Gynecomastia Surgery
All You Need to Know about Gynecomastia Surgery including different procedures, risks, costs, and recovery.
Gynecomastia is the excessive development of the breasts in males, which is often caused by natural hormonal imbalance or hormonal imbalance through the use of certain antihypertensive drugs or anabolic steroids. Gynecomastia surgery for men is more popular than ever as a significant amount of the population are afflicted with this condition and are realizing that it’s not just women that can have this operation. The results of the surgery are generally permanent owing to the removal of fats that cannot otherwise be removed naturally. A firmer, more contoured chest will generally be the result.
Gynecomastia can affect one or both breasts. A number of drugs and medications have known to attribute to the condition, including meds containing estrogen, along with alcohol and marijuana, as well as a number of medical conditions such as cancer and impaired liver function. Those who are obese should not consider this treatment as the problem could simply be a case of being overweight as opposed to gynecomastia. Trying a change in diet or going on a fitness drive is recommended for those seriously overweight before considering gynecomastia surgery for men.
The procedure is quite straightforward and anyone who is healthy (and not obese) at virtually any age could be considered a good candidate. If you already have firm, elastic skin there’s a good chance of success. Liposuction of the breast region is the easiest method for reducing the affects of gynecomastia, and if there is no need for any glandular tissue removal, the procedure should be over fairly quickly. A long tube, called a cannula, is inserted through small incisions the surgeon makes and is then prodded backwards and forwards through the layer of fat to break up for suction.
Gynecomastia surgery for men usually takes an average of two hours and can be performed on an outpatient basis with a general, or even local, anesthetic. Those with excessive glandular tissue, fat, and skin will have that removed also and, depending on the amount, it could lead to as much as a five-hour operation. The cost will reflect the time and difficulty of the procedure, while the amount of scarring will depend if glandular tissue also needs to be removed which would involve extra work around the nipple area. Liposuction on its own generally leaves only minimal scarring.
The recovery time is generally quite short – in the order of three to six weeks – and there will be some bruising and swelling, yet the wearing of a compression garment will help keep it down. After a week or two, patients can return to work but should not perform strenuous activity for at least six weeks. Walking is good for the healing process along with no heavy drinking and no smoking. Keeping the scars out of the sun for at least six months is also advised. Side effects of gynecomastia surgery for men, apart from scarring and swelling, can include pain, temporary numbness, infection, fluid accumulation, bleeding, and pigment changes. Post-operative asymmetry is also a possibility, where the breasts don’t look the same as one another. A subsequent operation may be needed if this is the case.
