Is liposuction during a breast reduction the best way to reduce bulk at the side and under the arms?

I have done this procedure many times with myself and a plastic surgeon. I do HI def body contouring and the surgeon will do the lift/implant at the same time. This will give you the best results. I suggest you see an expert who works with other surgeons at the same time to get your best results and can formally evaluate you to see if you are a candidate. Best, Dr. Emer

Becky.  Hard to answer without photos, but generally speaking, Lateral breast fullness best treated with direct excision and removal of redundant skin(your friend was right!). There are various techniques to accomplish this. Be sure to consult with a board certified plastic surgeon. Good Luck!

Either liposuction or dermolipectomy of the lateral breast can be the preferred choice depending on your shape and expectations. A photo may help in suggesting what may be more suitable for you, but the suggestion of surgeon who has examined you will be of more use to you. 

Thank you for your question.  The decision to perform liposuction vs skin removal really depends on whether there is any excess skin in the area.  Do you have a roll of skin and fat that hangs over on the sides of your chest extending out from your breasts?  If so, you may need the incision to be taken out further to the side.  However, if you simply have fullness in the area without excess skin, then liposuction may be the best answer.  Without photos or an in-person evaluation, we cannot make recommendations for you.  Best wishes!

Liposuction is an excellent way to reduce the fullness to the side of the breast and chest, and the under arm and we use this technique for most breast reduction procedures. It also is very helpful for shaping with a short scar or vertical reduction for those who are candidates.

In many cases, I prefer to liposuction the lateral chest and armpit region if necessary because I feel that extending the scar may blunt the lateral appearance of the breast in  many cases.

Becky,Thanks for the question.  I routinely use liposuction of the lateral breasts and the anterior axilla (fat accumulation in front of the armpit above the breasts) while doing breast reductions.  This allows for a much nicer shape postoperatively.Best of luck.Dr T

Liposuction under the arm is commonly done with a breast reduction. The result depends on how tight or loose your skin is. For loose skin, it may be better to extend the scar and remove the loose skin. 

Congratulations on your decision to proceed with breast reduction surgery; this operation tends to be one of the most patient pleasing operations be performed.  The answer to your question is: it depends. For some patients, liposuction surgery alone does a very nice job when it comes to contouring the lateral chest wall areas.  For other patients, who have significant amount of redundant skin and/or loss of skin elasticity in the  lateral chest wall areas, direct excision of the excess skin AKA lipectomy (usually an extension of the breast reduction procedure)  plus/minus  liposuction surgery may be necessary. My best advice: select your plastic surgeon very carefully.  Then, communicate your goals/concerns carefully as well. Working together you will come up with a good plan to achieve the desired outcome. Best wishes.