Gynecomastia Surgery (Male Breast Reduction)

What is Gynecomastia?

• Gynecomastia (enlargement of the male breast tissue) is a condition which can run in families.
• It can be made up of excess glandular tissue, fatty tissue or excess chest skin (in varying ratios).
• There are some medical causes of Gynecomastia which include: the use of certain drugs (i.e. marijuana, smoking) and conditions such as liver disease.
• Some cases are associated with weight gain. If you are concerned that you may have Gynecomastia, it would be of benefit to reduce your weight as this may improve the situation.
• If you are taking any medications such as steroids, these can also make the problem worse so should be stopped if possible.
• In most cases, however, the Gynecomastia is idiopathic (meaning ‘no cause found for the condition’).

Reasons for Gynecomastia Surgery

There are many reasons why men of all ages and physical builds seek a surgical solution. Some common factors which influence their decision include:

• Embarrassment, particularly when changing in public.
• Problems with sexual relationships.
• Unhappiness with physical appearance and outline in clothing.
• Emotional conflict over sexual identity.

What is involved?

There are various different methods for treating the condition. These depend on the area, tissue composition and degree of severity. The options include:

• Exercise to bring weight down to your ideal BMI range (20-25 depending on your body frame).
• Consulting your GP to eliminate underlying causes i.e. health problems / medication triggers.
• Camouflage using compression garments.
• Painkillers for any tenderness.
• Surgical treatment: Excision techniques, Liposuction techniques or a combination of both.

How it can be treated:

Liposuction:

• Suitable for men with moderate enlargement of their breasts, without significant excess chest skin.
• Can be performed under either local or general anaesthetic.
• Removes the fatty component from the breast tissue.
• New Vaser-Liposuction techniques may be more effective, using Ultrasound energy to liquefy fat before it is removed.
• Liposuction will not remove the breast gland tissue as this is not composed of fatty tissue

 Excision:

• Suitable for larger degrees of Gynecomastia.
• May result in a flatter chest.
• Can be combined with liposuction.
• A cut is usually located around the areola (the area around the nipple) to access the breast tissue.

Your recovery:

• Your recovery depends on whether you have had liposuction or excisional surgery:
• If you had liposuction, you will normally be back to everyday activities within one week of your surgery. You will be encouraged to wear a light support garment for 4-6 weeks following the procedure to gently compress your chest area. This reduces swelling and bruising and speeds recovery.
• Recovery from the excisional technique is slightly longer because of the incision around your nipple area. Your stitches may need to be trimmed around one week after your operation. You may also need to wear a support garment in the same fashion as if you had liposuction (see above).

Things to be aware of:

• Surgery is NOT a solution if you are carrying excess weight. It is important to achieve a normal weight before this procedure.
• You need to discuss with your surgeon which type of surgery is most appropriate for you.
• Following excisional surgery and liposuction you will have permanent scars on your chest, although these will fade.

Your results:

• The aim is to reduce prominent breast tissue and achieve a more natural contour to your chest area.
• This procedure is considered permanent and your Gynecomastia is unlikely to recur unless you put on more weight.

If you would like to see how the procedure is performed, please view some of our male breast reduction information videos on this procedure.