Most surgeons take before and after pictures of their patients. Board Certified Plastic Surgeons receive special training in photography due to the importance of this documentation which assists them in surgical planning. Beyond surgical planning, the photographs are a useful tool for surgeons to show prospective patients the quality of their work. Many patients appreciate being able to see their before pictures to compare them to their surgical result.
For a man with gynecomastia, also known as man boobs, searching for a gynecomastia specialist can be daunting. There are many aspects for the man to consider. First, he needs to be sure the surgeon is Board Certified in Plastic Surgery. Second check out where the surgery is to be performed, hospital or surgical center and find out if it is accredited. If it is an accredited surgery center, he should ask for a tour and note if it is organized and clean.
During the consultation, the gynecomastia patient needs to ask lots of questions. Find out how many male breast reduction surgeries are performed per year. Ask the surgeon what method of surgery he or she plans. Unless the man has “pseudo-gynecomastia” (only fat and no excess breast tissue), the combination of liposuction and surgical excision is necessary. Liposuction alone will leave breast tissue behind, necessitating a secondary surgery to remove the breast tissue. In order to remember all your questions, it is advised to bring a list.
Possibly one of the most important aspects to help a man determine the expertise of the gynecomastia surgeon is in the viewing of the surgeons before and after surgery pictures of actual patients.
In viewing the before and after pictures, there are a few things to note that will help determine the accuracy of what you are looking at. There should be different angles taken of each patient; front view, oblique and side view. Almost anything can be made to look good from just one angle. The background should be consistent, a blank wall or a black drape works well. The person needs to be placed in the frame in the same position, with arms down at their sides, or in the same position, for both before and after surgery. In addition, color saturation and lighting needs to be the same or as close as possible, for easier comparison.
Bearing all these things in mind, it is understandable how difficult it can be for a man to choose the best top plastic cosmetic gynecomastia surgeon he can find. The effort will be well worth it, to be able to avoid revision surgery. The single most common cause for the need of a secondary surgery is where the initial surgeon mistakenly thinks that liposuction alone will remove the male breasts of a man with “true gynecomastia”. As mentioned earlier, liposuction will work for the man that has “pseudo-gynecomastia” which is caused by fat alone.
