Accessory breast tissue

[jlee132]

I was recently told that I have accessory breast tissue in my left axilla. I went to see a plastic surgeon but he refused to take it out surgically because he said that it would pretty much be horrible to leave me with such an ugly scar while i'm still young [20]. I've been researching alternatives, but it seems that the only options are to remove the surrounding fat with liposuction, which really doesn't solve the problem because I want to remove it just in case it turns to be something that could negatively affect me later, such as a tumor or cancer... or to surgically remove it. I came across some scholarly articles that discuss removing accessory breast tissue via ultrasound/liposuction, as well as liposuction but with a larger 3mm canula, which would both leave a very small scar.

However, these articles were published in countries such as Korea and China, and as much as I would love to remove the extra tissue without leaving myself with a large scar for the rest of my life, I discussed this with some other people and they said it would be quite risky to go out of the country to do it because of the different laws and uncertainty about what could happen. Since, if anything went wrong I wouldn't be able to do anything about it.

Any comments or suggestions of any other options would be greatly appreciated. Does anyone know of a type of procedure in the US that is reliable and would leave me with a minimal scar? Or anyone that can comment on reliability of procedures done out of the country. The one that I am most curious about is a procedure that was published in the Plastic Surgery Journal about using a 3mm canula to remove the tissue, and the procedure is done at a Beijing Medical Hospital in China. Thanks!

[abeer80]

I am abeer from Jordan
Yesterday i got a mamogram test for my breast where i am 46 yrs old
it showed an accessory breast on the left side
i went to a surgery doctor, but she said no any problem from this additional tissue and no need for surgery, she just gave me some medicine to reduce the pain
she told me that this tissue acts similarly the same as a breast and so prior to the period if i get a pain in my breast consequently i may have same pain in this additional tissue

Forme i advised all women upon reaching 40 yrs old to start testing her breast
really last days and prior to the mamogram test i was afraid of having another type of tumers which i ask our GOD not to let any one suffer from

GOD Bless u all

[Nadiatomas]

I have the lumps under my stout for all my life now and I had two kids and they just keep getting bigger and bigger and I hate them because I can't wear a bra without them hanging of to the side bulging off and pointing out under my cloth. I am so embarred because I can't be with my partner and take my cloth off. Because of this I hate myself.  I want to get them remove but don't have the money and my insurance do not cover it. What can I do am so embarrass of myself . I am so hurt for years now because of this

[LC2]

When I was 14, I noticed this very painful swelling in my right armpit. I told my mom and went to the doctors, they have me an ultrasound and said it wasn't anything to worry about. I remember her telling me that it was probably an irritated lymph node or just fat and it would probably go away. Well... 7 years later it got bigger, the pain got worse and it is ugly. I cannot even wear tank tops anymore. I was pregnant and just gave birth to my baby 2 1/2 weeks ago. During the pregnancy, my armpit was so irritated. I guess my milk started to come in the lump was a hard as a tennis ball. All these years I thought that I had breast cancer or something but when I went and got a mammogram test done, they said that it wasn't anything threatening either. I finally asked my new doctor for advice and what I should do and she told me that is was an accessory breast tissue. She referred to me to a surgeon and I am getting it removed in 2 weeks. I am hoping that the surgery goes smoothly. I just hope my medical insurance covers it now. If I would've gotten it removed 7 years ago, it would've been 100% covered. If you have a any lumps anywhere on your body, DO NOT WAIT. The lump can get bigger and it could be something worse if you don't do anything about it. I rather have a couple of scars then a lump under my armpit. I hope my story helps anyone with the same problem.  

[Argante]

I got a similar runaround by a doctor when I was in my 20's. This was when my 'extra breasts' first started growing. When I went to a doc because of the painful lumps that suddenly appeared in my armpits, she just blew me off. I guess I was "too young" for breast cancer. Even back then I wanted them removed, and that was before they got gigantic. Eventually a doctor told me I had ancillary breast tissue and that is was nothing to worry about. I've lived with this for 20 years and feel really stupid now that I find out it's a simple fix. DO NOT WAIT. DO NOT listen to a doctor who poo poo's your pain. First priority is to check for cancer. Get a mamogram, sonnogram and MRI. Biopsy any lumps. If your lumps are just healthy breast tissue, then you can decide if you want them removed. In my opinion, a small scar is much better than a breast where one doesn't belong!

[am_now_healing]

Hi there, I have only limited information but have learned about axillary ectopic breast tissue, which I think is different than accessory breast. Mine was glandular tissue, not fat, so liposuction was not an option.

Due to our hormones these things can continue to grow, I hear when you get pregnant they get huge and can come back even if you've had surgery.

I had mine growing for 8 years (noticed it when I was 24) and was told similar things "Oh you don't want that big scar..." Well, after 8 years and constant pain in the lump I decided a scar didn't matter. It was a bit of a mystery these last 8 years, I didn't fully understand what was happening to me.

The scar is 3" and shaped like a U. They used minimal dissolvable stitches on the external layer of skin and steri-strips which basically hold your skin in place. It's been 2 weeks and 3 days and my scar looks like hot pink line. Not as gruesome as others I've seen.

I was told that when we're babies in utero our breast tissue cells start in the armpit and then move down to where they belong. Sometimes they leave a trail and there are those few of us that get excess growing breast tissue. Pregnancy or taking the birth control pill even can change our hormone levels and trigger the growth. Not everyone experiences pain, and my surgery may not have cured my pain BUT I now don't have a large lump that my arm squishes into my breast all day long. So I'm hopeful that the problem is mostly solved. And I really hope it never grows back!

Good luck with your research, but depending on what you have, lipo may not be an option...