Common Questions About Gynecomastia

Gynecomastia is a rarely talked about surgical procedure, but is reported to affect around 50 percent of the male population. Gynecomastia refers to enlarged breasts (either one or both) in males.

For this surgery, The Centre, P.C. recommends the use of the VitaMedica Surgery Program, a comprehensive pre- and post-surgery nutritional supplement system designed specifically for patients undergoing extensive surgical procedures, such as gynecomastia.

At your first consultation, your cosmetic surgeon will review your medical history, examine your breast and check for possible causes. Causes may include impaired liver function, certain steroids and the use of medications containing estrogen. In some cases, your surgeon may recommend a mammogram to rule out the possibility of breast cancer and to check the composition of the breast.

Cosmetic surgery may be discouraged for obese or overweight men who have not first attempted to correct the problem with exercise or weight loss. Also, individuals who drink alcoholic beverages in excess or smoke marijuana are usually not considered good candidates for surgery. These drugs, along with anabolic steroids, may cause gynecomastia. Therefore, patients are first directed to stop the use of these drugs to see if the breast fullness will diminish before surgery is considered an option.

If you have medical insurance and are requesting your insurance company to pay for gynecomastia, you will need a letter of predetermination from your plastic surgeon. In addition, you will need to check your policy in regard to coverage.

After your consultation, your surgeon will determine which procedure will effectively aid in the reduction of your breasts. Your surgery may depend upon the composition of your breasts. If the gynecomastia is due to excess glandular tissue, the surgeon will need to remove the tissue, leaving a small incision around the areola. If your enlarged breasts are due to excessive fatty tissue, then your surgeon may opt to remove the fat with liposuction. Liposuction will require a small incision followed by the insertion of a slim hollow tube called a cannula to suction the excess fat. To achieve an optimal result, your surgeon also may elect to use more than one technique if both glandular and fatty tissue are excessive.

In some cases if the amounts of glandular or fat tissue are overly excessive, skin may need to be removed, resulting in larger incisions. Small drain tubes may be inserted under the skin to drain excess fluid. Once the excess tissue is removed, the area is closed with closed and a surgical dressing is applied with a wrap to cover the chest and keep the skin firmly in place.

After gynecomastia, you may feel some discomfort that will be controlled with prescribed pain medication by your surgeon. Results may not be apparent for a few days to weeks after the plastic surgery, due to swelling. In fact in some cases, it has taken up to a few months before the final results can be seen.

The Centre, P.C. also offers several soothing body treatments that can ease the discomfort and swelling associated with surgery.

When the pain and discomfort has subsided, you may feel the urge to continue normal activity, but make sure you consult with your plastic surgeon before resuming any activities. To ensure the best results possible and help prevent complications, always ask your surgeon.

Contact our plastic surgeons for more information on reduction of enlarged male breasts (gynecomastia) or to schedule a consultation with one of our plastic surgeons. The Centre, P.C. offers the latest cosmetic surgery procedures, including gynecomastia male breast reduction, to patients in Elkhart and South Bend, Indiana, Michiana and the Southern Michigan area, and Chicago.

 

Elkhart Office

RiverPointe Medical Building
500 Arcade Ave., Suite 300
Elkhart, IN 46514
FAX: 574-293-1511

Chesterton Office

Duneland Health & Wellness Institute
810 Michael Drive, Suite K
Chesterton, IN 46304
Fax: 219.926.3534

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