Gynecomastia Surgery in Scottsdale

What Is Gynecomastia?

Before considering Gynecomastia surgery, it is important to learn about this condition’s symptoms. Gynecomastia is a condition of enlarged breast tissue in men and can result in body-image issues and problems with self-confidence. It can be caused by a number of factors, including hormonal imbalance, weight gain, side effects of some medications, and genetics.

It is common for young men to experience enlarged breasts during puberty. The surge of hormones can affect the body’s appearance. At the end of puberty, the appearance of the breasts comes back to normal.

Men in their 20s with symptoms of gynecomastia may come from medication side effects or being overweight. Men in their 30s and above may have underlying medical conditions in the thyroid or pituitary gland.

If you have hard tissue below your areola or nipple discharge, you should first be evaluated by your primary care physician to be sure that everything is considered normal tissue. Anything found to be abnormal should be referred to the appropriate specialist for further evaluation before seeing us.

Considering Gynecomastia Surgery?

Surgery to correct gynecomastia can be performed on healthy, emotionally stable men of any age. The best candidates for male chest contouring have firm, elastic skin that will reshape to the body’s new contours.

Surgery may be discouraged for obese men, or for overweight men who have not first attempted to correct the problem with exercise or weight loss. Also, individuals who drink alcohol beverages in excess or smoke marijuana are usually not considered good candidates for surgery. These drugs, along with anabolic steroids, may cause gynecomastia. Therefore, patients are first directed to stop the use of these drugs to see if the breast fullness will diminish before surgery is considered an option.

Ideal candidates for gynecomastia surgery are non-smokers, since smoking negatively affects the health of the skin tissues. Smoking can result in a prolonged healing process and complications during and after male breast reduction surgery. Because of this, patients who are smokers will need to quit smoking several weeks before the date of their procedure. They must also avoid smoking during the recovery process.

Planning Your Male Breast Reduction Surgery

Dr. Lille will need a complete medical history, so check your own records ahead of time and be ready to provide this information. First, Dr. Lille will examine your breasts and check for causes of the gynecomastia, such as impaired liver function, use of estrogen-containing medications, or anabolic steroids. If a medical problem is the suspected cause, you’ll be referred to an appropriate specialist.

An in-depth conversation of your physical health and appearance goals will be conducted during your consultation with Dr. Lille. To ensure that you fully understand what to expect, he will walk you through the details of the male breast reduction procedure. This will include discussing the recovery process involved.

Gynecomastia surgery cost can be discussed during your consultation with Dr. Lille. Price will depend on factors including the amount of tissue to be removed, the exact techniques employed, and total surgery time.

Preparing for Your Male Breast Reduction Surgery

Dr. Lille will give you specific instructions on how to prepare for surgery, including guidelines on eating, drinking, and taking certain vitamins and medications. Smokers should plan to stop smoking for a minimum of six weeks before surgery and during recovery. Smoking decreases circulation and interferes with proper healing. Therefore, it is essential to follow all your surgeon’s instructions.

Where Your Surgery Will Be Performed

Surgery for gynecomastia is most often performed as an outpatient procedure, but in extreme cases, or those where other medical conditions present cause for concern, an overnight hospital stay may be recommended.

The surgery itself usually takes about three hours. However, more extensive procedures may take longer.

Correction of enlarged male breasts may be performed under general anesthesia, which allows the patient to sleep through the entire operation.

Male Breast Reduction Surgery

If excess glandular tissue is the primary cause of the breast enlargement, it will be excised, or cut out, with a scalpel. The excision may be performed alone or in conjunction with VASER liposuction.

In a typical procedure, an incision is made in an inconspicuous location — either on the edge of the areola or in the under-arm area. Working through the incision, the surgeon cuts away the excess glandular tissue and fat and skin from around the areola and from the sides and bottom of the breast. Major reductions that involve the removal of a significant amount of tissue and skin may require larger incisions that result in more conspicuous scars. If liposuction is used to remove excess fat, the cannula is usually inserted through the existing incisions.

If your gynecomastia consists primarily of excessive fatty tissue, your surgeon will likely use liposuction to remove the excess fat. A small incision, less than a half-inch in length, is made around the edge of the areola — the dark skin that surrounds the nipple. In some cases, the incision may instead be placed in the underarm area.

A slim hollow tube called a cannula, which is attached to a vacuum pump, is then inserted into the incision. Using strong, deliberate strokes, the surgeon moves the cannula through the layers beneath the skin, breaking up the fat and suctioning it out.

In extreme cases where large amounts of fat or glandular tissue have been removed, skin may not adjust well to the new smaller breast contour. In these cases, excess skin may have to be removed to allow the removing skin to firmly re-adjust to the new breast contour.

Sometimes, a small drain is inserted through a separate incision to draw off excess fluids. Once closed, the incisions are usually covered with a dressing. The chest may be wrapped to keep the skin firmly in place.

After Your Male Breast Reduction Surgery

Whether you’ve had excision with a scalpel or liposuction, you will feel some discomfort for a few days after surgery. However, discomfort can be controlled with medications prescribed by your surgeon. In any case, you should arrange to have someone drive you home after surgery and to help you out for a day or two if needed.

Gynecomastia Surgery Recovery

You’ll be swollen and bruised for a while — in fact, you may wonder if there’s been any improvement at all. To help reduce swelling, you’ll probably be instructed to wear an elastic pressure garment continuously for a week or two, and for a few weeks longer at night.

Although the worst of your swelling will dissipate in the first few weeks, it may be three to six months or more before the results of your surgery are apparent.

In the meantime, it is important to begin getting back to normal. You’ll be encouraged to begin walking around on the day of surgery and can return to work when you feel well enough — which could be as early as one or two weeks after surgery. All stitches are below the skin. Heavy exercise should be delayed for about three weeks. You’ll be told to stay away from any sport or job that risks a blow to the chest area for at least four weeks. In general, it will take about a month before you’re back to all your normal activities.

After gynecomastia surgery in Scottsdale, you should also avoid exposing the resulting scars to the sun for at least six months. Sunlight can permanently affect the skin’s pigmentation, causing the scar to turn dark. If sun exposure is unavoidable, use a strong sunblock.

Gynecomastia Surgery Cost

The price of male breast reduction varies depending on the details of each patient’s surgical process. Factors that may affect gynecomastia surgery cost include the total time needed to perform the surgery, the specific techniques utilized, and anesthesia fees.

To ensure that our patients can afford the cost of male breast reduction, we have partnered with Alphaeon Credit. These financing companies provide a number of payment plans to fit every budget. To find out more about our available financing options, visit our financing page.