Gynecomastia Dallas - Male Breast Reduction Procedure

• Am I a good candidate for gynecomastia correction?
• All surgery carries some uncertainty and risk
• What to expect from your consultation
• Preparing for surgery
• The day of surgery
• What male breast reduction entails
• After your surgery
• Your new look
• How long will I continue to see my plastic surgeon?
• Choosing a plastic surgeon
• Make sure your surgeon is board certified
• Ask about the surgeon's hospital privileges

A much more common condition than most people realize, Gynecomastia is a medical term for overly-developed male breasts. The condition affects an estimated 40 to 60 percent of men and may affect one or both breasts. The cause of the majority of Gynecomastia cases is unknown, but certain drugs and medical problems have been linked to some. Though the condition is purely cosmetic, it can cause great self-consciousness and emotional in men. For men who feel their breasts are too large, breast reduction surgery can offer a "more masculine" looking chest.

Male breast reduction surgery removes fat and or glandular tissue from the breasts, and sometimes excess skin for an improved chest contour.

Though basic breast reduction information is provided on this website, the best way to get answers to specific questions about your needs is to schedule a personal consultation with a plastic surgeon certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery. For men in the Dallas area considering breast reduction surgery, Dallas plastic surgeon, Dr. White, is ABPS certified and will gladly address any questions and concerns you may have during consultation.

Am I a good candidate for gynecomastia correction?

Men of all ages undergo gynecomastia correction, though they should be healthy, emotionally stable. Those with fairly good skin elasticity will see the best results. Though teen-age boys may benefit from the procedure, they may eventually need a second procedure down the road if the condition persists or recurs.

For obese or overweight men, exercise and a healthy weight loss plan may correct the condition without surgery. It recommended you attempt to correct the problem through these methods before undergoing male breast reduction. Since alcohol and marijuana use may cause gynecomastia, as well as the use of steroids and other specific drugs, you will be asked to stop using these drugs before surgery to see if the condition subsides.

All surgery carries some uncertainty and risk

Though many men undergo breast reduction surgery each year and experience no major complications, the procedure does carry some degree risk. It is important you be well informed of these risks when considering male breast reduction. Dallas cosmetic surgeon Dr. White sees the discussion of potential risks and complications as one of the most important aspects of patient consultation. During your consultation, he will discuss these potential complications with you, listen to your safety questions, and offer instructions on how to minimize your risk.

Risks are similar to those in all surgical procedures and include:

• Injury to the skin
• Excessive bleeding
• Reaction to anesthesia
• Excessive fluid loss
• Accumulation of fluid

It should also be noted that noticeable scarring may occur, as well as changes in skin pigment, temporary sensation loss, and slight asymmetry between the breasts or nipples. Before surgery, these risks should be carefully weighed with the benefits offered by the procedure.

What to expect from your consultation

A personal consultation with your surgeon is the first step for any patient considering male breast reduction. Fort Worth plastic surgeon Dr. Steven White believes in careful patient consultation to assess your physical and emotional health, discuss your aesthetic goals, and address any questions or concerns you may have.

First, Dr. White will explore the cause of your condition, to check for medical conditions that may need to be treated by an appropriate specialist. These include issues with liver function, use of estrogen-containing medications, or anabolic steroids. He may also a recommend a breast x-ray or mammogram to rule out the possibility of breast cancer and to study the composition of your breasts.

Bases on your breast composition, Dr. White will evaluate your gynecomastia treatment options and discuss them with you during the consultation.

Preparing for surgery

It is important to follow Dr. White's instructions when preparing for gynecomastia correction to ensure the best possible results. Those instructions may include:

• Refraining from smoking for several weeks before and after surgery
• Avoiding certain medications
• Arranging for help following surgery, such as a ride home and in-home care for the first 24 hours

The day of surgery

For your comfort and convenience, Dr. White maintains privileges in several hospitals in the greater Dallas/Fort Worth area. Male breast reduction surgery may require a short hospital stay, though most are performed on an outpatient basis, allowing patients to return home the day of surgery.

During surgery, medications will be administered to ensure comfort. General anesthesia will most likely be used to allow you to sleep during the procedure. Dr. White uses only doctors (anesthesiologists)-not nurses (CRNA's or anesthetists)-to administer anesthesia to his Dallas cosmetic surgery patients. He will carefully monitor your physical status throughout the operation and during your recovery.

What male breast reduction entails

For breast enlargement caused primarily of excess glandular tissue, the tissue may rarely be removed with a scalpel though incisions on the edge of the areola (the dark skin surrounding the nipple). For major reduction procedures, larger incisions may be needed. In most cases however, liposuction will be used to remove any excess fatty tissue as well as the glandular tissue. In these instances, the liposuction cannula will be inserted through a very small incision at the edge of the areola.

Gynecomastia primarily caused by excessive fatty tissue requires smaller incisions to correct- less than a half-centimeter in length along the edge of the areola. Through these incisions, liposuction will be performed to remove the fatty tissue. Liposuction uses a slim tube called a cannula attached to a vacuum pump to break up and suction out excess breast fat. If a large amount of fat or glandular tissue is removed, excess skin may need to be removed as well to create a firm, flat contour.

At the end of your procedure, a small drain may rarely be inserted to prevent the accumulation of excess fluids. The chest will be wrapped in a dressing to keep the skin firmly in place.

After your surgery

Your chest will feel sore for a few days after surgery. This discomfort is generally well-controlled with pain medications. You will need to have someone drive you home after surgery and to help you out for the first day or two.

You will need to wear an elastic pressure garment for the first few weeks to reduce swelling in the chest. Though the swelling will go down greatly during the first few weeks, it may be months before the final results of your surgery emerge.

You will be encouraged to get up and walk around on the day of surgery. Non-strenuous work can be resumed within one or two after surgery, though heavy exercise, including sexual activity, should be avoided for several weeks. Any stitches you have will be removed approximately 1 to 2 weeks after surgery. Sports or strenuous employment may need to be avoided for the first four weeks. After the first month, however, most patients are able to resume all of their normal activities.

Your new look

Gynecomastia surgery offers a high rate of patient satisfaction to those who go into it with realistic expectations. Though it doesn't offer perfection, it can offer dramatic improvement to the contour of your chest creating flatter, firmer look. The results of the procedure are generally permanent, though teen boys may need a second procedure later if the gynecomastia returns.

How long will I continue to see my plastic surgeon?

Dallas plastic surgeon Dr. White believes in the importance of follow-up visits, to answer any questions you may have and monitor your healing process. Rather than delegating all of these visits to a nurse, he enjoys seeing his patients as they heal over time. Your first post-operative visit will be scheduled after the initial healing period, during the first few days after surgery. In the following months, Dr. White may ask you to return for periodic checkups. Keeping these appointments is important to allow him to assess your long-term results and address any questions or concerns you may have.

Choosing a plastic surgeon

When considering undergoing male breast reduction, Dallas plastic surgeon Dr. White believes choosing a qualified surgeon to perform it is one of the most important factors. Though it's hard to believe, not all physicians who perform cosmetic surgery have had formal surgical training. It's important to research the credentials of all surgeons you consider for your procedure. Dr. White is fully trained in Plastic and Reconstructive surgery as well as Otolaryngology (head and neck surgery). He invites potential patients to fully explore his training, experience online or during a personal consultation.

Make sure your surgeon is board certified

Find out if your doctor is certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery. Surgeons with this certification have completed a minimum of five years of surgical training following medical school, including a plastic surgery residency program. During this intensive program, surgeons learn to perform surgical procedures for the entire body and face. At the same time, they develop their technical skill and aesthetic judgment. After training, a surgeon must pass comprehensive oral and written exams before being granted certification.

Both the American Society of Plastic Surgeons and the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery require their members to be certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery. Plastic surgeons with this certification have completed approved training and examinations in plastic surgery including both cosmetic and reconstructive procedures.

Dallas plastic surgeon Dr. White is certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery as well as the American Board of Otolaryngology / Head and Neck Surgery. He is one of the few plastic surgeons in the United States certified by both of these boards.

Ask about the surgeon's hospital privileges

It is very important to find out if your surgeon has operating privileges in an accredited hospital for the procedure you are considering, even if you are planning to undergo surgery in your doctor's office or at a surgery center. Before granting privileges, hospital review committees evaluate a surgeon's training and competency for specific procedures.

Dr. White maintains surgical privileges at several area hospitals in the Dallas/Fort Worth area.

To find out more, click on Making Sense of Certification.

Click here for Gynecomastia Patient Comments

For more information on cosmetic eyelid surgery, or to schedule a consultation with Dallas plastic surgeon Dr. White, call 214.696.6676 or contact us online at usaplasticsurgery.com.

       

STEVEN J WHITE, MD
PRESBYTERIAN HOSPITAL OF DALLAS
TEXAS HEALTH PRESBYTERIAN DALLAS
PROFESSIONAL BUILDING 3, SUITE 814
8230 WALNUT HILL, DALLAS, TX 75231-4485

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