Gynecomastia Treatment

Breast Reduction for Men

Male breast reduction surgery at The Peer Group Plastic Surgery Center in Florham Park, serving all of northern New Jersey, helps men embarrassed about the appearance of their chests achieve a more ideal body contour. Gynecomastia is a common condition in which a man’s chest develops excess fat and glandular tissue that creates an appearance similar to protruding breasts. It is estimated that anywhere from 40 to 60 percent of all men will develop gynecomastia at some point in their lives. Although some drugs and medical problems are believed to increase the risk that a man will experience gynecomastia, the actual causes of the condition are unknown. Men who suffer from gynecomastia may feel self-conscious about their appearance and avoid situations in which his gynecomastia would be noticeable, such as visits to the beach. Gynecomastia treatment through plastic surgery can alleviate the problem, as you can see in photographs of patients taken before and after breast reduction.

Male Breast Reduction Procedure

Male breast reduction is performed under local anesthesia with intravenous sedation or under general anesthesia, both on an outpatient basis. Breast reduction surgery typically takes one to three hours. Several techniques can be utilized in male breast reduction, depending on the extent of the procedure. If the enlarged breasts are primarily caused by excessive fatty tissue, liposuction can be performed through tiny incisions to remove the excess fat. The incision may be made around the edge of the areola (the area around the nipple) or in the underarm. If excess glandular tissue is the primary cause of the enlarged breast, the tissue will be excised, or cut out, in addition to liposuction.

In more extreme instances when large amounts of fat or glandular tissue have been removed during breast reduction surgery, excess skin may have remained that has not reshaped well to the new contour of the breast. In these cases, the excess skin may have to be removed as well. The incisions are then closed using sutures and are usually covered with a dressing. The chest may be wrapped to keep the skin firmly in place.

Male Breast Reduction Recovery

After breast reduction surgery, patients will experience some bruising, swelling, and discomfort. This discomfort usually dissipates after a few days and can be reduced with prescribed medication. To help reduce swelling, an elastic pressure garment should be worn for about two weeks, and at night for several weeks during recovery from breast reduction. Swelling and any skin discoloration will partially subside after a week or two, at which time stitches will be removed.

You will be encouraged to walk around on the day of your breast reduction surgery and can expect to return to work in approximately one week. You may also begin light aerobic exercise after a week, but you should avoid strenuous activities for about three to four weeks post breast reduction surgery.

Risks and Complications of Male Breast Reduction

As with all surgical procedures, male breast reduction surgery contains a possibility of complication. Although rare, these complications include:

• Skin injury
• Infection
• Excessive bleeding
• Excessive fluid accumulation or loss
• Loss of nipple sensation
• Discoloration
• Scarring
• Asymmetrical breasts or nipples