June is Men’s Health Month and in honor of the occasion, we wanted to highlight one of the main cosmetic issues impacting our male patients. Gynecomastia is a common condition that results in enlarged male breast tissue. If you feel self-conscious about the size of your breasts, you are not alone. Many men experience the same thing, and we can help you.
At Plastic Surgeons of Lexington, we perform male breast reduction surgery to eliminate the excess breast tissue impacting your appearance. Many of our gynecomastia patients find this to be a life-changing procedure that improves their self-confidence in social, professional and romantic interactions.
While there are some basic criteria that must be met to determine whether gynecomastia surgery is right for you, it’s important to speak with our plastic surgeons in person in order identify the right treatment plan to address your unique needs and goals.
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Have You Taken all the Proper Preliminary Steps?
Before moving forward with male breast reduction surgery, it’s important that you take certain preliminary steps that can potentially result in the condition correcting on its own. These include:
- Visiting an endocrinologist – A common cause of gynecomastia is an imbalance in your hormones. If you have low levels of testosterone, high levels of estrogen or both, this may be responsible for your enlarged breast tissue. An endocrinologist can determine if a hormone imbalance is causing your condition and provide the proper treatment to alleviate the issue.
- Waiting until you’re done with puberty – Gynecomastia commonly develops among teenage boys who are going through puberty. This is largely due to the massive fluctuation in hormones that occur during this phase of your life. If you’re still in high school or college, it’s possible that the condition will resolve on its own once your hormones become more balanced as you enter adulthood.
- Losing weight – Obesity is a common cause of excess breast tissue in males. If you are currently overweight, you should adjust your diet and exercise regimens in order to shed those extra pounds. There’s a good chance that once you’ve reached your ideal weight, your gynecomastia may resolve on its own.
Additional Candidacy Criteria for Male Breast Reduction Surgery
If you still experience gynecomastia after visiting an endocrinologist, reaching an age beyond puberty and maintaining a healthy weight, then there’s a good chance male breast reduction surgery may be right for you. In general, good candidates for gynecomastia surgery:
- Are in good overall health
- Have realistic expectations for the outcome of their procedure
- Feel self-conscious about the appearance of their breasts
- Have excess tissue and skin in the breast region
- Don’t smoke or are willing to quit smoking prior to treatment and throughout recovery
- Have good skin elasticity
- Have reached a point where their breast size has stabilized
Your Male Breast Reduction Procedure
Once our plastic surgeons have determined gynecomastia surgery is right for you, they will develop a customized treatment plan to achieve your desired outcome. In some instances, your desired results may be achieved with fat removal alone. If no excess glandular tissue must be removed, our plastic surgeons will perform liposuction to restore a more attractive breast size.
In situations where glandular tissue must be removed, our plastic surgeons will perform an excision procedure in addition to liposuction. During this procedure, a small incision is made along the bottom edge of your nipple, allowing our plastic surgeons to remove any excess tissue.
Contact our Lexington Plastic Surgeons
If you would like to find out whether gynecomastia surgery is right for you, please contact Plastic Surgeons of Lexington using the form on this page or call (859) 276-3883 today to schedule a consultation. We serve patients in Lexington, Frankfort, Georgetown and throughout Kentucky.