Men, too, can suffer from enlarged breasts—the official term is “gynecomastia.” This may be the result of genetics, hormonal changes, drugs, or illness, and it’s quite common. Whatever the cause, over-developed breasts can lead to embarrassment, a negative self-image, and an avoidance of situations calling for men to go shirtless.
Male breast reduction surgery can reverse these effects and enhance one’s mental well-being by creating a flatter, more masculine chest profile. If the problem is primarily excess fat, liposuction can be performed to remove fat through tiny incisions in chest. Liposuction is frequently performed in combination with excisional gynecomastia procedures. Some amount of gynecomastia is found in all males, therefore insurance companies do not typically cover this procedure.
Gynecomastia Recovery and Results
Since gynecomastia surgery doesn’t involve the muscles, recovery is usually fairly quick. Most patients can return to work after about a week. Oral medication will be prescribed to deal with the initial discomfort. A compression wrap is worn for the first few days to reduce swelling. Vigorous exercise and heavy lifting should be avoided for a few weeks. Drains are sometimes but not always placed to remove swelling and fluid. The profile and shape will be noticeable immediately; however, it can take a couple of months for the swelling to completely disappear from your chest.
Gynecomastia Scars
Breast tissue is typically removed from an incision around the lower ½ of the areola. This leaves the scar well-hidden along the border of the areola that is not very noticeable even without a shirt. Additional liposuction incisions may be required on each side but are only a few mm in size. Scars can vary somewhat according to the size of the breasts and how much reduction is needed. In cases of extremely large breasts, additional incision may be required. Scars will eventually become flatter and fade.
