Male Breast Reduction Surgery

A male breast reduction, also known as “Gynaecomastia surgery” is a procedure that helps to reduce the size of a males chest area, also commonly known as “moobs” or “man boobs”

What Is Male Breast Reduction Surgery?

‘Moobs’ can occur in men when they develop excess breast tissue in their chest. It is believed to be due to a hormone imbalance but there is yet to be a definitive cause for why some produce larger male breasts than the average man. This can be embarrassing for males and as a result, they rarely feel comfortable removing their clothing. A male breast reduction can help to rectify this via liposuction or by removing the excess tissue in combination with liposuction. It’s becoming one of the more popular cosmetic surgeries for men.

Case Studies

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What To Expect During Your Male Breast Reduction Consultation?

When one goes for their Gynaecomastia surgery we ask that you’re honest and open about your surgery expectations. During your consultation, you’ll be asked questions regarding your health, lifestyle and desires. It’s here where you should provide as much information as possible to help us cater the male breast reduction surgery to your needs. The risks and complications will be discussed with you to determine what would be best for you. Furthermore, there are liposuction options available and the risks and limitations of this will be discussed with you.

Preparing For Gynaecomastia Surgery

During male breast reduction surgery, you will be under general or local anaesthetic depending on the discussions from your consultation. It’s important to let us know whether you’re ill prior to the Gynaecomastia surgery as your health is incredibly important to us. If so, we can look to delay and rearrange the surgery for when you recover. Before the male breast reduction, you will be required to follow these next steps in order to make sure that you get the results that you need:

– Ideally, you’d need to stop smoking around 6 weeks before the surgery

– Don’t take aspirin or any anti-inflammatory drugs

– Herbal supplements shouldn’t be taken before surgery

On some occasions, you may also require a preoperative test before undergoing a male breast reduction but we’ll make you aware if this is required and arrange this accordingly.

What Happens During Male Breast Reduction Surgery?

The surgery takes between 1-2 hours. During the male breast reduction, an incision would need to be made in order to place anaesthetic fluid into the area that requires surgery. The placement of the incisions will be tailored to your needs. For example, incisions may be needed around the areola; and they may be horizontal, vertical or both. The nipple-areola complex may also need to be repositioned, replaced or removed entirely for a successful Gynaecomastia surgery.

Male breast reduction surgery can be combined with body jet liposuction fluid if necessary. Again, this will be discussed during your consultation. This method allows the body fat to be removed from the chest area at the same as when the fluid is being flushed through the area.

In order to remove the fat from male breasts, a cannula is used. In some cases, a direct excision may also be needed in order to remove any excess tissue. Once all the required fat is removed, the incisions are then stitched up with dissolvable stitches. 

For those requiring excessive tissue to be removed, extensive incisions may be required. In which case, liposuction or an incision around the areola may only be required for the male breast reduction.

After The Male Breast Reduction

After your Gynaecomastia surgery, mobilising won’t be a problem if you’re put under local anaesthetic, but if you are put under general anaesthetic you will be required to return to the ward so you can mobilise again. Whilst in the ward, you will also be able to eat and drink and if you feel any signs of swelling or discomfort, analgesia will be provided to treat this. One great factor regarding male breast reduction surgery is that you should also expect to return home the next day, so arrange for someone to pick you up after the surgery.

Wounds should be kept dry for up to a week. You should ensure you have support at home as you will feel discomfort for a period of time. After you have been discharged from your Gynaecomastia surgery, you will have reviews on your wounds at the clinic after a week or so.

You should avoid exercise for the first couple of weeks before resuming light exercise about 2 weeks after. Then you may resume normal exercise about 3-4 weeks post-surgery.

Are There Any Risks and Complications To A Male Breast Reduction?

The majority of our patients are extremely happy with the results they receive from male breast reduction surgery, however, there are occasions where common side effects occur. These include complaints around numbness, bruising and swelling.

There are uncommon risks of Gynaecomastia that can also occur but they are very rare. These can include:

– Delayed healing

– Skin loss

– Infection

– Breathing Issues

– Deep Vein Thrombosis

– Thickened Scars

– Seroma Formation

As mentioned, these are very rare. You must be aware that although the male breast reduction surgery aims to remove fat cells, new fat cells can occur over time and the idea is to reduce the amount of tissue, but not completely remove it. This is why it is important to be at a stable weight before you commit to a male breast reduction.

FAQs

  • How Do I Get Rid Of Man Boobs?

    Having larger male breasts than the average man can be embarrassing for some, and can have a direct impact on one’s lifestyle and quality of living. All humans have breasts, even milk ducts, the difference is when males go through puberty, they have a higher testosterone level which results in them not developing like a female. There are many men who want to understand how they can get rid of man boobs as this is not as uncommon as you may first think. 

    There is a range of different medical conditions which can cause male breasts to be larger than the average man. Gynaecomastia is one key medical condition where the breast gets swollen and can even be tender. This is caused by a testosterone problem that leads to the body producing more estrogen.

    The majority of patients who are looking at male breast reduction surgery, man boobs are a result of one having excess fat on the chest area. One glimmer of hope for those who have large male breasts is that they can work it off. If one is hesitant in having a male breast reduction, one should look at going to the gym or doing regular exercise.

    High-intensity training and cardio workouts help to remove fat from stubborn areas. A healthy balanced diet low on saturated fats will also help to remove male breasts. Once you start to build muscle around your chest area, you will start to see your “moobs” disappear into hard pectoral muscles.  

  • Who Would A Male Breast Reduction Be Suitable For?

    There is a range of men who would be suitable for Gynaecomastia surgery. Some men are lucky enough to have a healthy amount of testosterone that limits the size of male breasts. Others are not so lucky and can have either one or both breasts that are larger than average from either Gynaecomastia or being excessively overweight which can in turn increase levels of oestrogen. 

    Male breast reduction surgery is suitable for those who have Gynaecomastia. It is also suitable for those who have lost a lot of weight and now have excess skin that needs removing. It is essential that if you are opting for male breast reduction surgery, then one must be at a stable weight so that the chances of the breasts increasing in size is reduced. 

  • Who Wouldn’t Be Suitable For Male Breast Reduction Surgery?

    There are some reasons why one may not be suitable for Gynaecomastia surgery, if you have an existing medical condition or are a smoker, then you should look at stopping smoking and seeing a doctor for recommendations. 

    If you are overweight, you should lose weight and be stable before you go for a male breast reduction as you will be turned away. If one drinks excessive amounts of alcohol, uses steroids or smokes cannabis, then you should stop this for at least six months before you go for a consultation. 

    If there has been any influence from external parties for you to have male breast reduction surgery, you’ve been provided with unrealistic expectations or have a significant medical history, this may not be the surgery for you.

  • How Much Would A Male Breast Reduction Cost?

    Many who are after Gynaecomastia surgery wonder how much would a male breast reduction cost? Well, a male breast reduction can vary pending on the amount of excess fat needing to be removed as well as the type of procedure needed. There are also other considerations to be made such as the surgeon, hospital and anaesthetic fees.

  • What Are The Different Types Of Gynaecomastia Procedures?

    If one suffers from Gynaecomastia then they may look at having male breast reduction surgery. There are two different types of Gynaecomastia procedures that can be used for removing “moobs”. 

    The first is liposuction, this is where the breast fat is removed. Liposuction, however, doesn’t remove the breast gland tissue. 

    The second option for your Gynaecomastia procedure is a Mastectomy where the breast gland tissue is removed. This is done using small incisions and has a fast recovery rate.

  • Do You Have Any Gynaecomastia Before And After Examples?

    Due to a male breast reduction having different procedures, it is difficult to determine an exact match. As you can see above, there is a range of different Gynaecomastia Before And After examples for you to look at. If you would like more examples, you can look at our case studies. Once you have had your first Gynaecomastia consultation, you will have a better understanding of what you will look like.