How to Prepare for Gynecomastia Surgery? The American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (ASAPS) is an educational organization. The purpose of the society, whose members are all board certified plastic surgeons, is to sponsor scientific meetings with the most up to date advances in cosmetic plastic surgery.
ASAPS has a guide called “The Smart Beauty Guide” that was created to help patients make informed decisions regarding cosmetic plastic surgery.
In the section for gynecomastia surgery, the guide recommends the following steps should be taken to prepare one’s self for gynecomastia surgery:
Avoid getting your chest sun tanned two weeks before surgery as it is possible to increase permanent scarring.
Stop smoking or using any nicotine products at least four weeks before surgery. Nicotine can delay healing.
Stop taking any medications and supplements that contain blood thinners such as aspirin, Motrin, ibuprofen, vitamin E, St, John’s Wort, Gingko, green tea, etc., for two weeks before and two weeks after surgery.
Be sure to stay hydrated before and after surgery for a safe recovery.
Keep your surgeon informed if you develop a cold, illness, or skin infection in the surgical area a week before surgery.
Be sure to get your lab test results to your surgeon promptly.
Plan to take at least one week off work or more if your job is labor intensive.
Arrange to have a responsible adult drive you home after surgery and stay with you for the first 24 hours.
Plan to have comfortable clothing available, preferably shirts that open in the front.
No heavy lifting is allowed for several weeks after surgery.
Organize reading material, movies, and laptop projects, to keep you occupied during recovery.
Be sure to get prescriptions filled in advance.
Making sure you are prepared in advance for your surgery will ensure a stress-free recovery.
25 Questions to Ask at Your Gynecomastia Consultation, When a man decides to get a consultation for gynecomastia, it is understandable that he is somewhat anxious. He is admitting that he has a condition that causes him extreme embarrassment. It would be wise to write down all questions and concerns in advance, as it is easy to forget what you want to ask once you are at your appointment.
In addition to your questions, here are some suggestions you may want to consider:
Are you certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery?
Will I need a compression vest? If so, for how long?
What will my recovery be like?
How much time will I need to take off work?
When can I resume exercise?
What risks are associated with my surgery?
If I have a complication, how will it be handled?
Do you have before and after pictures for me to view?
What is the cost?
Can my male breasts grow back?
Thats are the 25 Questions to Ask at Your Gynecomastia Consultation When you are choosing your gynecomastia surgeon, be sure you feel comfortable not only with your surgeon but the entire staff.
You may be aware by reading the forums on this site that some patients have complications with their gynecomastia surgery. There are several precautions that male breast reduction patients can take to minimize their risk factors. Why Smoking Threatens the Gynecomastia Patient?
Probably the most important step for a successful surgery is to pick the right surgeon. Be sure to select a surgeon that is not only Board Certified in Plastic Surgery, but one who also specializes in gynecomastia surgery. Get more than one consultation, be sure to look at multiple before and after pictures of the surgeon’s patients, and read online reviews of each doctor.
The surgeon that you select will most likely have extensive pre and post-operative instructions for you to follow. For example, there will be many supplements, herbs, medications and vitamins that you need to avoid for two weeks before and two weeks after surgery. The reason you need to discontinue these items is because they contain blood thinners. If the blood is too thin and does not clot easily, you may end up with a bleeding problem or a hematoma which may require an additional procedure to get it under control.
If gynecomastia patients understands the reason for certain precautions, they may be more likely to follow the surgeon’s warning. Cigarette smoking can be dangerous to patients. Most surgeons will not perform surgery until the patient has stopped smoking for a minimum of two weeks before and two weeks after surgery. Smoking is extremely addictive and trying to quit can be quite challenging, patients may be tempted to have just one cigarette here and there. Unfortunately, all it takes is just one cigarette to put a patient in jeopardy.
Hopefully by explaining how smoking interferes with surgery and healing, patients will be motivated to abstain or postpone surgery until smoking is not an issue.
Cigarettes contain hundreds of ingredients, many of which are poisonous. Along with nicotine, there is carbon monoxide, nitric oxide, and hydrogen cyanide, just to name a few. Oxygen is the basis for wound healing by repairing and building cells; oxygen also carries medications and antibiotics to the affected area. Smoking will deprive the body of oxygen by narrowing the blood vessels.
WebMD offers different approaches to help smokers to quit. Talk to your surgeon who may have suggestions such as; prescription medications like Chantix. The goal of gynecomastia surgery could be a great reward for yourself once you have stopped smoking.
It is a refreshing thing to be able to see people addressing gynecomastia on social platforms, especially influencers who reach a wide audience. Today, we will be spotlighting Aaron Marino.
About Aaron Marino
Aaron Marino, the creator ofalpham, has built a successful business helping men achieve their full potential physically and emotionally, as a consultant for grooming, fashion, and fitness. He unabashedly addresses very personal issues that men have to deal with and uses compassion and humor to get much-needed information from men. Other than fashion, he covers topics including things such as hair loss, tattoo removal, andgynecomastia.
Aaron has appeared on many television programs such as; Fear Factor, Shark Tank, MTV, Ask Men, and many more and has also been featured in the Huffington Post, Forbes, GQ, and more. He has posted a video on YouTube titled “Man Boobs | How to Treat, Manage, and Eliminate Gynecomastia”. In this video, Aaron addresses the topic in a style of sensitivity and light humor. He explains some of the causes of gynecomastia. He has a very forthright way of talking directly to men giving them a sense that he understands the emotional havoc gynecomastia can cause. Additionally, he gives some very good suggestions to men on what they can do about it, from weight loss and exercise, avoiding steroid use, to buying t-shirts two sizes down, or compression vests such as Spanx. And of course, he discusses the possibility of surgery for some. Clickhere to view his gynecomastia YouTube video.
More About Gynecomastia
Gynecomastia is a condition that causes male breast tissue to become enlarged in one or both breasts. This excess breast tissue can understandably cause self-confidence issues and embarrassment for those living with it.
The main cause of gynecomastia is hormonal imbalance in testosterone production and estrogen levels in teenage boys, though it can also be caused by anabolic steroids, some recreational drugs, and certain medications (such as heart medications). Gynecomastia can affect males of any age including newborn babies, adolescent boys, and older men.
Gynecomastia is not to be confused with a condition called pseudogynecomastia, in which excess fatty tissue is the cause of enlarged breasts. While liposuction can help to reduce the size of the chest with pseudogynecomastia, weight loss and elimination of excess tissue is often the most effective treatment.
For some, gynecomastia will resolve on its own, usually during adolescence. However, others may not be so lucky. If gynecomastia follows a male into adulthood, surgery is the best way to treat gynecomastia.
About Gynecomastia Surgery
Gynecomastia surgery, also called male breast reduction, is a procedure that involves the surgical removal of glandular tissue, fatty tissue, and excess skin from the breasts. There are a variety ofsurgical techniques that can be used during this procedure including liposuction and excision.
Schedule a Consultation in San Francisco or Novato
If you are living with gynecomastia symptoms such as enlarged male breasts or male breast growth and are interested in learning more about this condition and if male breast reduction surgery is right for you, contact Dr. Delgado today. As a board-certified plastic surgeon with over 30 years of treating gynecomastia, Dr. Delgado has the ample skill and experience needed to correct gynecomastia.
Gynecomastia FAQs
Is breast cancer associated with gynecomastia?
The risk of male breast cancer is low in those with and without gynecomastia.
Is body fat the cause of my breast tissue growth?
If you are overweight and are experiencing breast enlargement, you may have pseudogynecomastia. In these cases, body fat is the cause for symptoms rather than breast gland tissue. Weight loss is often a solution. However, excess skin may be an issue following weight loss. This can be addressed with surgical intervention for a flatter chest.
What is asymptomatic gynecomastia?
This form of gynecomastia is gynecomastia that is not associated with any symptoms. It is actually quite common and can affect males of all ages.
How is gynecomastia diagnosed?
During a consultation appointment, Dr. Delgado will speak with you regarding your medical history and perform a physical exam. He may also ask you questions about your gynecomastia symptoms and how long you have been experiencing symptoms. Blood tests may also be ordered. Adiagnosis may then be made and a plan for gynecomastia treatment created.
Can plastic surgeons address gynecomastia?
Yes, a board-certified plastic surgeon is a fantastic choice for performing your gynecomastia surgical procedure. When seeking out a surgeon, be sure to do your homework and consult with more than one to determine which surgeon is right for you.
When do males develop gynecomastia?
Males can develop gynecomastia at any age. However, it is most commonly developed during adolescence when hormone changes are occurring and hormone levels are fluctuating.
Gynecomastia is an overgrowth of tissue on the male chest which is a combination of fatty tissue as well as the normal glandular tissue found in men and women. Obesity can lead to a predominance of the fatty portion of gynecomastia whereas other causes can lead to an overgrowth of the normal glandular breast tissue found in both genders. There are numerous causes of gynecomastia. Anabolic steroid use including those found over the counter without a prescription and legally sold in health food stores such as GNC, multiple prescription medications for unrelated conditions, marijuana usage, but most commonly there is no identifiable cause. Heavy alcohol use and liver conditions can also lead to gynecomastia. Gynecomastia is extremely common at the onset of puberty, and the majority of these cases reverse themselves within a year and a half.
When gynecomastia has been present for two years or longer, it is extremely unlikely to reverse itself. In this situation, surgery is indicated to relieve the unsatisfactory appearance as well as the, sometimes, encountered painful cases of gynecomastia.
Surgery for this condition formerly was not a very satisfactory one for either the surgeon or the patient. This required an incision around the border of the areolae from the 3 to 9 o’clock positions with direct excision of the tissue under direct vision by the surgeon with scissors often leading to an irregular or lumpy final result. It also required drainage tubes coming out of the sides of the torso. Most of all, however, was the appearance of two half-moon scars on the chest, which no man cares to display for the rest of his life.
This changed with the advent of ultrasonic liposuction some 10 years ago. Traditional liposuction is ineffective in removing any of the glandular components of this condition. Remember, there are two components that need to be reduced and that is the fatty tissue as well as the glandular tissue. Whereas traditional liposuction may be able to remove a portion of the fatty tissue, it takes the power of ultrasonic liposuction to have an appreciable effect.
Ultrasonic liposuction involves the use of a cannula made of titanium whose tip vibrates over 20,000 times per second. The tissue that encounters this leading probe cannot tolerate the rapid positive and negative pressure waves, and the resulting cavitation effect causes the breakdown of the tissues. This allows for more breakdown of the fatty and glandular tissue of the chest wall. Nevertheless, even ultrasonic liposuction cannot remove all of the tissue, and this is where we have an instrument that can be inserted through the small incision under the arm to remove the rest of the glandular tissue. Having said all this, the result is we can offer for most patients an operation with no scar or incision on the chest, no drainage tubes, and only a small 1.5cm incision under each arm to remove the tissue and result in a flatter, more masculine torso. Since the fatty tissue and the glandular tissue are removed, the chances of recurrence are extremely unlikely and would depend on continued stimulation from some source such as described above. Just as important as getting a flat torso is not removing too much tissue. Certainly, some glandular tissue in a small amount has to be left behind by the nipple and areola so that a depression is not left behind.
I hope this has been helpful to you. Please write down questions for your gynecomastia consultation as they arise as our staff is always anxious to help you in educating you about your condition as well as the solutions we can offer.
For personalized information about gynecomastia plastic surgery procedures, please complete Dr. Delgado’s inquiry form.
