Gynecomastia

GYNECOMASTIA

Gynecomastia is the enlargement of breast tissue in men that is caused by a hormone imbalance as a result of puberty, aging, or as a side effect of medication. It is estimated that 40 to 60 percent of men suffer from enlarged male breasts at some point in their life, often resulting in physical and emotional discomfort. The overall effect is to deliver a more sculpted, aesthetically pleasing breast and chest area, firmer to the touch and with tightened, smooth overlying skin.

Excessive breast development, or gynaecomastia, in males can be caused by:

  • A natural hormone imbalance, e.g. oestrogen / testosterone
  • Weight gain or obesity
  • Medical condition, e.g. testicular disease, cirrhosis
  • Steroid use

Facts

TIME REQUIRED

1-2 hours

ANESTHESIA

General Anesthesia

RECOVERY TIME

1-2 Weeks

SUCCESS RATE

Very High Success Rate

What does Gynecomastia fix?

A number of factors can lead to gynecomastia.

Gynecomastia can stem from an imbalance between the sex hormones testosterone and estrogen. Estrogen, the “female” hormone, makes breast tissue grow, while testosterone, the “male” hormone, stops estrogen from making breast tissue grow.

All males and females have both testosterone and estrogen, but testosterone occurs in higher proportions in males, while females have higher levels of estrogen.

Swollen breasts become more common among males as they approach middle and older age. Older men produce less testosterone, and they usually have more fat than younger men. This, too, can result in a higher production of estrogen.

Pre-op Preparation

  1. You must be fasted prior to your procedure – Do not eat, drink (even water) or Chew anything for at least 6 hours before your procedure.
  2. Notify American Aesthetic Medical Center of any other medication that you are currently taking.
  3. Do not take any medication that contains aspirin, or take anti-inflammatory or herbal medication for two weeks before your procedure. Aspirin thins the blood and this can result in unnecessary blood loss during your procedure.
  4. Please stop smoking for four weeks before and four weeks after your procedure. Smoking decreases blood flow to the skin and may delay healing.
  5. Do not drink any alcohol for two days after the procedure as it can interfere with the anesthetic you are given on the day.
  6. If you have a gastric band you will need to have a fluid diet the day before your surgery and fast for at least 8hrs on the day of your procedure.
  7. Do not wear any nail polish or jewelry to the hospital and leave any valuables at home.
  8. It is recommended that you take a loose shirt that buttons down the front with you to the hospital to wear home. This will make getting dressed easier as you will not have to lift your arms.

Post-op Care

  1. After the procedure you will have a firm bandage around your chest and you may also have a drain in each side of your chest. These will be removed, depending on the amount of drainage 24 – 48 hours after surgery as instructed by our doctor.
  2. A general anesthetic can take some days to recover from and if you feel a little slow and not quite yourself for a few days this is probably quite normal. Just take it easy and rest for the next few days.
  3. You will be required to wear a post-operative compression garment day and night for 6 weeks. The first 3 weeks during the day and night, and the second 3 weeks only at nights.
  4. You will be given oral pain relief to take home.
  5. Our doctor will prescribe antibiotics for the week after the procedure. You should continue to take them until they are finished.
  6. Do not lift anything heavy for three to four weeks. Avoid sporting activities for four to six weeks.
  7. You will need to see the doctor one week after the operation. The tapes on your chest that remain will be removed at this visit.
  8. One week after the tape has been removed you may begin massaging the scars with Vitamin E cream. This will need to be done for a minute or two twice a day for the first three months to aid in the healing of the scar.
  9. No spray tanning on the suture lines for at least 6 weeks after your surgery

Before & After

Benefits of Gynecomastia

The benefits of male breast reduction surgery are both cosmetic and psychological, and include:

  1. Firmer, leaner upper chest area
  2. Tightened chest skin and elasticity
  3. More masculine looking chest
  4. Ability to wear tighter cut clothes/t-shirts
  5. Improved sense of emotional wellbeing

FAQ

Men who have a chest that is disproportionately large from some combination of fat or glandular tissue. This process can be normal in adolescents and subside by the late teens. But surgery can be done on mid-teens if the deformity is so severe that in consultation with the patient’s pediatrician it is agreed that the patient would benefit from male breast reduction surgery.

Male breast reduction takes approximately 1 ½ – 2 hours. Plan on being at American Aesthetic Medical Center for around 3 hours on the day of your surgery. Since you will be coming out of anesthesia, you will need someone to drive you home from the center and stay with you for 24 hours after the surgery.

Since you will be coming out of anesthesia, you will need someone to drive you home from the center and stay with you for 24 hours after the surgery. You should expect some bruising and swelling on the chest. You will wear a compression vest for 6 weeks and keep your activity light. Depending on your case, you may need drain tubes. Most patients take one week off of work, although you are free to go back to work after the drain tubes are removed.

Gynecomastia results in minimal scarring, with most scars being hidden under the armpit. If your male breast reduction is combined with a lift, you will have scars around your areola that are hidden in the pigment changes of your skin.

The most common complication is accumulation of blood in the wound. This is not a serious complication and many times, the blood can be drained with a needle. Occasionally, we have to open the wound to drain. Areolar loss (loss of sensation in the areola) may also occur.

So long as your work doesn’t involve straining and heavy lifting, you can expect to be back to work about three days after gynecomastia surgery. Some people go back even sooner, and many work from home the next day.