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Breast Reduction for Men: We Answer All of Your Questions
Jul 12, 2019
Let’s be honest — when you hear about someone having surgery on their breasts, your first thought is that a woman had her breasts enlarged. But breast surgery is not always about augmentation, and it’s not always about women.
In fact, it’s estimated that up to 50 percent of men experience some degree of gynecomastia, or overdeveloped male breasts. Many of these men opt to have breast-reduction surgery. If you are considering this surgery, you probably have a few questions.
At Polavarapu Plastic Surgery, PLLC, we have walked many men through this procedure, so we have the answers to your questions. Let’s take a look at a few of them.
What is male breast reduction?
While a man’s physical health is not affected by gynecomastia, the condition may certainly cause him to feel self-conscious about his appearance. There is no specific known cause for the condition, so breast-reduction surgery is a good solution.
The surgery can remove fat and glandular tissue (and sometimes excess skin), which results in a flatter, firmer, more contoured chest.
Who is a good candidate?
A good candidate for male breast reduction is someone who wants to do the procedure for himself, not just because of the vision someone else has for him. Candidates should be healthy, should not be overweight, and should not drink or smoke to excess.
What are the surgical options?
Male breast-reduction surgery is usually done on an outpatient basis. It usually lasts an hour and a half to two hours. The surgery involves making an incision around the nipple in order to remove the fatty tissue and glandular tissue. If fatty tissue alone is the cause, the surgeon may use only liposuction to loosen and remove the tissue.
If glandular tissue is involved, or if stretched, saggy skin needs to be removed, Dr. Kiran Polavarapu will likely perform a tissue excision in addition to liposuction. This is also necessary if the nipple needs to be repositioned.
What are the risks?
You need a competent, board-certified plastic surgeon to perform your surgery. While you can trust Dr. Polavarapu’s expertise, there are still risks involved with any surgery, such as infection, excessive blood loss, and an adverse reaction to anesthesia.
Risks specific to breast-reduction surgery include:
- Possible scarring
- Pigment changes in the breast area
- Breasts that may be slightly mismatched
As a temporary side effect, you may experience some breast numbness or loss of sensation — this could last up to a year.
What is recovery like?
As with most surgeries, you will likely feel some pain for a few days after your procedure that you should be able to control with pain medicine prescribed by your doctor. You will be bruised and swollen for a few weeks. You may even wonder if the surgery was successful, but the swelling should eventually go down so you can see the results.
Dr. Polavarapu may have you wear an elastic pressure garment for a week or two to reduce the swelling as well. You should avoid sexual activity and lifting heavy objects for a couple of weeks. After about a month, you should be cleared to resume all normal activities.
Your surgery should result in a new sense of self-confidence about your appearance. Take the first step by scheduling your consultation at Polavarapu Plastic Surgery, PLLC, in Fort Worth, Texas, by calling 817-615-8576 or by scheduling an appointment online today!
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