Men seek breast-reducing liposuction

The number of cosmetic surgery patients seeking liposuction has nearly doubled over the last year, largely fuelled by a rise in men opting to sculpt their chest area.

New figures from the British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons (Baaps) reveal that the number of liposuction procedures rose from 2,100 in 2005 to 4,000 in 2006, making it the third most popular cosmetic operation.

Adam Searle, consultant plastic surgeon and former Baaps president, said that even men who train hard often have problems with excess fat on their breasts and revealed that "some feel the male breast can respond well to liposuction".

"There are lots of misconceptions about liposuction," he told the Times. "Every week, someone comes into a clinic weighing 25 stone and wanting liposuction. This technique is not appropriate for the obese."

Mr Searle said that the procedure should be performed on specific areas of fat in patients who are otherwise physically fit.

He explained: "The ideal candidate would be a woman who says, 'I go to the gym, I have lost weight but this area on the side of my thigh refuses to go'. Or the man who has been training hard but cannot get rid of the extra fat on his breasts."

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