Gynecomastia

Gynecomastia: Male Breast Reduction Surgery

Gynecomastia surgery or male breast reduction surgery is a surgical procedure that removes excess breast or fatty tissue from a man’s chest. Starting in childhood and adolescence, many male children develop excess fatty deposits on their chests similar to breast tissue. In a significant percent of these patients, the excess tissue fails to resolve and these male patients have a persistence of ‘breast tissue’ for life.

The presence of male breast fatty tissue can understandably lead to considerable displeasure in one’s appearance. As such, men are frequently insecure about their bodies and many do not feel comfortable being seen without a shirt. This can not only lead to problems during intimacy but may limit many activities. 

Fortunately, there are several excellent options available at INTERCOUNTY COSMETIC SURGERY

Reasons for Considering Gynecomastia Surgery or Male Breast Reduction Surgery:

• Presence of prominent male breast tissue
• Inability to improve with diet and exercise
• Embarassment or insecurity with one's body

The Male Breast Reduction Procedure

The specific procedure selected to treat gynecomastia and reduce the male breasts depends upon the extent of the fatty tissue present. In patients with mild excess of tissue present. Liposuction alone may be sufficient to produce desirable results. Here tiny incisions are made and a narrow cannula is used to inject a tumescent solution into the breast tissue. Next liposuction of the area is performed and the excess fatty breast tissue is suctioned and removed. This can create a marked improvement in the contour of the chest.  In patients with a moderate to severe excess of tissue, surgical excision is usually needed in addition to liposuction. Here an incision is neatly placed at the margin of the nipple and the excess fatty tissue beneath is directly excised. The excised tissue is carefully tapered to produce a natural contour.

Male breast reduction surgery is performed as an outpatient procedure and usually takes any where from one to three hours depending on the amount of breast tissue present and type of procedure performed. Patients are typically discharged home later the same day following surgery.

Recovery following Male Breast Reduction 

Depending on the type of male breast reduction performed for gynecomastia, your time off from work may be as little as a weekend or as long as a week, depending on your line of work. After surgery your chest will be wrapped in a special compression binder. This binder will need to be worn for about a month. In general the procedure is very well tolerated. Pain after surgery is usually very well controlled with oral pain medications.

Dr. Ravi will ask you to refrain from any strenuous activity for anywhere from two to four weeks, depending on the type of surgery performed. Complications after male breast reduction are rare, and can be minimized by carefully following Dr. Ravi's postop instructions.

To find out if you'd be a good candidate for gynecomastia surgery or male breast reduction surgery in New York, schedule your complimentary consultation with Dr. Ravi, call us at (718) 497-6070.