Gynaecomastia

What Is Gynaecomastia?

Gynaecomastia is a condition that causes the breasts of men and boys to become bigger than normal. Gynaecomastia is most common in older men and teenage boys. The signs of Gynaecomastia can vary from prominent breasts to just a small amount of firm tissue behind the nipples. In some cases, the breast tissue can be painful or tender and Gynaecomastia can affect either one breast or both.

All men produce some estrogen, the hormone which is responsible for breast growth. However, men tend to have higher levels of testosterone than estrogen, which prevents the estrogen from causing the breast tissue to grow. If there is an imbalance between the hormones, breast growth can occur.

There are a number of factors that can cause men or boys to develop Gynaecomastia, including obesity, puberty, consuming too much alcohol, anabolic steroids and side effects of some medicines and recreational drugs. Often the cause is unknown (idiopathic gynaecomastia). This is when male breast reduction surgery can help.

A common cause of Gynaecomastia is when a man or boy is overweight. Being overweight increases the levels of estrogen and causes the breast tissue to grow. The excess fat can also enlarge the breast, which may result in men choosing to opt for plastic surgery.

When boys go through puberty, their hormone levels can fluctuate. Therefore, if their testosterone levels drop, estrogen will cause the breast tissue to grow. It’s common for teenage boys to have some sort of breast enlargement. As boys get older, their hormone levels get more stable, but when men get older their testosterone levels decrease and due to having more body fat, their levels of estrogen increase. This alters the hormone levels and leads to an excess of breast tissue growth. This can lead to men seeking male breast reduction surgery.

What Happens During Male Breast Reduction Surgery?

Like breast enlargement, male breast reduction surgery is usually conducted under general anesthetic but can sometimes be done under local anesthetic with sedation. The type of surgery depends on how much breast tissue and loose skin you have. The doctor will examine you to decide which option is best suited to your particular case. Usually, male breast reduction surgery involves making a semi-circular cut around the lower part of the areola (the skin around the nipple) and removing the breast tissue from underneath. Depending on the amount of breast tissue and fat present, this can be supplemented with additional liposuction, which involves sucking the extra fat out. If lots of tissue is removed and there is excess loose skin, the skin may need to be trimmed and the nipples repositioned. Often, however, the skin will tighten by itself with the help of a compression vest. Male breast reduction surgery takes around an hour and a half and can be performed as either a day case procedure or overnight stay.

What To Expect After Male Breast Reduction Surgery ?

The time it takes to recover from male breast reduction surgery depends on the amount of surgery that is required. The simplest operation, removing a small amount of breast tissue through a short incision, has relatively little down time and you may only need to take a few days off work. However, larger surgery involving skin removal, nipple repositioning and liposuction may take several weeks to recover from fully. For the first few weeks you may experience swollen, bruised and sore breasts. You will need to wear an elasticated compression garment for 6 weeks after your surgery. The stitches are usually dissolving and under the skin, so these do not need to be removed.

To avoid complications, you will be advised not to do any strenuous exercise, heavy lifting or gym work for 6 weeks after your male breast reduction surgery. Most people can go back to driving after 2 weeks. You will be able to return to normal activities in around 6 weeks.

Please note that it can take up to 6 months before you see the full results of the Gynaecomastia surgery.

After the Gynaecomastia treatment, you may have to wait a few months before the scarring fades. The majority of men will just have a scar around their nipples, but if a large reduction of the breast tissue is required, then you may have additional vertical and/or horizontal scars on the chest.