Gynecomastia Surgery Guide

Male breast reduction surgery is the best treatment for gynecomastia. Gynecomastia is a condition where a man’s breasts become enlarged, typically due to a hormone concern or genetics. Male breast reduction surgery is a procedure that will remove the fat and excess tissue to restore you to a flatter and more masculine appearance.

Why Have Surgery?

Men might choose to have male breast reduction surgery for any number of reasons, but some of the most common include:

• Weight loss: Sometimes when losing weight, men might notice that there is still excess glandular tissue remaining, despite losing fat in other locations. This will become more noticeable as you continue to slim down, resulting in the appearance of breasts. When this happens, you might want to show off your new, slim physique, only to be less confident in doing so.
• Self-esteem: Even if weight loss was not a factor, you might be uncomfortable having breasts that are more noticeable, making you apprehensive in showing off your chest. With the help of Dr. Pirani, you can regain your self-confidence and show off your chest without concern.

The Procedure

The procedure itself is an outpatient surgery, so typically you will be able to go home the same day as the procedure. The surgery itself should take about two hours and is performed under general anaesthesia, so you will be unable to drive yourself there or home.

The procedure method can vary depending on the cause of the increased breast size. If the gynecomastia was caused by extra fatty tissue within the breast, a liposuction procedure will be used. In this case, the doctor will make several small incisions that should be hard to see once healed. Through the incisions, the doctor will inset a thin, hollow tube called a cannula which will loosen the excess fat. Then, the fat will be finally removed through suction.

In the case that you have excess glandular breast tissue, a different removal method will be used. This procedure is known as an excision. This is also used when the areola will need to be reduced in size or moved to a better position on the breast. This is more of an incision than liposuction, but the doctor will attempt to make any incisions minimal and well-placed.

There are cases where both liposuction and an excision will need to be used to achieve the desired results. Dr. Pirani will be able to access your specific needs before determining the right choice for you.

The Recovery

Your recovery will depend on the type of procedure that you had to treat your gynecomastia. You will leave the procedure with bandages and dressings across the incisions as well as a support bandage to help prevent swelling. The support can also help to recontour your chest to a more desirable shape as the breast heals following surgery. You will need to wear a pressure garment for 3 to 6 weeks as your chest heals.

In some cases, you might need a very small, thin, and temporary tube that will help to drain off fluid or blood that collects within the chest. This will be removed after a few days, if it is needed at all. Additionally, you can expect some bruising, swelling and tenderness in the area.

You will need to avoid the sun for 6 months after the surgery in order to protect the scars as well and when you do expose your chest to the sun, make sure you are wearing adequate sunscreen.

The Long Term

A male breast reduction surgery should be permanent, but there are some risks that you should take into consideration. If you are not a diet plan that you can keep up with long term, you should wait on the surgery. With excessive weight gain, you are likely to find yourself back to where you were before having the procedure.

Additionally, if the increase in breast size was caused due to hormonal concerns or medication, you will need to make sure that the risks are resolved before delving into surgery.

No one should have to live with the discomfort of enlarged breasts. If you suffer from gynecomastia, call Dr. Pirani and schedule a consultation today.