Male Breast Reduction or Gynecomastia Surgery

Gynecomastia
What is Gynecomastia? Gynecomastia refers to the condition where males develop abnormally large breasts. Besides being uncomfortable and self conscious about one's condition, symptoms can even include milk secretion. What causes Gynecomastia is still uncertain, but it is generally linked to an imbalance in hormones or the tissues related to them. 

Gynecomastia is not physically harmful to the patient, but it’s an embarrassment that doesn’t have to be. Gynecomastia can be cured. Gynecomastia surgery, or male breast reduction, reduces breasts that are femininely oversized and sagging.

There are those who choose to live with Gynecomastia by hiding behind compression garments, but there are real solutions to end Gynecomastia. Natural weight loss and hormone therapy are great options to help stop the root cause, but they can leave you with sagging breast tissue and a drooping chest. The best Gynecomastia treatment to eliminate male breasts is surgery. Through liposuction or more invasive surgical methods, excess tissue, fat, and skin are removed to create a more attractive and masculine chest contour.
FAQs

Typical Minimum Cost of Gynecomastia:
USA $3,650.00 India $1215.00

Typical Maximum Cost of Gynecomastia:
USA $6,625.00 India $ 2208.00

Average Cost of Gynecomastia:
USA $5,137.50 India $1712.00

Time Required for Gynecomastia:
It usually takes about 1-2 hours to perform Gynecomastia surgery. Time requirements do vary depending on the extent of surgery.

Is Gynecomastia an InPatient or OutPatient Procedure?
Outpatient.

What are the Side Effects of Gynecomastia?
Gynecomastia surgery side effects can include temporary swelling, bruising, and tenderness.

How Long do Gynecomastia results last?
Gynecomastia surgical results are permanent, but subject to changes in appearance as the patient's weight fluctuates.

What is the recovery time for Gynecomastia?
Day 1-14 After gynecomastia surgery, recovery from swelling usually takes at least 1-2 weeks. The patient usually wears a compression wrapping around the chest for those first couple weeks to help the swelling go down.

Day 2 Many patients return to work as quickly as 1-2 days after surgery.

Day 7 Sutures can usually be removed about 7-10 days into gynecomastia recovery.

Please Note**It is usually required that at least 3 weeks be given before patients pursue exercise or other more strenuous activity.

Will my insurance company cover Gynecomastia?
Because of the normally cosmetic nature of Gynecomastia surgery, insurance is usually not involved. However, in some circumstances, it may be deemed necessary to have male breast reduction surgery. Insurance would then cover a portion or possibly all of the cost, depending on your provider.

Is there much discomfort for Gynecomastia?
Gynecomastia pain and discomfort is very minimal, and very easily controlled with oral pain medication.

What types of anesthesia is necessary for Gynecomastia?
The Gynecomastia surgery anesthesia of choice is usually general, though local anesthesia with sedation may also be opted for.

What else can I combine Gynecomastia with?
For enhanced results, Gynecomastia surgery may be combined with:

Liposuction
Tummy Tuck
Facial Implants

What else is Gynecomastia referred to as?
Male Breast Reduction. Getting rid of man boobs (slang). 

The Gynecomastia Surgery Procedure

If your enlarged breasts consist primarily of excessive fatty tissue, your surgeon may use liposuction. If excess glandular tissue is the primary cause, the tissue may be cut out with a scalpel. This excision may be performed alone or in conjunction with liposuction.
During an excision procedure, the incision is made either on the edge of the nipple (areola) or in the underarm area. The surgeon cuts away the excess glandular tissue, fat and skin from around the pigmented area surrounding the areola and from the sides and bottom of the breast by working through the incision. Major reductions that involve the removal of a significant amount of tissue and skin may require larger incisions and more visible scars.
If liposuction is also used to remove excess fat, a slim, hollow tube (cannula), is inserted directly through the existing incisions. The cannula is attached to a vacuum pump to suction out the fat.
For liposuction-only breast reduction, your surgeon will likely make a small incision of less than a half-inch in length around the edge of the areola. Or he or she may make the incision in the underarm area. You may feel a vibration or some friction during the procedure, but generally no pain.
Sometimes a small drain is inserted through a separate incision to remove excess fluids. Once closed, the incisions are covered with a dressing. The chest may be wrapped to keep the skin firmly in place.
Breast reduction surgery for gynecomastia is most often performed on an outpatient basis, in an office-based or ambulatory surgical facility or in the hospital. Sometimes an overnight hospital stay is recommended. Time in surgery is typically an hour and a half, but a more extensive male breast reduction may take longer.
The procedure may be performed under general anesthesia or local anesthesia with sedation. Your surgeon will discuss your anesthesia options with you once you have decided on surgery.

Risks of Gynecomastia Surgery

Surgical risks include:

• Scarring
• Swelling
• Bruising
• Bleeding
• Blood clots
• Infection
• Poor wound healing
• Temporary or permanent changes in nipple or breast sensation
• Anesthesia risks
• Breast contour and shape irregularities
• Skin discoloration
• Permanent pigmentation changes
• Damage to the nerves, blood vessels, muscles and lungs
• Allergies to surgical materials
• Breast asymmetry
• Fatty tissue found deep in the skin might die (this is called fat necrosis)
• Fluid accumulation
• Deep vein thrombosis
• Cardiac and pulmonary complications
• Pain
• Possibility of revision surgery for additional tightening or repositioning of the breasts
• Death

Risks of liposuction for gynecomastia include:

• Uneven contours
• Rippling or loose skin
• Irregular pigmentation
• Excessive fluid loss
• Fluid accumulation
• Infection
• Blood clots in the lung (pulmonary emboli)
• Hematoma (a collection of blood in the areas suctioned)
• Temporary numbness or discoloration in the treated area
• Asymmetry, dimpling, wrinkling, unevenness and surface irregularities over the treated area
• Perforation wounds in surrounding tissue or organs
• Anesthesia reactions
• Swelling
• Burns (from ultrasound-assisted and laser-assisted liposuction)
• Death

Recovering From the Surgery

Have someone drive you after surgery and help you at home for a day or two if needed. Whether you've had liposuction, excision with a scalpel or both for your gynecomastia, you will feel discomfort for a few days. The pain can be managed with a prescription from your doctor.
To help reduce swelling, you'll probably need to wear an elastic pressure garment continuously for a week or two, and for a few weeks longer at night. Although the worst of the swelling will subside in the first few weeks, it may be three months or more before the final results of your surgery are apparent.
You'll be encouraged to begin walking around on the day of surgery, and to return to work when you feel well enough, which could be in a couple of days. Stitches are removed one to two weeks after the procedure.
Your surgeon may advise you to avoid sexual activity for a week or two and heavy exercise for about three weeks. You will be told to stay away from any sport or job that risks a blow to the chest area for at least four weeks. Your activities should be back to normal after about a month.
It's important to avoid exposing surgical scars to the sun for at least six months. Sunlight can affect the skin's pigmentation permanently, causing the scar to turn dark. If sun exposure is unavoidable, use a strong sunblock.
If you experience shortness of breath, chest pains, or unusual heart beats after the procedure, contact your surgeon immediately. These complications may require hospitalization and additional treatment.

Cost of Gynecomastia Surgery

The cost of male breast reduction typically includes the surgeon's fee, hospital or surgical facility costs, anesthesia fees and prescriptions for medication and post-surgery garments. According to statistics from both the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery and the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, the national average for plastic surgeon fees for gynecomastia surgery is roughly $3,400.
In most cases, the cost of male breast reduction surgery is not covered by insurance. But each insurance policy varies greatly, so review your policy carefully to determine coverage. The ASPS has published a position paper for physicians and insurers defining the recommended criteria for coverage of reconstructive cases. This document grades the condition based on its severity, the length of time it has been present and the symptoms that it is causing in both adults and teens.
The ASPS states that male breast reduction surgery should be covered by insurers when it is performed to relieve symptoms or signs of deformity related to excessive breast size. Ask your physician for a copy or of this document to submit to your insurer or view the online version.
Many plastic surgeons offer patient financing plans, so be sure to ask.