What is Accessory Breast Underarm In Women and Its Treatment ?

What Is Underarm Accessory Breast Tissue or Breast Tail In Women?

Accessory breast or Underarm Accessory Breast is a common problem in many women. Most of these women complain that they have underarm soft swelling or bulkiness. This swelling may be of variable Size. It can be found on one or both under-arm.  

Symptom of Accessory Breast

They also complain that they are not able to wear sleeveless clothes as they notice unwanted bulkiness just below axilla or due to irritation by clothes. It becomes more visible when arm is on the side.

In most of them this swelling is painless.

Some women also complain of pain in this swelling especially during menstrual cycle and pregnancy.

This is a soft swelling and can be pressed by finger.

Although it is a harmless swelling but there has been reports that cancer can also develop in this swelling. When bulkiness is more it create skin problems.

What is the reason of axillary  accessory breast?

Exact cause of this problem is not known but it is considered that this is a developmental defect of breast tissue in women.

This bulging below underarm has breast tissue and fat in variable amount

How to get rid of accessory breast tissue?

Accessory breast tissue cannot be treated by any medicine as it is not a medical problem rather a surgical problem.

Treatment of accessory breast under-arm is  plastic surgery or minimally invasive tumescent Liposuction.

It is an office based treatment and do not require any hospital stay.

After careful examination your doctor will decide whether it will be removed by Liposuction or by giving a cut on the swelling.

Tumescent Liposuction is the recent novel method to treat axillary breast tissue without surgery. A study published in reputed Aesthetic Plastic Surgery journal also supports that liposuction give good results. This is done through a very small puncture in skin but if bulge is very large then extra skin removal will require surgery.

If this swelling has larger amount of breast gland than fat in that case surgery gives best result.

Surgeon gives a cut in such a way that it is not visible after surgery. It remains hidden in the natural lines in the axilla.

How long is this surgery take?

Treatment time by liposucton and surgery is variable but usually takes 1-2 hours.

How painful is accessory breast removal ?

It is almost painless procedure and performed by making the underarm numb or under local anaesthesia.

Side Effects or complication of Accessory Breast Treatment

Removal of accessory breast has no major side effects but minor ones are

-Swelling

-Bruises

-Tenderness

-Blood collection

-Incomplete removal