What is Gynecomastia?
Gynecomastia is a condition of overdevelopment or enlargement of the breast tissue in males. Gynecomastia quite commonly affects males at any age. Although enlarged breasts are often associated with being overweight, that is not always the case. Gynecomastia can also involve an increase in breast tissue, instead of fat.
During puberty, hormonal surges can lead to the growth of male breast tissue. In some cases, this breast tissue shrinks after puberty, but in many cases, the breasts remain enlarged. The predominance of gynecomastia is 60% to 90% in children, 50% to 60% in adolescents and up to 70% in men aged 50 to 69 years. While weight gain can be a cause of gynecomastia, the condition can also be hereditary, arise from certain medications that affect hormone production, come with aging, or even be associated with alcohol consumption.
What is gynecomastia surgery and recovery like?
The specific technique used for male breast reduction surgery is unique to every patient. At times, stubborn excess fat that typically does not respond to exercise or dieting can be the primary cause of enlarged breasts, and liposuction alone can be performed to get the desired results. In these cases, noninvasive procedures such as CoolSculpting can be utilized as well. CoolSculpting & Cooltone are noninvasive body contouring treatments that minimizes fat deposits by freezing and destroying targeted fat cells. Once these cells are treated, your body naturally and gradually flushes them out.
In other cases, excess tissue needs to be removed and the procedure may include both surgical excision and liposuction . Surgical excision can include the removal of excess skin, areola reduction, and removal of excess breast tissue.
Patients who are candidates for liposuction to correct their enlarged male breasts can expect to return to exercise and work in typically less than one week. For patients who need surgical removal of the excess breast tissue, it can take between two to four weeks to recover and go back to performing daily routines and tasks.
How do I know if gynecomastia surgery is right for me?
It is important to remember that treatment is unique to every patient. The best way to understand if you are a candidate for male breast reduction surgery is to consult with one of our board-certified surgeons at Synergy Plastic Surgery. At your complimentary consultation, our surgeon can analyze your body during your private consultation and determine if male breast reduction is a good option for your goals.
Click here to browse our before-and-after photos to see real patient results at Synergy Plastic Surgery.
If you are interested in gynecomastia surgery or other chest procedures and would like to discuss your goals with plastic surgeons here in Austin, TX, request a consultation online. You can also contact our office by phone at (512) (512) 244-1439 (Austin) or (512) 244-1445 (Round Rock).
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