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Male Breast Reduction

Male Breast ReductionWhat is male breast reduction (gynecomastia)?

Male breast reduction, or gynecomastia excision, is removal of abnormal breast tissue and skin from the male chest. Gynecomastia is a condition in which male breasts are enlarged. This may be a result of hormonal changes, heredity, disease, or the use of certain drugs. Enlarged male breasts often cause embarrassment and have many negative effects on a man’s self-esteem and social life. To eliminate this excess tissue and restore a more masculine chest appearance, Dr. Graham performs gynecomastia surgery.

The surgical male breast reduction procedure removes fat, glandular tissue, and skin from the breasts, making them smaller, lighter, and firmer. It can also reduce the size of the areola, the darker skin surrounding the nipple. The goal is to give the man a more masculine appearing chest. This surgery achieves the following benefits:

Improve chest contour: By removing excess skin, fat, and breast tissue one can achieve a more defined chest appearance. This provides more masculine and chiseled physique.

Improved Symmetry: Symmetry can be improved when one breast is larger than the other. Male breast reduction makes the chest wall appear more even.

Improved Confidence: Rather than shying away and avoiding beaches, pools,  and intimacy, patients generally experience a boost in confidence that improves their overall quality of life after undergoing gynecomastia surgery.

Male Breast Reduction Candidates

This procedure is most commonly performed for young adult males of normal body weight between 18 and 30 years of age. Hormonal fluctuations during the teenage years can result in temporary gynecomastia. This temporary gynecomastia usually resolves within a year. However, if the enlargement remains after a year one may be a candidate for surgery. Patients should be physically mature before undergoing the procedure, and Dr. Graham can evaluate whether a younger patient is a candidate during an individualized consultation.

Dr. Graham is an skilled plastic surgeon, board certified by The American Board of Plastic Surgery.  Dr. Graham’s Plastic Surgery training was primarily in the areas of breast and body contouring surgery.  He has extensive experience with male breast reduction surgery.

Male Breast Reduction Procedure

Gynecomastia may be characterized by excess fat tissue, excess glandular tissue, or both. Dr. Graham will evaluate your individual condition and discuss the best options to achieve your goals. The two main techniques, listed below, are liposuction and surgical tissue extraction. In some cases, liposuction and tissue extraction may be used together. The main factors are how much tissue is involved and how much extra skin is present.

Liposuction

  • Removes excess fat tissue
  • A thin, hollow tube is inserted through small incisions and used to suction out fat
  • Ideal for patients with good skin quality
  • Results in minimal scarring

Tissue Extraction

  • Removes excess glandular tissue
  • An incision along the border of the areola is used to excise excess glandular tissue
  • If necessary, excess skin can be removed
  • Results in scars that blend in with the natural border of the areola

In some instances, for very small amounts, Dr. Graham can perform gynecomastia excision under local anesthesia in his office suite. However, usually one needs general anesthesia for larger tissue and skin excisions, including larger volume liposuction.

Is male breast reduction painful?

Like many surgical procedures, some pain and discomfort are expected with male breast reduction. However, prescribed medications and wearing compression will drastically diminish the amount of discomfort that exists. The pain experienced from a male breast reduction procedure can range from sharp discomfort to dull soreness to a heavy pressure similar to weight laying on your chest. Your chest may feel sensitive or even numb for some time after gynecomastia excision due to manipulation of chest wall tissue.

How long do male breast reduction results last?

The results from male breast reduction are generally permanent unless an adverse reaction or complication develops.  To maintain optimum results, patients should refrain from gaining significant weight and need to refrain from taking hormonal supplements.

What is the recovery time following male breast reduction?

This is dependent on the type of work you perform.  Many patients with office jobs only require a few days.  However, patients who perform heavy labor may require 4-6 weeks to recover.  You will not be able to do any heavy lifting for at least 6-8 weeks. You can drive within the first week when you are comfortable and off of narcotics.

How much does male breast reduction cost?

The price can vary depending on technique and location of surgery. The average US price for a male breast reduction is $4500-7000. Dr. Graham’s pricing can be found here.

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