Board certified Jacksonville plastic surgeon, Dr. DeRoberts, will help you to love your look.
Jacksonville Gynecomastia - Jacksonville Male Chest Sculpting
The medical term gynecomastia comes from the Greek words for “woman-like breasts.” It’s much more common than is generally recognized, affecting an estimated 40 to 60 percent of men, especially those over 50. Although there are certain medical conditions and drugs (including marijuana and alcohol) that can cause enlarged breasts, in the vast majority of cases there is no known cause. The problem is primarily cosmetic, causing embarrassment in the locker room and at the beach.
It’s never too late to correct gynecomastia, provided you’re in good physical and psychological health. The surgery usually is not recommended for children or teenagers, since their excess tissue may disappear on its own. In selected cases, however, it may be a very important procedure for teenage males.
Consulting a Plastic Surgeon About Gynecomastia
If you’re uncomfortable with the size of your breasts, chances are a plastic surgeon can help. He or she can perform the initial evaluation, checking for causes such as impaired liver function, testicular tumors, estrogen-containing medications, or anabolic steroids. If the plastic surgeon suspects a medical problem, you’ll be referred to the appropriate specialist.
Your plastic surgeon may also recommend a mammogram, or breast x-ray. This will not only rule out the very small possibility of breast cancer, but will help the surgeon tell whether your breast enlargement is composed primarily of fatty or glandular tissue. (This may make a difference in the treatment recommended.)
Don’t hesitate to ask your surgeon any questions you may have during the initial consultation -including any concerns you have about the recommended treatment and the costs involved. (Insurance usually doesn’t cover cosmetic procedures. However, some policies may cover treatment of gynecomastia. Check your policy or call your carrier to be sure.)
Treating Gynecomastia
If your gynecomastia consists primarily of excessive fatty tissue, your surgeon will probably remove it using liposuction.
If your breast enlargement is caused primarily by glandular tissue, the excess tissue will probably be cut out, sometimes in conjunction with liposuction. In most cases, the surgeon can remove the tissue through small incisions in places where the scars will be inconspicuous, such as your armpit and the border of the areola (the darker skin around your nipple). However, if you have a lot of excess skin to be removed, the resulting scars could be significant, and you may want to reconsider the procedure.
Surgery for gynecomastia may be done as an outpatient procedure or with an overnight hospital stay. It may be performed under general or local anesthesia, and usually takes about an hour and a half to complete. (More extensive procedures will take longer.)
After Your Surgery
Whether you’ve had liposuction or excision (cutting) surgery, you may feel some discomfort for a few days afterwards; it can easily 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.
You’ll be swollen and bruised for a while - in fact, you may wonder at first if there’s been any improvement at all. To help reduce the swelling, you’ll be asked to wear an elastic pressure garment continuously for a week or two, and for a few weeks longer at night. While the worst of your swelling will dissipate in the first few weeks, it may be three months or more before the final results of your surgery are apparent.
In the meantime, you’ll be getting back to normal. You’ll be encouraged to begin walking around on the day of surgery, and you can return to work when you feel well enough - which could be as early as three or four days after surgery. Your surgeon will probably tell you to avoid heavy exercise for the first two or three weeks; then you can begin gradually to resume your normal activities.
All Surgery Carries Some Uncertainty and Risk
While the procedures involved in male body contouring are generally safe when performed by a qualified and experienced plastic surgeon, complications can arise.
Blood clots, infection, and adverse reactions to the anesthesia are infrequent but possible. In liposuction, excessive fluid loss, while uncommon, can lead to shock; you could also experience fluid accumulation, prolonged swelling, a temporary loss of feeling in the auctioned area, or various cosmetic problems, including irregular shape. Surgery that involves cutting away skin and tissue can, in addition to these complications, produce excess scarring.
Occasionally a second procedure may be needed to remove additional tissue. This shouldn’t be undertaken until the swelling is completely gone - perhaps six months.
Your New Look
Cosmetic surgery can enhance your appearance and your self-confidence, but it won’t necessarily change your looks to match your ideal, or cause other people to treat you differently -either at work or in your social life. Before you decide to have surgery, think carefully about your expectations and discuss them frankly with your plastic surgeon.
The results of body-contouring surgery are significant and permanent. If your expectations are realistic, chances are good that you’ll be very satisfied with your new look.
Many men have gynecomastia - enlarged, female-like breasts - caused by excess fat or glandular tissue (or both).
Fatty tissue can be removed by liposuction. A small, hollow tube is inserted through a tiny incision, leaving a nearly imperceptible scar.
Glandular tissue must be cut out, usually through a small incision near the edge of the areola.
Following surgery for gynecomastia, the patient has a more masculine chest contour.
