Understanding Gynecomastia
Gynecomastia is a medical condition that causes overdeveloped or enlarged male breasts that can occur at any age. It’s a common condition that affects approximately 40-60% of men at some point in their lives. Gynecomastia can occur due to hormonal imbalances, obesity, or certain medications.
While gynecomastia is not a serious medical condition, it can cause emotional distress and impact your quality of life. Many men feel self-conscious about their chest and may avoid certain activities, such as going to the beach or pool.
What is gynecomastia surgery?
Gynecomastia surgery, or male breast reduction surgery, is a plastic surgery procedure that reduces the appearance of breast tissue, flattens the chest region, improves the appearance of pectoral muscles, and increases self-confidence.
At Bruno | Brown Plastic Surgery, we use a combination of liposuction and glandular tissue removal to achieve optimal results.
How long does male breast reduction surgery take?
Surgery times can vary, but the surgery typically takes between 1 to 3 hours.
Do I have to stay at the hospital overnight?
No overnight hospital stay is required. Unless specifically recommended by your surgeon, you should be able to go home after your gynecomastia surgery.
Let’s talk about gynecomastia surgery recovery.
The recovery process should take about 1 to 2 weeks, but every recovery and every patient is unique.
To have a smooth recovery, make sure not to do any high-intensity physical activity until approved by your doctor. You will probably be sore, potentially have some mobility limitations in your arms, and have some bruising for the first few weeks. Make sure to take it easy and let your body heal. Most people can return to regular activity after a week; make sure you hold off on exercising until you’re fully healed.
All of this will be discussed with your doctor in your pre and post-surgery consultation. Make sure you come to your consultation with the questions you have about your gynecomastia surgery recovery. Some questions might be:
- Where will I be taken after my surgery is complete?
- What medication will I be given or prescribed after surgery?
- Will I have dressings/bandages after surgery? When will they be removed?
- Are stitches removed? When?
- When can I resume normal activity and exercise?
- When do I return for follow-up care?
Gynecomastia: before and after surgery.
Here is an example of a gynecomastia surgery before and after from Bruno | Brown Plastic Surgery.
You can view more gynecomastia before and after surgery photos on our gynecomastia procedure page.