Gynecomastia - Plastic Surgery Procedures

Gynecomastia

Enlarged male breasts, also known as gynecomastia, can cause emotional discomfort and impair your self confidence. Gynecomastia is characterized by:

Excess localized fat
Excess glandular tissue development
A combination of both excess fat and glandular tissue
Gynecomastia may present unilaterally (one breast) or bilaterally (both breasts)
Gynecomastia can be surgically treated by removing excess fat, glandular tissue and/or skin. The result is a better proportioned, more masculine-contoured upper body and the freedom and self confidence to lead an active life.

Procedural steps: Surgical removal of excess tissue is performed by excision and/or liposuction. This procedure can include areola reduction.

Your results: Initial swelling should dissipate in 2-4 weeks. Final results may appear in 2-4 months. Incision lines will continue to fade for up to 1 year. Significant weight gain can reverse results.

Procedural Steps
What happens during gynecomastia correction surgery?
Plastic surgery to correct gynecomastia is technically called reduction mammaplasty, and reduces breast size, flattening and enhancing the chest contours.

In severe cases of gynecomastia, the weight of excess breast tissue may cause the breasts to sag and stretch the areola (the dark skin surrounding the nipple). In these cases the position and size of the areola can be surgically improved and excess skin may be reduced.

Anesthesia
Medications are administered for your comfort during the surgical procedure. The choices include intravenous sedation and general anesthesia. Your doctor will recommend the best choice for you.

Liposuction
In cases where gynecomastia is primarily the result of excess fatty tissue, liposuction techniques alone may be used.

This requires insertion of a cannula, a thin hollow tube, through several small incisions. The cannula is moved back and forth in a controlled motion to loosen the excess fat, which is then removed from the body by vacuum suction.

There are various liposuction techniques that may be used; the technique most appropriate in your case will be defined prior to your procedure.

Excision
Excision techniques are recommended where glandular breast tissue or excess skin must be removed to correct gynecomastia.

Excision also is necessary if the areola will be reduced, or the nipple repositioned to a more natural male contour. Incision patterns vary depending on the specific conditions and surgical preference.

Sometimes gynecomastia is treated with both liposuction and excision.

Will there be scars?
Any surgical treatment to correct gynecomastia will require incisions. While most incision lines are concealed within natural contours, some may be visible and are a necessary result of breast reduction surgery.

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