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 #48
A man in his early 20s with right unilateral gynecomastia.  He first noticed this at puberty, but it became more noticeable when he was 20.  He is a bodybuilder.  This bothers him in shirts and with his shirt off.  He is shown before and again, 4 ½ months after right gynecomastia excision with power-assisted liposuction.
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Gynecomastia Patient #47
A college student in his early 20s with left gynecomastia that developed when he was 13.  He is bothered by the appearance of his chest in fitted shirts and with his shirt off.  This is a typical presentation for idiopathic gynecomastia.  He is shown before and again, 3 months after surgery, with a combination of power-assisted liposuction and a direct excision of breast tissue through an incision along the lower areola.  He now has a normal appearing chest and is thrilled to be comfortable now with his shirt off and in fitted shirts.
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Gynecomastia Patient #46
A 4-month follow-up on a man in his mid-20s with gynecomastia since the age of 11.  It has not changed since.  He unfortunately had testicular cancer the year before and was treated successfully with orchiectomy and chemotherapy.  His last dose of chemo had been 10 months before.  He remained bothered by the female appearance of his chest, with his shirt off and in fitted shirts.  He is shown just before and again, 4 months after treatment with power-assisted liposuction combined with a direct excision of breast tissue through a lower periareolar incision. He is thrilled with his result, and his scars are fading well.  The scar on his right upper chest is from his chemotherapy port placement and subsequent removal.
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Gynecomastia Patient #45
A man in her early 20s with right unilateral gynecomastia which became more noticeable in his 20s. He is a bodybuilder, and although he has not taken anabolic steroids but may have used over-the-counter supplements. He is bothered by the appearance of fitted shirts and with his shirt off. He is shown before and again, 7 weeks after power-assisted liposuction of his right chest combined with the direct excision of 24 grams of breast tissue through an incision along the lower areolar border. Discussion:  Scars are typically at their reddest and thickest at 6 weeks and then will typically fade and improve over the next year or longer.  I now place the lateral liposuction incision along the lateral border of the pectoralis muscle where it is not as noticeable.  We will have him use topical silicone on the scars and avoid sun exposure for 12 months to decrease the risk of darkening the scar in the sun (“Post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation”).  His scars are a little better than we might typically see at 6-7 weeks. His presentation is typical for bodybuilders with gynecomastia.  Even though his case is mild to moderate, a more even contour is obtained in my hands by using power-assisted liposuction along with excision of the breast tissue. The “hands on the head” view shows the gynecomastia contour before and 7 weeks after.
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Gynecomastia #44
A man in his mid-20s who developed bilateral breasts at the age of 11.  They did not resolve after 18 months as is common for idiopathic gynecomastia. He continues to be bothered by the appearance of his chest in fitted shirts and with his shirt off.  He is shown before and again, just 6 weeks after bilateral gynecomastia treatment with a combination of power-assisted liposuction and direct excision of breast tissue through an incision in his lower areolar.  At 6 weeks his scars are typically at their reddest and most noticeable. He is already thrilled with his improvement and will start topical silicone to help with scar maturation, as we expect his scars to continue to fade and improve over the next 1-2 years.  “Hands-on head view” highlights the breast fullness before and improvement after.
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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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