Gynecomastia or over-developed breast tissue in men can be an embarrassing cosmetic problem. Male breasts may develop due to genetic issues or due to excessive usage of certain steroids. Hormonal changes can also cause the development of breasts. However, board certified cosmetic surgery doctors have effective treatment for gynecomastia and can correct overdeveloped or enlarged breasts to provide a more attractive, symmetrical appearance to a man’s chest.
Plastic surgery to treat gynecomastia is technically called reduction mammaplasty, and it reduces breast size, flattening and enhancing the chest contours. In some extreme cases of gynecomastia, the weight of excess breast tissue may cause the breasts to sag and stretch the areola (the dark skin surrounding the nipple). In such cases the position and size of the areola needs to be surgically improved and excess skin has to be removed.
In case of gynecomastia, medications are administered for the patient’s comfort during the surgical procedure. He may be given an intravenous sedation and general anesthesia and this depends on the total time that the surgeon estimates for the treatment. Surgeries that last for more than an hour and also involve liposuction apart from excision of skin and nipple repositioning often need to be done on general anesthesia.
For men who develop gynecomastia primarily due to excess fatty tissue, liposuction techniques can help to treat the problem. It requires the insertion of a cannula, a thin hollow tube, through several small incisions. The cannula is moved back and forth in a controlled motion to loosen the excess fat, which is then extracted from the body through vacuum suction.
Excision techniques are used by cosmetic surgery doctors when glandular breast tissue or excess skin must be removed to correct gynecomastia. These are also necessary if the areola needs to be reduced, or the nipple repositioned for a more natural male contour.
The recovery period for gynecomastia cosmetic surgery is about ten to fifteen days.
Dr. George Pope of Pope Plastic Surgery is an experienced plastic surgeon with more than 22 years in the field. He has performed several gynecomastia surgeries in FL giving life changing experiences to men.
Leave a Reply