What is Gynaecomastia?

Gynaecomastia is male breast reduction surgery. During a male breast reduction surgery , excess fat, glandular tissue or skin is removed from the body or excised.

Who does this procedure suit?

Men who suffer from excess skin, fat or glandular tissue in the breast area are potential candidates for this procedure. You must also be at a healthy, sustainable weight before your procedure.

What results will I expect?

A male breast reduction surgery directly treats the causes of enlarged or sagging breast tissue, resulting in improved skin tone and chest contours.

What’s the first step to take?

Before having a male breast reduction procedure, you will want to visit with one of our specialist plastic surgeons for a full evaluation and personalised consultation. During this consultation, your surgeon will evaluate your current health and medical history and discuss your cosmetic goals with you. You will also select the type of male breast reduction procedure that will work best for your needs. For example, if you suffer primarily from excess fat deposits, a reduction procedure for you might rely on liposuction. However, if you suffer from excess skin, a reduction procedure might focus on excision. In certain cases, you may benefit from both techniques in one procedure.

In some cases — especially in cases where you have surgery on only one breast — you may need a subsequent surgery to achieve optimal results and balance between your two breasts. Also, you might need a second surgery to be necessary on your other breast or for a second surgery to be performed on the operated-on breast to get the best possible outcome. The factors which determine whether you will need more than one surgery are the initial condition of both of your breasts. Your surgeon will discuss this possible occurrence with you during your initial consultation.

How do I prepare for surgery?

As you prepare yourself for breast reduction surgery — as with any surgery — you will want to ensure your optimum general health before your procedure. You must quit smoking, if you smoke, several weeks before your surgery. Any blood-thinning medications you may be taking should also be discontinued to prevent excess bleeding during surgery. During your pre-operative consultation, your surgeon may also recommend you curtail or cease taking other medications, such as anti-inflammatories or herbal supplements, to eliminate potential complications.

What should I expect during surgery?

During your surgery, your surgeon will cleanse the surgical area, and your anaesthesiologist will begin either intravenous or general anaesthesia. Your surgeon will recommend the best anaesthesia option for you. Next, your surgeon will mark the areas where they will make your incisions or the entry points for your liposuction.

If your procedure relies primarily on liposuction, your surgeon will introduce a cannula (a thin hollow tube) into your concern area and gently loosen and suction the fat out of your breast tissue. If your procedure relies primarily on skin excision, your surgeon will make incisions around your areola and your lower breast to begin the skin excision.

Incisions will carefully preserve the blood vessels and nerve endings in your areolae to ensure their health and continued sensation there. Combination procedures including liposuction and skin excision benefit some patients. After your surgeon completes liposuction or skin excision, they will carefully close any incisions and bandage your surgical area, completing your surgery.

What should I expect after surgery?

After surgery, you will find swelling and bruising in the surgical area which is a normal symptom of any surgical procedure. Immediately after your surgery, your surgeon will bandage your incisions and ask you to wear a compression bandage. A compression bandage will support your incisions, minimise swelling and offer you additional comfort during the first few days of your recovery. Before your surgery, your surgeon will have prescribed you medications to manage pain and prevent infection which you will take during your recovery.

You may have had a draining tube placed in the surgical area to minimise blood or fluid accumulation which could cause complications or harm your results. Any strenuous physical activities, workout routines and excessive upper-body motion should wait until several weeks have passed from your surgery date as they could affect the integrity of your sutures. You should also plan on visiting with your surgeon as recommended during your recovery so that your doctor can verify you are healing successfully.

While you will experience some scarring which is natural to surgery and the healing process, with time, the appearance of scars from your incisions will fade. Please call your surgeon at the Melbourne Institute of Plastic Surgery immediately for advice if you notice any of these symptoms during your recovery — heart palpitations, excessive pain or bleeding, abnormal or prolonged swelling, fever during the first 24 hours or any visible abnormalities in your sutures.

What are the risks and complications of this surgery

• Excessive accumulation of blood within the newly shaped breast may occur. This requires removal of stitches and washing out the bruising beneath the skin.
• Increased or decreased nipple sensation may occur, and can persist for 2-3 months. Loss of the nipple blood supply is rare however modern techniques, quitting smoking and controlling diabetes help to minimize risk.
• Keloid or unsightly thick scars – some people have a tendency to form poor scars which is sometimes unpredictable. Poor long-term healing may require additional scar treatment.
• Infection is rare however antibiotics help to minimize risk.
• Loss of blood supply to the breast can lead to temporary or permanent hardening of parts of the breast, however is rare.
• Blood clots in the body are extremely rare but can be life-threatening. Inform staff immediately if you experience any leg pain, swelling or chest pain after surgery.

Please call our office if you experience any of the following: excessive pain or bleeding, abnormal swelling or fever during the first 24 hours.

Surgical risks