Over half of all men may experience gynecomastia. Enlarged breasts can make men feel self-conscious and restrict what they feel comfortable doing and wearing. Gynecomastia surgery reduces the size of your male breasts to give you a flatter, masculine chest. This life-changing procedure can restore your confidence and freedom.
What is Gynecomastia?
Gynecomastia is the scientific term for enlarged male breasts. This excessive breast mass can be mostly fat, mostly breast tissue, or a combination of the two. Several factors contribute to the development of gynecomastia, including genetics, hormones, and medications. Gynecomastia is extremely common in teenage boys due to hormonal changes during puberty. While losing weight can reduce the size of enlarged breasts, it often does not eliminate them.
How Does Gynecomastia Surgery Work?
The details of your gynecomastia surgery depend on your condition. If you have a significant amount of breast tissue, your LPS surgeon will make an incision around the areola to remove it. Excessive deposits of fat are removed with liposuction. If you have a large amount of excess skin, your surgeon may use larger incisions to tighten and firm your chest area. In many cases, you will have minimally visible scars after the procedure.
Am I a Good Candidate for Gynecomastia Surgery?
Good candidates for gynecomastia surgery want to address excessively large male breasts. We recommend gynecomastia surgery if you:
- Feel self-conscious because of your breasts
- Avoid wearing fitted tops
- Stay away from certain activities like swimming
- Find that your gynecomastia affects your social or other relationships
For most healthy adults, there is no reason to suffer from gynecomastia if you are ready to get rid of it. Ideal candidates for gynecomastia surgery have enlarged breasts despite an overall healthy lifestyle. You may not be a good candidate for surgery if you have health problems that would affect your healing. If you smoke, you will need to quit four weeks before your surgery.
What is Recovery Like After Gynecomastia Surgery?
After your procedure, you will have some swelling and bruising, and you may have a compression garment to wear that helps flatten your chest. People with low-activity jobs can usually return to work after about a week. You can start adding light exercise after about two weeks and more intensive activities such as lifting after six weeks.
What are the Benefits of Gynecomastia Surgery?
Gynecomastia surgery has significant benefits for your mental and emotional well-being. Gynecomastia can hurt your self-esteem and keep you from living life to the fullest. After surgery, you can feel confident wearing anything you want, taking off your shirt to go swimming, and engaging in any activities you enjoy.
Take the Next Step
Interested in learning about gynecomastia surgery? Schedule your consultation with Longwood Plastic Surgery today by calling our Brookline office at (617) 383-6250. We serve the Brookline and Greater Boston area with distinction.