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After the mastectomies I have what my surgeon referred to as back fat, under my armpits towards my back. Can it easily be removed?

A MyBCTeam Member asked a question 💭
Davenport, FL
March 13
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A MyBCTeam Member

Hi Glammy. I had the same problem after my double mastectomy. It was so bad that it hurt to rest my arms at my sides as it went from under my armpits and wrapped around to the outer edges of my back. For almost 5 years I couldn't rest my arms at my sides because the pressure would hurt those underarm fat blobs and they would bruise easily. It's really hard to hold your arms up from your armpits all the time. I had to sleep with pillows under my arms too.

My initial plastic surgeon had butchered me. The doctor that redid and fixed the carnage from the first doctor was able to use some of armpit tissue because it shifted a bit during the reconstruction surgeries. I had a total of 5 surgeries with this doctor to re-do everything so I at least looked normal when dressed and looking in the mirror. At my last surgery he fine tuned and tweaked things to make my chest look better by doing some fat grafts to help with symmetry and he also cut out and removed the fat blobs. The recovery was super easy compared to the mastectomy. Once I healed it did take a while to get used to being able to rest my arms at my sides again, but I felt and looked so much better afterwards and I would definitely recommend having the surgery done.

March 13 (edited)
MyBCTeam

Can the back fat under your armpits be easily removed after mastectomy?

The back fat or fullness under your armpits after mastectomy can potentially be addressed, but it's not always a simple fix. This area is sometimes called "axillary fullness" and can occur after breast surgery.

Your options may include:

* Liposuction Show Full Answer

Can the back fat under your armpits be easily removed after mastectomy?

The back fat or fullness under your armpits after mastectomy can potentially be addressed, but it's not always a simple fix. This area is sometimes called "axillary fullness" and can occur after breast surgery.

Your options may include:

* Liposuction to remove excess fat in that area
* Revision surgery to contour and reshape the tissue
* Waiting to see if swelling decreases naturally over time (healing can take 6-8 months)

However, removal isn't always straightforward because:

* The area near your armpits may have had lymph nodes removed, which affects how surgery can be done
* There's a risk of lymphedema (fluid buildup) if you've had lymph node removal
* Your surgeon needs to be careful about the delicate tissue in that region

The best approach is to discuss this directly with your plastic surgeon or oncology team. They can evaluate your specific situation, consider your lymph node status, and recommend the safest option for you. Some people find that compression garments can help minimize the appearance while you're deciding on next steps.

March 13

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