Gynecomastia is a condition in which the breast tissue in a male enlarges, giving the appearance of breasts. Gynecomastia can occur due to several reasons. For some men, it is a genetic predisposition, while in others it can occur due to obesity, hormonal changes, and the use of certain drugs.
Gynecomastia occurs around the time of puberty and in many cases goes away on its own without treatment. However, in some children, it tends to persist throughout their life. It can affect confidence and cause people who suffer from this condition to shy away from sports and other physical activities.
Cosmetic surgery has a solution for gynecomastia. The male breast reduction surgery.
What Is The Male Breast Reduction Surgery?
The male breast reduction surgery is a cosmetic procedure designed to remove the excess tissue responsible for the development of male breasts. It can help provide men with a more masculine chest that they won’t feel the need to hide. It is a safe and highly effective procedure that provides men with long-lasting results.
How Is A Male Breast Reduction Surgery Performed?
The procedure begins with the application of an anesthetic to help ease any discomfort that may be caused during the surgery. The type of anesthesia chosen depends on your overall health and the surgeon’s discretion. Once the anesthesia has taken effect, surgeons use either of two techniques to contour and sculpt your chest.
If the gynecomastia is largely the result of excess fat cells, the surgeon may use liposuction to suction out the excess fat. Liposuction is a technique in which a cannula is inserted through an incision into areas from which fat has to be removed. The excess fat cells are then suctioned out of the cannula.
The surgeon may combine liposuction with excision if there is excess skin and tissue that needs to be removed. In this case, the size of the areola may be reduced and the nipples may have to be repositioned.
The type of incisions used during the procedure depends on the technique and the extent of fat and tissue that has to be removed.
Following the removal of the excess skin and fat, the skin is pulled over the chest and the incisions closed.
Who Is A Good Candidate For Male Breast Reduction?
Any healthy male over the age of 18 that has enlarged breast tissue that won’t go away despite much effort may be an eligible candidate for a male breast reduction surgery. Breast development in the patient should be stabilized at the time of the surgery or it cannot be performed.
During the weeks leading up to the surgery, you need to refrain from smoking, drinking, or taking painkillers such as aspirin or ibuprofen.
What To Expect After The Surgery
Immediately after the surgery, you are likely to experience swelling and bruising around the treatment area. This is a temporary side effect of the surgery and is likely to subside soon after. Using ice packs can help bring down the swelling.
The results of the surgery will be visible once all the swelling has completely come down. With a healthy lifestyle, you can maintain the results over a long time.
Contact Our Office
Interested in undergoing a male breast reduction surgery? Contact Main Line Institute of Plastic Surgery to schedule your initial consultation with Dr. Ryan S. Hoffman to learn more about the surgical options available to you.