Gynecomastia Surgery is a male breast reduction surgery done by a Plastic Surgeon to remove excess fat and breast tissue from the patient’s chest. Gynecomastia is a medical condition where a man’s chest develops excess breast tissue causing it to resemble a woman’s breasts.
A man with a strong and flat chest is conventionally attractive and handsome. Unfortunately, some men face embarrassing medical condition – Gynecomastia. Gynecomastia is also referred to as “man-boobs” a condition where a man’s chest develops swelling and resembles breasts. This can cause the sufferer to feel ashamed and lose their self-confidence. They become scared of exposing their chest, going shirtless in swimming pools or playing contact sports. They may become loners or even social outcasts. Gynecomastia surgery helps in many ways. It restores their dignity. It reaffirms their gender identity and gives them confidence and acts as a strong morale booster.
I, Dr Shrirang Pandit, a Plastic Surgeon in India and the Founder of Pandit Clinic, Pune clearly understands this problem both from the medical perspective and the effect it has on the psyche of the patient. I am writing this blog to discuss the best possible solution to this issue, namely, Gynecomastia Surgery.
What Is Gynecomastia?
Gynecomastia is when the chest seems to swell up and resemble a breast. The term gynecomastia basically means a female like breast in a man. Both men and women have breast glands. As children, they have similar growth in earlier childhood. It is at the time of puberty the specific hormones take over and influence the further development and growth of the breasts. Oestrogen the female hormone and testosterone the male hormone are primarily responsible for the development of the breast to their final shape. When there is a hormonal imbalance between these two hormones and the female hormone is produced in a larger proportion it leads to Gynecomastia.
Gynecomastia is generally painless and feels like a rubbery mass below the surface of the nipple. This issue can be observed either unilaterally or bilaterally. Although Gynecomastia is painless, sometimes tenderness or sensitivity can be observed in the affected region.
What Are The Causes Of Gynecomastia?
Majority of the patients with gynecomastia are idiopathic or where the cause is unknown. These fall into the category of benign disease.
Obesity is another cause of gynecomastia. Since obesity causes excess accumulation of fat on the chest wall in men.
There are endocrine causes of gynecomastia like testicular tumours or pituitary tumours and rarely adrenal tumours. The proportion of pathologic gynecomastia is less than 3%. It can be seen in older men and with men having prostate cancers. It could be the result of certain medications or obesity.
It is important to undergo a good clinical examination to make a good diagnosis. If needed additional blood or imaging studies may be done for diagnosis and ruling out other causes.
Can Gynecomastia Go Away With Exercise?
This is a commonly asked question by patients. In case of a condition known as pseudogynecomastia excess fat builds up in the man’s chest due to obesity issues. In this case, exercise can help in reduction of overall weight and pseudogynecomastia.
However, in case of Gynecomastia, surgery is the safe and effective choice for permanent relief from man-boobs. The Gynecomastia Surgery removes not only excess fat but also excess breast tissue which only exercise cannot achieve.
How Is Gynecomastia Classified?
Here’s how gynecomastia is classified in four grades depending upon the volume of the breast tissue and the skin elasticity:
- Grade 1 gynecomastia generally is breast enlargement without skin excess.
- Grade 2 has moderate breast enlargement without skin excess.
- Grade 3 generally has moderate breast enlargement with excess skin
- Grade 4 has marked breast enlargement with skin excess.
It is necessary to have a consultation with the doctor to understand the grade and then decide a course of treatment.
A vital point that I would like to make here is Gynecomastia surgery is generally delayed till the onset of puberty. The hormonal changes and the way they affect the fat distribution at the puberty needs to be watched. The whole puppy fat may get completely remodelled over a few years and a nice male physique may emerge without any surgery.
Who Is The Right Doctor For Gynecomastia Surgery In India?
This surgical procedure affects one of the vital organs of your body and your overall appearance. Therefore, choose your cosmetic surgeon wisely.
Following are some pointers that might help you in your decision:
- First of all, as per the Indian Medical Association, the qualifications of the doctor should include an M.Ch in Plastic Surgery to perform a Gynecomastia surgery.
- Experience is another factor that must be taken into consideration when choosing the doctor. The higher the number of years of experience, the easier it is to trust the surgeon.
- Check what technology is available with the doctor and how well equipped his clinic is. If the doctor is using the latest technology then probably the results will be better and natural-looking.
- Review the testimonials of past patients. Most patients post their reviews on social media pages or Google or even the website of the doctor. Go through them to understand the quality of his/her work and what the ultimate results look like.
- The cost of Gynecomastia Surgery in India could also play a major role in choosing the right doctor for you. Depending on the amount of money you are ready to spend, choose a surgeon who falls in your budget range.
- A vital element that is often not listed, is your personal equation with the doctor. It is very important that you feel comfortable with the surgeon and trust his judgement and course of action. This comfort level is intangible and cannot be measured, but it does affect your choice and your ultimate happiness.
The doctor plays a crucial role in the treatment and the mental boost that patients seek. Choose wisely.
What To Expect Before The Gynecomastia Surgery?
How Is Gynecomastia Surgery Performed?
“There may be conditions like tuberous breasts where surgery is the only option. Treatment of this condition is simple. There is excess fat and some glandular tissue and it can be easily removed.” When I say that there is a safe and effective solution to treat tuberous breasts in men, one immediately feels assured and ready for the procedure.
I have performed the Gynecomastia Surgery both by traditional methods followed years ago and now by VASER liposuction method. Let me explain the procedure:
- A Little History Of The Procedure:
In earlier times a long surgical incision was used to remove the fat and breast tissue. There were bad scars and very significant deformation and distortion. The scars could be as long as 6 to 8 inches.
- Modern Method Of Gynecomastia Surgery:
“The advent of liposuction and that too, ultrasound-assisted Vaser liposuction the whole way of treating gynecomastia has undergone a sea change,” explains Dr Shrirang Pandit, Founder of Pandit Clinic, Pune and a renowned Plastic Surgeon.
- Gynecomastia surgery generally is performed using either general or local anaesthesia depending upon the situation. Also, intravenous sedation is preferred.
- The Gynecomastia surgery is an outpatient procedure that takes about 2-3 hours on an average. The patient need not stay overnight at the hospital. He can return home the same day.
- The Plastic Surgeon will create a tiny 4 MM incision around the nipple-areolar complex of the patient.
- In case the Surgeon encounters a large gland then another incision is done at the nipple too. But this is a decision made by the Surgeon depending on the case.
- Through the incision, a tube is inserted into the chest and precise Vaser liposuction is performed. The liposuction removes all excess fat and glandular tissue.
- The process is repeated for the other side of the chest too (if necessary).
- The real skill of the surgeon lies in maintaining the symmetry of the chest and not removing too much of the tissue. If too much tissue is removed then the chest may have a visible depression and asymmetry.
- Only treating the breast area gives rise to a depression on the chest and a saucer-shaped deformity. Hence, extra care needs to be taken by the Cosmetic Surgeon when performing this surgery.
- The incision is closed with sutures. Only one or two stitches are required. And the chest is bandaged completely after the surgery.
Gynecomastia surgery not only eliminates the problem of Gynecomastia but also gives the chest a nice flat look which increases the confidence of the patient.
What Is The Recovery Of Gynecomastia Procedure?
After the surgery, you will have a fairly tight bulky dressing on the chest for two days. You will be advised to rest at home and avoid vigorous movements of the arms.
There may be some soreness at the surgical site. The pain is well managed with medication.
Your dressing will be changed in two days. The bulky pads will come off. The stitch will be covered by waterproof tape. You will be allowed to wash and shower. A tight pressure garment will be recommended for you to wear all the time.
Your next visit will be one week after surgery. The stitch will come off. You need to continue wearing the pressure garment for at least three months. The success of your surgery depends on your compliance and cooperation.
The area will take several weeks to finally become soft and supple. You are recommended to do a gentle massage of the area in two days time.
For more details on the recovery, you can refer to our page Gynecomastia Surgery at Pandit Clinic.
Thank you for reading this blog!
In case you have questions or queries with regard to Gynecomastia Surgery, please send them to us through our email id: panditclinicindia@gmail.com and we will answer them!
Gynecomastia Before-After Results
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