Liposuction Of The Axillary Rolls Gallery

Before and after liposuction of the axillary rolls in a 29-year-old woman. At the same time as a breast reduction, she wanted to improve the contour of her armpits. Liposuction is usually added to breast surgeries, when appropriate and needed for contouring. It is used as a tool to less invasively remove fat and breast tissue from the axillae (armpits) and bra rolls.

Liposuction requires creation of 1-2 tiny incisions (2-3 millimeters in diameter) in the armpit region to access the fat deposit. Tumescent solution containing sterile warmed normal saline (saltwater), lidocaine (local anesthetic) and epinephrine (adrenaline) is injected, and a blunt wand is used to permanently remove fat. A dissolving stitch is used to close the incision, and a waterproof dressing was applied followed by a compressive wrap.

When liposuction of the axillary rolls is done by itself as the primary procedure, we offer patients surgery awake, under local anesthesia. Inhaled laughing gas and an oral anti-anxiety medication help take the edge off the stinging of numbing injections and allow for a relaxed, calm experience. We use an eye cover, play music of our patients’ choice and give “ESBs” (emotional support boobs/breast implants) to squeeze!

Follow up photos are shown 6 months after surgery, with a dramatically improved contour of her armpits! If liposuction alone was performed (without the breast reduction), she would have taken one week off work and 3-4 weeks off exercise. Breast reduction recovery is much more significant and requires a month off work and longer before exercise can resume (6 weeks on average).

This patient now feels comfortable wearing tank tops for the first time since she was a young girl!