Gynecomastia

What is Gynecomastia?

Gynecomastia, or the development of enlarged breasts in males, can be a major source of self-consciousness in men and teenagers alike. This condition is often caused by a hormonal imbalance, and can affect one or both breasts. Gynecomastia is not a serious condition, and can easily be corrected with gynecomastia surgery, or male breast reduction.

Am I a good candidate for Male Breast Reduction surgery?

Candidates for gynecomastia surgery include males whose excess breast tissue cannot be corrected through alternative treatments, and whose breasts are done growing. It is important that patients are healthy, non-smokers who have realistic expectations of the surgery. Men who consume great amounts of alcohol or marijuana may not be ideal candidates for this procedure, due to these drugs being thought to contribute to gynecomastia.

Gynecomastia – Patient 141
An early ( 6 week) follow-up on a man in his early 30’s who first noted gynecomastia in his mid 20’s. He has had negative endocrinology testing and a negative testicular exam (testicular tumors can be one cause of gynecomastia). He is bothered by the appearance of his chest with his shirt off but also in fitted shirts and golf shirts. He wears extra shirts to camouflage his chest. He did take over the counter supplements for weight lifting, and that may have been the cause. He is 5’ 11” and 166 lbs and is shown just before and again, 6 weeks after Power Assisted liposuction of his chest using the S.A.F.E. technique ( S uction A spiration F at E qualization). After liposuction fluid is placed in the chest, then external ultrasound is applied to soften the fat. Then a cannula with fins is used first without suction to mechanically disrupt the fat. Then liposuction with a normal liposuction cannula is used. Any residual breast tissue that remains is excised through an incision around the areola- in his case about ½ ounce of tissue was excised from each side. Then the finned cannula is used again to smooth and equalize the remaining fat. Scars are at their thickest and reddest at the 6-week mark and he has been wearing paper tape to protect his incisions. We can see a little redness of the skin from the tape and from the scars, which will now fade over the next 6-12 months. The hands on head view shows the excellent contour that has been obtained and brings the gynecomastia into view before and shows the complete resolution after his surgery. He told me that he is so happy and relieved to have a normal appearing chest again. A tattoo on his arm has been blurred for his privacy. The photos are otherwise not retouched. Update: Our patient is now seen 4 ½ months after surgery. Scars continue to fade and improve. He was thrilled to be able to go to the beach this summer without his shirt on for the first time in many years.
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Gynecomastia – Patient 140
A 33 yo engineer who is bothered by a female appearing chest since his 20’s. Despite some recent weight loss, he is still bothered by the appearance of his chest in fitted shirts and with his shirt off. He wears extra shirts to camouflage the appearance, He is shown just before and again, 4 months after External ultrasound assisted, Power assisted liposuction using the S.A.F.E. technique (Suction Aspiration and Fat equalization) combined with a direct excision of breast tissue through a peri-areolar incision. He is thrilled with his early result, and is no longer bothered by the appearance of his chest with his shirts on or off.
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Gynecomastia – Patient 139
A man in his early 30’s who is bothered by female breast development. He did not finish growing in height until his sophomore year of college. He noted female breast development starting after college. His endocrinology workup was normal and he does not have a testicular mass on the examination by his physician. He is bothered by the appearance of his chest with his shirt off but also in some shirts. He did not have a history of significant marijuana use or anabolic steroids. The cause of his gynecomastia is “idiopathic” which is a fancy word for unknown. He is shown before and again, 5 months after power assisted liposuction with external ultrasound assist using the SAFE technique ( Suction Aspiration Fat Equalization) combined with direct excision of breast tissue through a peri-areolar incision. At 10 months, our patients scars have continued to fade. Hands on head view shows perfect contour of the chest from the S.A.F.E. liposuction combined with the direct excision. It may be tempting to consider only a direct excision without the S.A.F.E. technique- but in my experience it is difficult to perform a direct excision without the liposuction and obtain a smooth surface as we have done here. Even when there is not a large amount of fat, the undermining with the special cannula initially helps to separate the mass of breast tissue so that is technically easier to smoothly excise it without leaving irregularities of the overlying skin. Then after the excision the fat equalization portion of the S.A.F.E. technique further smooths the overlying layer of fat. In this way we have managed to avoid contour irregularities of the subcutaneous layer.
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Gynecomastia- Patient 138
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Gynecomastia- Patient 137
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How is gynecomastia surgery performed?

Male breast reduction surgery in Boston and Worcester, Massachusetts is performed under general anesthesia while using a selection of techniques. The first technique is the liposuction technique, where a cannula or thin hollow tube is inserted through small incisions. Dr. Hall moves the cannula back and forth, removing excess fatty tissue through vacuum suction. The second technique is the excision technique, in which an incision is made to remove excess tissue and skin, resulting in a breast reduction. Both the liposuction technique and excision technique can be combined to perform this procedure as well. The technique that is most appropriate in your specific case will be defined during your consultation with Dr. Hall.

What should I expect during recovery?

After surgery, dressings will be applied to any incisions, and a support garment may be worn to aid in support and reduce swelling. A small tube may also be placed to drain any excess fluid or blood that collects. Dr. Hall will give you specific instructions for breast surgery recovery, and it is imperative that you follow them for a rapid and safe recovery.

“Dr. Hall and all of his staff are very welcoming and supportive. In addition, I am extremely pleased with the results of my procedure. I have already referred a friend to Dr. Hall!”

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