What Is Gynecomastia Surgery? Your Guide to the Essentials

Gynecomastia is everywhere. As many as 70% of men will experience it at some point during their lives.

There are no gynecomastia benefits, so someone with it should get it fixed. Yet people have many questions about it.

What is gynecomastia, and what causes it? What are the different treatment options for it? How can someone prepare for gynecomastia surgery, and what is the recovery process like?

Answer these questions and you can figure out if a gynecomastia procedure is right for you. Here is your quick guide.

The Basics of Gynecomastia

Gynecomastia occurs when a person experiences overdeveloped breast tissue. It can occur on one side or both sides of their body.

Their breasts may become visibly larger. They may become deformed, growing out at angles or developing lumps.

There are many different causes for gynecomastia. A genetic condition like Klinefelter syndrome can result in a hormonal imbalance. A person may have hormones that result in breast tissue when they should not.

Some people going through puberty experience gynecomastia because they have many different hormones in their bodies. Once their hormones decrease, their breath tissue will go away.

Organ disease can trigger the condition as well. Kidney or liver disease can cause swelling throughout the body. Many cancers can result in swelling, including in far-reaching places like the testicles.

Less common causes including medication side-effects. Some people believe they have overdeveloped breasts because they are overweight. But losing weight may be enough to reduce the size of their breasts.

Gynecomastia is not a significant medical condition. Most cases resolve themselves within a year. It does not harm the body in any significant way, though it may seem unsightly.

Preparing for a Gynecomastia Procedure

A person who has had gynecomastia for a few months can go to their doctor. They should first figure out what the cause of their condition is.

If they have something like kidney disease, they need treatment right away. Resolving the cause of gynecomastia is more important than fixing the gynecomastia itself. If the medication that an individual is taking is the cause, they should switch medications.

Having a surgical procedure for gynecomastia is usually the last resort. It comes if the condition does not improve itself and if the individual has extreme distress.

Someone should go to a cosmetic surgeon and ask them for their opinion. If a surgical procedure is a good approach, the person can schedule an appointment and begin preparing.

In the days leading up to their surgery, they should monitor their breasts. If they notice any discoloration or excessive swelling, they should notify their doctor. They should stop taking any medications that can thin the blood or cause excessive bleeding.

The day before their surgery, they should avoid eating solid food. They can drink water for up to one hour before anesthesia.

They should arrive for their cosmetic surgery wearing a loose shirt and dark colors. Some fluid may drain out of the surgical site, so dark colors would prevent stains from soaking through.

Gynecomastia Surgery

A male breast reduction surgery is an outpatient surgery. This means that someone does not need to check themselves into a hospital unless they have complications.

A person will receive general anesthesia. They will feel no pain anywhere in their body, and they may fall asleep.

A surgeon will begin by removing excess skin tissue. This will reduce swelling and can remove wrinkles and moles.

They will then remove some fat tissue. The surgeon will inject the fat with some drugs in order to soften it up. They will then insert a suction tube to suck the fat out of the body.

But their focus will be on breast tissue. A surgeon will make a U-shaped incision around the nipple. The incision will be small, but the curve will allow them to access tissue across the entire breast.

A surgeon can use suction tubes and other tools to remove the tissue. Once they do, they can reposition the nipple and reduce it. They can then suture the wound closed and bandage it.

Recovery

A surgeon will give the individual some bandages and drains. They will instruct them on how to clean and care for their wounds.

The person should have someone drive them home. Anesthesia can induce sleepiness, even after someone has woken up from it.

They should wait until their bowel function returns before they start eating. They should have some small meals with plenty of water so they do not experience nausea. If they do feel nauseous, they should stop eating and wait for their stomach to calm down.

They should spend the rest of the day at home. They should also take several days off from work so their skin and tissue can heal. They may experience pain, which they can mitigate by changing their bandages and taking medication.

A person may be able to return to work ten days after their surgery. They should avoid aerobic exercise for two weeks, though they can walk at a slow pace before then.

It may take a few weeks to find out if the surgery was successful. If it wasn’t, a person can get another surgery or pursue a different treatment plan.

So What Is Gynecomastia?

People have a lot of questions about gynecomastia. What is gynecomastia? It is a health condition that results in overdeveloped breasts.

What causes it? Genetic and hormone disorders are the leading causes. Most cases go away on their own.

What is gynecomastia surgery like? It involves removing excess skin, fat, and breast tissue.

A person receives anesthesia so they feel no pain during the procedure. It is an outpatient operation and an individual can go home after getting it.

Gynecomastia surgery is one way you can improve your appearance. Find out more ways by following our coverage.