Armpit fat removal is becoming a very popular type of cosmetic surgery. After all, fatty deposits in the armpit area can cause low self-confidence and poor self-esteem. Liposuction to remove the excess fat in this area can transform your appearance for the better. Without troublesome armpit fat, you can wear strappy tops and strapless dresses again. You won’t have to worry about unwanted folds under your arms spoiling your stylish look. However, if you are breastfeeding, you may need to consider stopping before undergoing your procedure. Here, we look at the reasons for this in more detail.
Waiting for Liposuction After Pregnancy
Many women choose to stop breastfeeding once their baby is around 6 months of age. If your baby is less than 6 months old, you should wait longer before having liposuction anyway. It takes time for your body to return to its prepregnancy shape. Breastfeeding can help promote weight loss after delivering your baby. You may find you shed the fat naturally with dieting and exercise if you wait a little longer. Therefore, you may not have to remove your armpit fat. Surgeons recommend you wait for at least six months after your baby is born before having any liposuction. This will ensure that you’ve given your body enough time to recover after giving birth. It will also have given you ample opportunity to shed the excess pregnancy weight yourself naturally. If stubborn fat deposits remain in your armpits after this period, you can ask about liposuction.
Why Is It Best to Stop Breastfeeding Before Liposuction?
If you are still breastfeeding after your baby is 6 months old, you should consider stopping before having lipo. There are several reasons why breastfeeding can be problematic if you’re having liposuction. First, you will need to be away from your baby for several hours when having your procedure. This will be difficult if you are feeding on demand.
Second, after your procedure, you will have a period of recovery. You will experience bruising, pain, and swelling in your armpit area. As this is close to your breasts, you may find breastfeeding very uncomfortable or even painful. Also, you will need to wear a compression garment for several weeks to promote effective healing. This will be difficult to manage if you are breastfeeding.
Medications will also pass to your baby through your breastmilk. If you take prescribed painkillers after your procedure, they will affect your baby. This is not desirable. You would, therefore, need to wait until after you stop taking medication to resume breastfeeding. This could be several days. This is problematic if you are still breastfeeding regularly.
How Long After Stopping Breastfeeding Can I Have Armpit Fat Lipo?
When you stop breastfeeding, your body will go through natural changes. Hormonal shifts will cause your shape to alter. You should, therefore, wait for some time after quitting breastfeeding before having any liposuction surgery. Since breast tissue can affect armpit fat, it’s important to wait until you stop breastfeeding. After about three months, your body should have resumed its natural shape. If you still have excess armpit fat at this time, you can seek out armpit fat liposuction.
What If I Don’t Want to Stop Breastfeeding?
Technically, it would be possible to continue breastfeeding and to have liposuction at the same time. However, it would be very challenging to do this. You would need to spend some time before your procedure expressing your milk. You would need to ensure that you had produced a sufficient supply for around a week. This would cover the period of your surgery, as well as the recovery time afterward.
You would also need to ensure that you had stored the milk properly to keep it fresh. Of course, you would also need to express your milk on the day of your procedure. In addition, you would need to express milk during your recovery period to keep up your supply. This could be uncomfortable and challenging. You would also need to dispose of that milk instead of feeding it to your baby. This is because the pain medications you will be taking will have passed into the breastmilk. It would, therefore, not be safe to give it to your little one. Although you could attempt this course of action, you can see how it might be difficult to execute.
Seeking Advice from A Cosmetic Surgeon
It’s best to consult with an experienced cosmetic surgeon to learn more about stopping breastfeeding and having armpit liposuction. Here at Artlipo, you can be confident that our team members are experts in the field. We can offer you all the advice and information you need to make an informed decision about your procedure. Contact us today to inquire about armpit fat removal.
Dr. Thomas Su, is the owner and cosmetic surgeon of Artistic Lipo. He has led our full-time clinic specializing in awake-only liposuction since 2007. Dr. Su began his medical career in internal medicine, practicing that until 2005, when he began to provide a full spectrum of non-invasive cosmetic procedures.
