Male Breast Tissue ( Gynecomastia )
The medical term Gynecomastia comes from the Greek words for “women-like breast.” It is much more common than is generally recognized, affecting an estimated 40 to 60 percent of men, especially those over 50.
Although there are certain medical conditions and drugs (including marijuana and alcohol) that can cause enlarged breast, in the vast majority of cases there is no known cause. The problem is primarily cosmetic, causing embarrassment in the locker room and at the beach.
It’s never too late to correct gynecomastia, provided you’re in good physical and psychological health. If your gynecomastia consists primarily of excessive fatty tissue, Liposuction can be done. If your breast enlargement is caused primarily by glandular tissue, the excess tissue will probably be cut out, sometimes in conjunction with Liposuction. In most cases the tissue can be removed through small incisions in places where the scars will be inconspicuous.
Whether you’ve had Liposuction or excision surgery, you may feel some discomfort for a few days afterwards; it can easily be controlled with medication. In any case, you should arrange to have someone drive you home after surgery and to help you out for a day or two if needed. You’ll be swollen and bruised for a while, in fact, you may wonder at first if there’s been any improvement at all. To help reduce the swelling, you’ll be asked to wear an elastic pressure garment continuously for a week or two, and for a few weeks longer at night. While the worst of your swelling will dissipate in the first few weeks, it may be three months or more before the final results of your surgery are apparent.
In the meantime, you’ll be getting back to normal. You’ll be encouraged to begin walking around on the day of surgery, and you can return to work when you feel well enough which could be as early as three or four days after surgery. You should avoid heavy exercise for the first two or three weeks; then you can begin gradually to resume your normal activities.