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is Board Certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery
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Gynecomastia is a common condition of male breast enlargement that is often self limiting. It often does not require intervention. If there is a medical problem causing the growth, treating the problem can be very important. A stimulating factor should be removed. Your pediatrician or family doctor will help you decide if you will need an endocrinologist. Once breast glandular growth has been stimulated, it may not go away with medical treatment
The male chest consists of skin, fat, muscle and possibly gland tissues. A localized collection of fat and or gland at the lower breast can give a look that is just not "male." The gland may be localized as a small firm mass just under the areola. Glandular tissue may spread finger-like through the softer fat. When the breast is very large, redundant skin can be an issue. Thickened tissues under the nipple and areola (colored skin around the nipple) can cause protrusion of the surface structures.
If obese, weight loss will help reduce fat in a general fashion. Unfortunately dieting can not be directed towards specific parts of the body and residual breast fullness often remains.
Exercise may be good for the body, but it has little effect on localized fat or glandular tissue. As the chest muscles become very large, breast gland and fat are pushed toward the surface becoming more obvious.
Surgical sculpture can remove excess gland and contour surrounding fat. I prefer a combined approach when there is gland. Excision of the glandular mass through a small incision hidden at the junction of the areola and the chest. I then liposuction the surrounding fat restoring about the same thickness of the uninvolved chest. Liposuction uses high suction and a narrow long tube to remove fat cells. In cases where the problem is only localized fat, liposuction alone is effective. The thick glandular tissue is not well managed by liposuction. Sometimes additional suture sculpture of the remaining fat can optimize the final shape.
This operation can easily be performed under local anesthesia with sedation. Drugs given through an IV make the patient drowsy and then numbing medicine puts the chest tissues to sleep. Tumescent techniques use dilute anesthetic to reduce bruising, swelling, and after surgery discomfort. This is ambulatory surgery and most patients do not need to stay in the hospital for this operation. We also offer this surgery in our office.
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before surgery
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after surgery
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After surgery, I place my patients in a compression vest that increases comfort and minimizes bruising and swelling. There can be some discomfort after surgery, My patients describe this as sore or tender and seem to use very little of the prescribed pain medication.
There is much to learn about gynecomastia chest contouring surgery. You can find an extensive introduction about the risks, benefits, many photographs before during and after surgery and movies here. However, the best place to explore such issues is during an in office consultation.
Finding the right doctor is important. Gynecomastia chest surgery is real tissue sculpture. Although anyone can offer the operation, it takes skill and an attention to detail to get great results. Make certain your doctor is Board Certified. You can look up a doctor's certification at the American Board of Medical Specialties Web Site. Although this operation can be done in an office, your doctor should have hospital privileges to perform this surgery. Not all doctors who offer gynecomastia surgery can pass the hospital credential process.
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