Breast Reduction in Men
Male breast reduction is the minimization of enlarged breasts in men by excision or liposuction. In males, this condition is called gynecomastia. Gynecomastia is caused by the overgrowth of glandular tissue in the breast gland. These types of gynecomastia can be extensive and nodular.
The true gynecomastia may be accompanied by painful sensations and discharge from the nipple (transparent, cloudy, bloody, colostrum). At the same time, the breast glands become enlarged, dense and sometimes even painful. On the other hand, a false gynecomastia is associated with an increase in mammary gland volume and fat deposits. Also, in some cases obesity causes true gynecomastia. In both cases, male breast reduction surgery is performed.
What Are the Causes of Breast Growth in Men?
In men, gynecomastia occurs in many diseases, but most often an increase in the size of the mammary glands in men is associated with an imbalance in male and female sex hormones (testosterone/estrogens) and a hereditary structural feature. However, breast enlargement can also be the result of hormonal disorders caused by inflammation of the testicles, resulting in insufficient testosterone production.
High doses of radiation, thyroid gland diseases and adrenal glands can also cause this disease. It can start at any age. Newborn babies, adolescents and the elderly suffer from it. However, for most people it is a temporary condition. The bodybuilders taking anabolic steroids, long-term psychotropic drugs and veroshpiron, patients taking tuberculosis drugs are at serious risk. They must stop these medications before getting male breast reduction surgery.
Who Can Have Breast Reduction Surgery?
There are some symptoms of gynecomastia or large breast syndrome in men. The main signs of the disease are enlargement of the breast and mammary glands. On some occasions, only one breast starts to grow. It is not only an ugly aesthetic difference. The different symptoms also start to make life difficult.
- A feeling of pressure and discomfort,
- Increased sensitivity of the nipples,
- Change in the size of the nipples,
- White discharge,
- Pain
Even though gynecomastia seems like a simple disease, one should be careful. If you notice bloody discharge among these symptoms, you should inform the doctor. An expert in male breast reduction will first try to find the source of the problem.
How to Prepare for the Surgery?
In the preparation period for surgery, you should stop smoking, avoid alcohol, eat a proper diet (meat, fruit, vegetables, dairy products) and under no circumstances take any medication that affects the blood, including aspirin, without your doctor’s knowledge. It is also necessary to analyze the level of certain hormones in the blood. Before the operation, an ultrasound scan of the mammary glands and axillary lymph nodes is prescribed.
There are specific methods for this disease. Liposuction is one of them and surgery to remove excess tissue and skin is the other. Combining the two techniques is also possible in some patients. Choosing the method for your male breast reduction surgery will depend on your specific situation and preference and should be decided during the consultation.
What Are the Types of Breast Reduction Surgery?
Selection of surgery depends on the form of gynecomastia. In true gynecomastia, the tumor is removed through a surgical incision. Treatment of nodular forms of gynecomastia is mandatory surgery because this type is a potential precursor to cancer.
For pseudo-gynecomastia, liposuction is performed. liposuction is considered a cosmetic surgery as this disease does not pose a health hazard to the patient. Since the main cause is not a bad disease, it is not a cause for concern. For this reason, male breast reduction surgery is easily performed.
What Are the Points to Consider in Breast Reduction?
You will need to stay in hospital for a while after the breast reduction procedure. Usually 1-2 days is enough time. During this time you need to maintain your health. The rehabilitation period is about three weeks with the obligation to wear compression underwear. You can return to work 4-5 days after surgery and resume sports training after a month. You should not drink alcohol and smoke for a long time. Male breast reduction surgeons especially forbid smoking for the first 6 months.
After the Surgery
After the operation, the patient stays in the hospital for 2-3 days under the supervision of the doctor and qualified health personnel. The patient returns to normal lifestyle after 2-4 weeks at the latest. After any surgical intervention on the integrity of the organs in the human body, pain, swelling, etc. symptoms may be observed. Antibiotics are prescribed to prevent wound infection after male breast reduction.
Does Male Breast Reduction Wound Heal Immediately?
Pre-operative wound treatment, dressing, physiotherapy sessions are done regularly for rapid healing. A compression bandage should be worn after discharge. To prevent the development of complications, it is important to strictly follow all the surgeon’s postoperative recommendations and to go to the examinations on time. If bloody pus is noticed from the body, the doctor should be notified immediately.
Self-medication is harmful and should never be done. Because it can lead to more serious consequences. For example, tight dressings cause congestion in the breast tissue, which contributes to the transformation of a benign tumor into a malignant tumor. However, all male breast reduction surgeries to date have been uneventful.