What does male breast reduction involve?

The type of cosmetic surgery you have to reduce the size of your breasts will depend on what’s causing the condition; in other words, whether it is mainly fat deposits or the more fibrous breast gland tissue that makes the breasts large. Before you have male plastic surgery to alter your breast size your surgeon will give you a thorough examination and will be able to tell what the cause of your overdevelopment is.

During male breast reduction surgery, fat or glandular tissue is removed from the breasts and in extreme cases some skin may also be taken away. This will leave you with a firmer, flatter, more masculine contour. The results are permanent and your breasts should never grow again. However, in overweight patients, if the tissue is mostly fat, without sensible eating habits and a regular exercise programme fat could be stored in the chest area once more, making a need for a second male breast reduction procedure. In addition to weight gain, hormonal imbalances or the use of certain drugs could cause the condition to recur.

• Liposuction for Fatty deposits

If your male breast overdevelopment is caused by the retention of fat the surgeon will probably remove it using a liposuction technique. This is a procedure where fat cells are broken down and suctioned off through a cannula (hollow metal needle or tube). Small incisions are made in the skin around the areola (the brown coloured area of the nipple) so that when the scars are healed they are virtually invisible to the naked eye. The result is a re-shaping of prominent breasts to a much more natural, flat-shaped masculine chest.

• Surgical Excision

If the cause of your gynecomastia is due to a glandular disorder, meaning that proper breast tissue needs to be removed, liposuction is not adequate. Traditional methods of fat removal are used and can be performed in conjunction with liposuction if need be. Tiny cuts are made around the edge of the areola or in the armpits. Glandular tissue is then cut away and removed via these incisions. If a large amount of tissue is going to be excised the incisions may need to be larger, and if a lot of fat is removed excess skin may also have to be removed. When healed, the scars will be almost invisible.

In both procedures some tissue is left underneath the nipple because if too much is taken away the nipple may sink inwards or be indented. Sometimes a drain may be inserted at the end of the operation to ensure bleeding does not build up inside the body. The patient may have to wait two or three weeks before he can resume normal activities that require a lot of arm movement.

Male breast reduction information summary:

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