave the upper arm.

The formation of accessory axillary breast tissue is believed to be present in anywhere between two percent to six percent of women. One of the reasons this condition can cause problems for females is due to regular premenstrual swelling as well as a feeling of irritation or tenderness from clothing. In addition, the symptoms can become more of an issue if the person is experiencing pregnancy or puberty and the symptoms can even reach the point that the prominence of the fat is not aesthetically pleasing to the eyes.

Extra Tissue Under the Arms – How to Treat the Condition

When the appearance of excess fat becomes unpleasing to the person experiencing the condition, they might decide to seek out a surgical treatment to address the issue. There are a couple of options available to patients and they are discussed below.

The first option/preferred treatment is liposuction since it leaves very little visible scarring on the body. Liposuction is able to reshape the treated area of the body and give it a look that is slimmer and more contoured thanks to the elimination of excess fat in the targeted area. While excess fat can be removed from the body using liposuction, it is important to note this is not a treatment for weight loss. The liposuction process begins with the surgeon creating tiny incisions in the targeted section of the body. A cannula is inserted into the body through the incisions. The cannula is a thin tube that is able to eliminate stubborn, hard to remove fat from the body. It is important to note that the tissue under the arms needs to be fibrous and not overly firm in order for liposuction to be able to effectively treat the condition.

Another reason that liposuction might not be the ideal medical option is the actual excess skin on the body. The enlargement of the breast tissue in the armpit of a person can expand the overlying skin. Normally, the skin that is located in this part of the body is not very elastic along with being rather thin. Liposuction can cause the skin in the treated area to contract a little bit. So, if the skin that is removed is somewhat on the larger side, the amount of skin contraction might not be enough for a natural look or to give the desired appearance to the treated area. If this is the case, the patient might experience a fold of skin that is loose and redundant which means the aesthetic look of the skin will only have a partial improvement over the cosmetic deformity. In cases such as these, the surgeon will likely need to turn to surgical excision of the underlying breast tissue and the redundant skin in the treated area.

Anyone who is not happy with the appearance of their skin under the shoulder (in the area of the armpit) should schedule a consultation appointment with an experienced and board-certified surgeon. The doctor can examine the current condition of the excess skin to determine the best treatment option that will help the patient achieve the look they desire while also improving their self-image and giving them more confidence in their appearance.

- MA