Polymastia Surgery (Accessory Breast Tissue)

Polymastia means extra breast tissue outside the normal breast, most often in the armpit. It is present from birth along the embryonic milk line and usually becomes noticeable at puberty or in pregnancy, when it swells and may become tender. Surgery removes this tissue.

Removal gets rid of the bulge and the cyclical discomfort. It leaves a scar in the armpit, and if loose skin is not addressed a fold can remain. Accessory tissue can develop the same diseases as normal breast, so new lumps in it should be checked.

What Polymastia Surgery (Accessory Breast Tissue) involves

Before surgery, ultrasound (and mammography if you are over 40) confirms that the swelling is breast tissue rather than a lipoma or lymph node. You are marked standing with arms down. Through an incision placed in a natural armpit crease, the surgeon dissects out the glandular tissue, which is firmer and whiter than fat, and removes it together with any excess skin and an accessory nipple if present. Liposuction may be added to thin the surrounding fat. The tissue is sent for pathology. A small drain may be placed, and a compression vest is fitted.

Who is a good candidate for Polymastia Surgery (Accessory Breast Tissue)?

It suits people with confirmed accessory breast tissue that causes symptoms or embarrassment.

• You have an armpit bulge that swells or aches with your menstrual cycle
• The tissue enlarged during pregnancy and did not go down afterwards
• It rubs on bra straps or restricts arm movement
• Imaging has confirmed benign accessory breast tissue

It is usually not the right choice if:

• The lump has not yet been assessed by ultrasound
• You are pregnant or breastfeeding; wait at least 6 months after finishing
• The fullness is simply fat in front of the armpit, which liposuction alone can treat
• You smoke and cannot stop around surgery

Technique options

• Direct excision: The reliable method for glandular tissue and skin excess.
• Liposuction alone: Only when the bulge is mostly fat; gland is too fibrous to suction well and recurrence is common.
• Excision plus liposuction: The usual combination for a smooth contour.
• Accessory nipple removal: A small local anaesthetic procedure when only an extra nipple is present.

What happens during your treatment

Surgery takes 1 to 2 hours for both sides, under general anaesthetic or local with sedation. It is normally a day case. Afterwards the armpits feel tight and sore, particularly when you lift your arms, and you wear a compression vest.

Preparing for your trip

Plan for 6 to 8 days in Istanbul. Your surgeon reviews photographs and your medical history before you book, and you meet in person the day before surgery for examination, marking and consent with a professional interpreter.

• Stop smoking and nicotine at least four weeks before and after surgery; it is the single biggest avoidable cause of wound problems
• Tell the team about every medicine and supplement you take; blood thinners, some herbal products and hormone treatment may need to be paused on your doctor's advice
• Arrange for someone to travel with you or to be reachable, and keep the first days at home free of work and lifting
• Book a changeable return flight; your surgeon confirms when you are fit to fly

Recovery and results

Drains, if used, come out in 1 to 3 days. Keep your arms below shoulder height for 2 weeks. Desk work is possible within a week; heavy lifting and gym work wait 4 to 6 weeks. Armpit wounds are moist and heal a little more slowly than elsewhere. Swelling settles by 3 months.

• Back to everyday activity: About 1 week
• When results show: Contour at 6 to 12 weeks
• How long they last: Permanent if gland fully removed

Safety, risks and revision policy

The armpit contains lymph channels and sensory nerves, which explains the typical problems.

• Seroma (fluid collection) needing needle drainage
• Numbness or tingling on the inner upper arm from the intercostobrachial nerve
• Wound infection or separation
• Contour irregularity or residual fullness
• Tight or thickened scar limiting arm lift for a while
• Recurrence if glandular tissue is left behind

Every written proposal arranged through Clinic-Y states what the clinic covers if a correction is needed. Ask for it before you book, not after.

Cost of Polymastia Surgery (Accessory Breast Tissue) in Türkiye

Clinic-Y does not publish a single price for Polymastia Surgery (Accessory Breast Tissue), because the honest figure depends on your case. What moves it:

• One or both sides
• Excision, liposuction or both
• Anaesthetic type
• Pathology and imaging needed beforehand

Send your photographs or reports and you receive written, all-inclusive proposals from suitable teams, side by side. Reviewing your case is free.

Frequently Asked Questions