Gynecomastia
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Gynecomastia is a medical condition characterized by enlarged male breasts made up of excess fat and glandular tissue. Experts estimate that 40 to 60 percent of men are affected by gynecomastia, which can cause serious social and psychological problems, including anxiety and depression. Gynecomastia is diagnosed after a careful medical evaluation.
- If you are reluctant to remove your shirt in public, to swim, to participate in sports or to exercise at a gym.
- If you want to improve your overall body proportions.
- If you experience psychological discomfort associated with "man boobs" or large breasts.
- If you want to increase your social confidence.
The goal of gynecomastia surgery is to restore a normal male breast contour and to correct deformities of the breast, nipple or areola with minimal scars. Surgical options in this procedure include
- Excision (surgical removal of tissue)
- Liposuction (Purely fatty breast)
- Combination of both approaches
- Severe gynecomastia (Female like hanging breasts): Gland tissue plus skin excision (Long scars)
- If you have small breasts that are only fat, then your scars will be tiny (few millimeters, in a well-hidden location).
- With firm breast tissue, Dr. Date manages with a very small scar under the areola (again well hidden).
- If you have large female-like breasts, then the scars may extend across each side of your chest, but Dr. Date will attempt to hide them in a natural body crease.
- If the areolas are large and need reduction also, then the scar goes all the way around the areola.
- Depending on the procedure performed, you may need to rest for few days or up to a week.
- Swelling and bruising are normal after surgery. It increases till the 3rd day and usually subsides significantly by 3-4 weeks.
- You may resume low impact activities at two to three weeks; you may begin gentle upper extremity progressive resistance exercises at six weeks.
- Strenuous exercises including weight training should be avoided six weeks to ensure optimal healing.
- You need to follow up after one week and then at 6 weeks and 3 months and at one year
- A temporary insignificant decrease in sensation in the area around the operated wound usually subsides by one year for most.
- For improved skin retraction, upper bodyweight training can help in skin redraping.
- In some patients with diminished elasticity and larger initial size, there may be excess skin or skin creases that are more noticeable postoperatively. Most of these creases will persist for six to twelve months and reduce if post-operative instructions are followed well.
- Spontaneous shrinking of the entire areola up to 10-50 percent is seen over a period of one year.
Gynecomastia surgical results are permanent, assuming your weight is stable. If your condition arose from the use of medication or anabolic steroids, avoid further use of same to reduce chance of recurrence. Maintain a relationship with your aesthetic plastic surgeon. Continue following up with Dr. Date as recommended. Do not hesitate to contact Dr. Date when you have any questions or concerns.
Every procedure involves inherent risks. Although serious complications are extremely rare, Dr. Date educates every patient about potential risks.
Those risks can include scarring, the opening of the wound, discomfort for several days, bruising around the surgical sites, infection, bleeding, nerve and vessel injury, skin necrosis, deep venous thrombosis (clotting), and general anaesthesia-related issues.