Male Breast Reduction (Gynecomastia)

Male breast reduction, also known as male chest reduction, is a cosmetic procedure that is designed to reduce the size of abnormally large breast tissue in men. This condition, known as gynecomastia, can be caused by a variety of factors, including hormonal imbalances, certain medications, substance abuse, and certain medical conditions.

The procedure typically involves the removal of excess fat and glandular tissue from the breast area, using liposuction or excision techniques. In some cases, a combination of both techniques may be used to achieve the best results.

Liposuction involves the use of a small tube, called a cannula, to suction out excess fat from the breast area. This method is typically used for mild to moderate cases of gynecomastia, where the majority of the enlargement is due to excess fat.

Excision techniques involve the removal of excess glandular tissue through a surgical incision. This method is typically used for more severe cases of gynecomastia, where the majority of the enlargement is due to glandular tissue.

The male breast reduction procedure is typically performed under general anaesthesia and takes about two to three hours to complete. After the procedure, you will need to wear a compression garment for several weeks to help reduce swelling and promote healing.

It is important to note that the results of male breast reduction are not immediate, and it may take several weeks to several months to see the full results of the procedure. In addition, there may be some scarring, swelling, and discomfort associated with the procedure, which can vary depending on the extent of the surgery and the individual’s healing process.

Overall, male breast reduction is a safe and effective procedure for reducing the size of abnormally large breast tissue in men. If you are considering this procedure, it is important to discuss your options with a qualified healthcare provider, who can help you determine the best course of action for your particular case.

RELATED: Gynecomastia Surgery FAQs – Q&As about Male Breast Reduction

View our male breast reduction patient education video

Male breast reduction surgery is the surgical solution for those who have gynecomastia. Male breast reduction surgery involves a combination of procedures which include liposuction, gland removal, or skin reduction.

Our London clinic at 106 Crawford Street was recently inspected and rated as good across all five domains.

All our male breast reduction surgeons are on the GMC specialist register. An accredited surgeon on the specialist register means you can be assured your surgeon has the qualifications, experience, and skills to perform your procedure and manage your aftercare to the highest standards.

What is included in my treatment package?

• As many preoperative consultations with your surgeon as you like to make sure the male breast reduction procedure is right for you
• Treatment at a specialist day surgery facility recently rated ‘Good’ by the CQC
• Enhanced same-day discharge with the added benefits of recovering in your own home
• 24/7 clinical support from your surgeon for the first 48 hours and our expert postoperative support team
• Your very own dedicated patient coordinator
• In-depth preoperative medical assessment to make sure you are fully fit for the male breast reduction procedure
• Exceptionally high standards of postoperative care are described as ‘outstanding’ by the CQC, with regular telephone and face-to-face checks by our expert postoperative support team.

Gynecomastia surgery can lead to a significant improvement in the appearance of your chest and an increase in self-confidence but it may not necessarily lead to exactly what you wanted. For any patient considering having surgery, it is important to have realistic expectations of what gynaecomastia correction can achieve and discuss them openly with your London gynecomastia treatment specialist.

RELATED: Gynecomastia Surgery Before & After Photos

The results of gynecomastia correction are both significant and permanent in nature. For those with realistic expectations, you will be more likely to be very pleased with the results of the male breast reduction procedure.

Please see the before and after gallery below to get an in-depth understanding of the results that can be achieved with other patients. When you have a consultation with one of our specialist plastic surgeons, you will be able to view a larger collection of gynecomastia before and after photos.

Before and after Gynecomastia

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Gynecomastia, the medical term for “enlarged male breasts” or “man boobs”, is a common condition among men. It can develop at various times in life and for a variety of reasons. In infant boys, it’s usually the result of being exposed to excess hormones from the mother during pregnancy or breastfeeding. However, this usually disappears as the infant grows. Teenage boys can develop enlargement of one or both breasts as a result of hormonal changes during puberty. However, this also often disappears after puberty.

Gynecomastia becomes a problem in men when enlarged breasts develop and never go away. Most of the time, this results from weight gain and fat accumulation in the chest region. However, enlarged breasts can consist of glandular tissue at times. Sometimes man boobs are the result of changes in hormones with age, but it is rare. Enlarged breasts in men can also be caused by medical conditions, such as tumours, kidney disease, or liver disease. However, excessive weight gain is the most common reason for the development of man boobs. And for this, male breast reduction liposuction is an option.

If you have overdeveloped breasts and feel self-conscious about the appearance of your chest, liposuction with or without surgical excision can correct the problem. Liposuction with surgical excision is a highly effective treatment for the removal of the localised excess fatty and glandular tissues in the breast region. This creates a leaner, flatter appearance.

• Over 15 years of experience in all types of male breast reduction surgery – liposuction, gland excision and skin reduction
• We own and manage our own surgical facilities. Properly performed male breast reduction surgery takes time and should not be rushed. Our surgeons perform a maximum of two male breast reduction procedures in a day. We do not cram 5-6 procedures into one day like other providers. You want your surgeon to be well-rested and mentally and physically sharp to perform male chest reduction to get the very best results.
• Our male breast reduction surgeons live and work in the UK. This is very important because whilst your surgeon takes all precautions to minimise complications from ‘man boob’ surgery, complications can and do occur and our surgeons are readily available to manage any issues if and when they arise. All our surgeons are fully qualified and experienced plastic surgeons with the skill to perform all types of aesthetic breast surgery.
• Our surgeons are full members of the following:
  

Our plastic surgeons have many years of experience treating all forms of gynecomastia. We’ve got you covered, whether it’s excess fat, gland or skin. We are one of the few centres in the UK to offer the full range of treatments, including complex male breast reduction surgery after major weight loss as well as revision gynecomastia surgery from procedures performed elsewhere, often abroad.

The Centre for Surgery approach to aftercare

• Advanced age – men develop hormonal changes after the age of 55
• Certain medications can cause gynecomastia such as antidepressants, antibiotics, drugs used to treat blood pressure and herbal medicines
• Puberty – excessive enlargement of the male breast can occur during puberty but usually tends to resolve after one or two years
• Obesity – With a gain in weight – excess fat may stimulate oestrogen levels to rise, which in turn stimulates male breast growth
• Excessive alcohol intake – the liver can be affected, which can subsequently affect oestrogen and testosterone levels with an increase in breast tissue growth
• Anabolic steroid usage can cause breast tissue growth
• Genetic predisposition

The difference between gynecomastia and pseudogynecomastia

Pseudogynecomastia most commonly occurs in overweight and obese men, where the chest enlargement is mostly due to excess fatty tissue around or underneath the nipple-areolar complex. In true gynecomastia, there is both excess fat and excess glandular tissue in the breast.

The distinction is important as pseudogynecomastia often responds well to liposuction alone compared with true gynecomastia, which often requires a combination of both liposuction and surgical excision of the breast glandular tissue.

A good candidate for male chest reduction will have a positive outlook and realistic expectations of the outcome of the procedure. He will be undergoing male breast reduction for personal reasons, and not to satisfy anyone else.

How to prepare for gynecomastia surgery

There is no optimum age for a male breast reduction patient, but he should have skin with enough elasticity so that it will contour well to the chest’s new shape. Older patients have sometimes lost elasticity in their skin, so their results won’t be as satisfactory when compared with younger patients.

Optimal preoperative preparation

A good candidate for male breast reduction should be as close to his ideal weight as possible. Being overweight can contribute to gynecomastia, so try to lose weight with diet and exercise before you pursue surgery. Also, non-smokers are better candidates than smokers because smoking interferes with the healing process. If you smoke, you will need to quit at least six weeks before surgery.

The effects of smoking on healing after surgery

If you are considering having male breast reduction surgery, you may wish to explore the finance options we offer.

Questions to ask during your gynecomastia consultation

Having a consultation with a specialist surgeon skilled in gynecomastia surgery is the ideal opportunity to ask all the important questions to enable you to fully understand what the procedure involves before making an informed decision on proceeding with surgery. At the Centre for Surgery, we always emphasise consultation as the foundation of treatment planning to ensure you get the very best outcomes following male chest reduction.

The following questions serve as a useful guide which you could ask at your consultation:

• Am I a suitable patient for male breast reduction?
• Do I have realistic expectations, given the size and shape of my chest?
• Is one procedure enough to achieve the results I’m looking for, or will I need a staged treatment approach?
• Do you have male breast reduction before and after photos of men who have undergone a similar gynecomastia removal procedure?
• What is the recovery like after gynecomastia correction?
• How often will the clinical support team contact me to check up on how I am doing?
• What are the side effects of gynecomastia surgery in terms of swelling, bruising and scarring?
• What happens if I am unhappy with the outcome of the male gyno procedure?

We use TIVA general anaesthesia for gynecomastia surgery. This enables the surgeon to work in optimal conditions to give you the best possible result. We would not recommend local anaesthesia for this procedure other than in exceptional cases.

Anaesthesia options

Male breast reduction surgery at Centre for Surgery can address the 3 main components of fat, gland and skin. The three techniques for treating gynecomastia are:

• Liposuction
• Gland excision
• Skin reduction

Gynecomastia Liposuction

Our board-certified plastic surgeons have between them many years of performing expert liposuction. They have used all the liposuction techniques over the years including LASER lipo, VASER lipo, BodyJet lipo and Tickle Lipo.

All our surgeons agree that PAL lipo is the GOLD standard method of liposuction for gynaecomastia with the best long-term overall results.

The most common technique of treating gynecomastia and pseudogynecomastia involves using power-assisted liposuction or PAL with minimal access techniques. Once the liposuction is performed, the surgeon will make a small incision around the lower half of the areola to remove the glandular tissue. Liposuction is ineffective at removing the hard glandular tissue, although PAL is still far more effective and much safer than VASER or LASER liposuction. At Centre for Surgery, the liposuction method used for male breast reduction is known as SAFElipo™ using power-assisted liposuction or PAL. 

The SAFElipo technique of liposuction coupled with a minimally invasive gland excision technique greatly improves on older techniques by offering:

1. Smaller incisions
2. Quicker recovery
3. Less bleeding
4. More pleasing aesthetic appearance

The liposuction procedure involves tiny incisions on the side of the chest. Most men have breast enlargement due to fat, and this is, therefore, the ideal technique for the removal of fat. The liposuction technique can also be used to remove softer glandular tissue of the breast, using specially designed flattened cannulas specially developed for gynecomastia surgery. Most glands, however, will require surgical gland excision.

Gynecomastia gland excision

The second step of treatment for male breast reduction involves a half-moon incision around the lower border of the areola followed by removal of the glandular tissue of the breast using meticulous surgical techniques. The procedure focuses on the removal of glandular tissue rather than fat. Liposuction is not suitable as a standalone treatment for those with dense and fibrous glandular components to their gynecomastia. This is particularly the case in young athletic men with minimal body fat.

Skin reduction for gynecomastia

For men with significant degrees of skin laxity, skin reduction may be required to tighten the chest. The procedure involves making a circumferential incision around the areola and reducing the surrounding skin. In some cases, the surgeon may decide to do liposuction and gland excision first, and if skin laxity persists, the skin reduction could be made as a second-stage procedure under a local anaesthetic. This part of the procedure is very similar to an areola reduction procedure.

When the procedure is completed, absorbent pads and the compression garment will be applied, and you will be discharged after a short stay in our recovery unit.

Surgeons at Centre for Surgery are fully trained in all techniques for gynecomastia surgery for the three main components of fat, gland and skin.

Risks of skin laxity after gynecomastia 

Male breast reduction is an extremely safe procedure, and most patients are extremely satisfied. However, as with all surgical procedures, complications sometimes occur. There will be small (2-3mm) scars which will initially be red. Over a number of weeks, however, these should fade to fine white lines. Following liposuction, the skin retracts; however, in some people – particularly those who are older – it may not retract fully. If this happens, the excess skin may need to be removed at a later date. There is the possibility of skin irregularities. However, this is minimised by the use of specially designed cannulas. Prior to undergoing your procedure, it is good to understand the risks involved if you travel abroad for cosmetic surgery.

The male breast reduction procedure is performed as outpatient surgery, so you can go home once the effects of your anaesthetic have worn off. Most patients leave after about one hour to spend the rest of their recovery at home.

Patients should collect their medication prescription prior to the procedure and make the painkillers are taken at the prescribed times after surgery. A responsible adult carer should be on hand for the first 24-48 hours after your procedure. Downtime is minimal, and you can get back to light activities within a few days. There will be a degree of bruising and swelling after male breast reduction, so you should plan to pause rigorous exercise until 6 weeks after the procedure. You can start light exercise after about two weeks.

In rare cases, during gland excision and as a precaution, the surgeon may elect to place a drain at the site of the surgery. This will be removed 48-72 hours later. You will be given written post-operative instructions, and a follow-up appointment will be arranged for you in six weeks.

You will also be prescribed painkillers and antibiotics after your male breast reduction. You will need to arrange transport as you cannot drive for 24 hours. A responsible adult must be with you for at least 24 hours after the procedure. You can expect your recovery to be rapid, but there will be some swelling and bruising in the treated area. You can help reduce this by wearing a firm support garment for at least six weeks to minimise swelling.

Reducing the risk of surgical site infection

The bulk of the swelling will subside in the first few weeks. However, it may be as many as two months before the full effects of the male breast reduction surgery become apparent. It is common to experience some numbness or tingling of the skin soon after your procedure, but this should settle rapidly. It is important not to engage in vigorous activities for the first five days after surgery.

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You may return to work and resume most of your normal activities after three weeks and begin to exercise after six weeks. You will see your surgeon the day after your surgery and at specified intervals during the weeks following your surgery. This is done so that the surgeon can personally monitor your recovery process and ensure that you have the best results possible.

Gynecomastia removal using liposuction or gland excision has been successfully performed for many years at Centre for Surgery with an excellent safety profile. Men should only choose a reputable provider with years of experience in gynecomastia surgery. With a fully certified plastic surgeon at Centre for Surgery, you can be confident in making the best choice for male gyno surgery coupled with an outstanding aftercare package to reduce the risk of complications.

Potential Risks of Surgery 

As with any surgical procedure, male breast reduction has potential risks. These include:

• Anaesthetic risks
• Haematoma formation
• Venous thromboembolism
• Surgical site infection
• Delayed wound healing
• Nipples distortion with gland excision
• Potential requirement for revision surgery

There are a number of factors which will determine the overall cost of the male breast reduction procedure, and the final quotation will be given after a face-to-face consultation with one of our expert plastic surgeons.