Gynecomastia

Gynecomastia is a condition that is characterized by enlarged breast tissue in men. It affects nearly 65% of men between the ages of 27 and 92. ⁽¹⁾ Any man at any age can suffer from gynecomastia due to a hormonal imbalance or other factors.

It can be difficult to address gynecomastia on one’s own with dieting or exercise. In order to treat the condition, you may want to consider a breast reduction.

At Austin Plastic Surgeon, male breast reduction performed by one of our expert surgeons can help improve your confidence and sculpt a more masculine chest. Our practice is renowned for treating patients with respectful, attentive care and for achieving high-quality, natural-looking results.

If you are interested in a male breast reduction procedure, contact our office online or give us a call today to schedule a consultation.

About Gynecomastia

Many men suffer from enlarged breast tissue due to hormone imbalances. Abnormal breast tissue growth can happen when your body produces more estrogen than testosterone, which can be caused by several different factors. ⁽¹⁾ While the condition does not pose any serious health risks, it can increase the sensitivity of the breast tissue and significantly impact one’s confidence. ⁽¹⁾ If your gynecomastia symptoms have not responded to dieting, exercise, or other methods, then a customized treatment from one of the Austin Plastic Surgeon providers may be an excellent option to help you sculpt your ideal chest and regain your confidence.

Benefits

At Austin Plastic Surgeon, our gynecomastia patients regularly benefit from:

Candidates

You may be an ideal candidate for male breast reduction if you:

Personal Consultation

​​When you arrive at your consultation, our team will go over your medical history and perform a physical exam to determine what type of treatment will be best for you. We will discuss your treatment options with you based on your specific goals. Your surgeon will inform you of the potential risks and benefits of each treatment option and help you schedule your gynecomastia procedure.

If you believe you would benefit from a gynecomastia treatment, schedule an initial consultation today! We can help you begin planning your treatment and take your first step toward your goals.

Preparation

If your surgeon agrees that a male breast reduction or other gynecomastia treatment is suitable for you, you will receive specific preparation instructions. These may include avoiding any blood-thinning substances and medications like alcohol, aspirin, ibuprofen, and others. If you smoke or use nicotine, you will be required to cease these activities for at least a few weeks.

Please make arrangements for time off of work for your recovery. If you receive prescriptions from your doctor, please fill these preemptively. Finally, you should arrange transportation to and from your procedure.

Procedure

At Austin Plastic Surgeon, our surgeons often use Vaser liposuction to address gynecomastia due to its ease and effectiveness. At the beginning of your treatment, you will be given anesthesia to maximize your comfort. We will first make an incision on each side of the chest in discreet areas. ⁽²⁾ Once access is created with an incision, your surgeon will employ ultrasonic liposuction. This method of liposuction uses ultrasound energy to dislodge and break up the fatty tissue in the chest. Once this tissue is loosened, your surgeon can use traditional liposuction suction tubes to remove the unwanted tissue. Your surgeon will sculpt your chest to a more masculine shape that suits your proportions. ⁽²⁾

Surgical excision of the glandular tissue is necessary at times as well and the incision can be well concealed at the border of the areola. This allows your surgeon to directly excise and remove any glandular tissues.

Many times Vaser liposuction will be combined with glandular excision to contour the entire chest area.

Other treatments include:

Gynecomastia treatment may also focus on correcting underlying causes of the condition. ⁽²⁾ As one of the main causes of gynecomastia is hormone imbalance, your care team may recommend a therapy regimen to properly balance your hormones. Other factors like genetics, diet, lifestyle, and more will be discussed at your consultation and recommended treatments can be incorporated into your procedure recovery plans.

Depending on the amount of tissue that needs to be removed, your male breast reduction procedure may take about 1-2 hours to complete.

Recovery

After your gynecomastia procedure, you will need someone to drive you home and stay with you for at least 24 hours. Most patients are able to return to some normal activities within a week, but we recommend taking more time off from work than is necessary to ensure a full recovery. You should avoid strenuous activities for the first 2 weeks after your procedure, or until your surgeon says it is alright to resume. During your recovery, it is normal to experience some bruising, soreness, and swelling on your chest. We will provide a compression vest that can help mitigate these issues.

Recovery time can vary from patient to patient, so we will give you detailed post-operative instructions based on your unique situation. After about 6 weeks, you can expect to be mostly healed with minimal scarring. Your scars will continue to fade as you heal.

Results

As long as you maintain a stable weight and avoid medications that cause changes in your hormonal balance, the results of your male breast reduction will be permanent. It is important to form healthy dieting and exercise habits, as significant weight fluctuations can impact your results. After your gynecomastia treatment at Austin Plastic Surgeon, you can enjoy a more masculine chest that improves both your confidence and proportions.

Corresponding & Complementary Procedures

Austin Plastic Surgeon has many different procedures designed for both men and women. In addition to gynecomastia treatment, our male procedures include blepharoplasty (eyelid surgery), post-Ozempic body contouring, male tummy tucks, medical weight loss procedures, and much more.

Many men receive liposuction treatments to sculpt their bodies if they experience stubborn fat deposits that will not reduce in size even after diligent dieting and exercise. Specifically, high definition liposuction can enhance musculature for a more athletic-looking build. With this treatment, patients can emphasize the appearance of sculpted abs.

Whatever your body sculpting goals may be, we can help you achieve them by customizing your treatments with a comprehensive plan. If you are interested in other procedures, let your surgeon know during your personal consultation.

Cost of Gynecomastia Treatments in Austin

​​Our team values transparency in all aspects of the treatment process. For this reason, we offer a pricing page that provides cost estimations of the procedures available at our practice. The Austin Plastic Surgeon standard male breast reduction treatment starts at $11,000. This price is an estimation, and exact costs can vary depending on the scale of your procedure, your goals, and whether you are incorporating any additional treatments.

When you meet with one of our surgeons for an initial consultation, you will receive a price quote that more accurately reflects the details of your gynecomastia treatment. If you have any questions, please feel free to call any of our offices and we will be happy to provide you with extra information.

FAQ

References

1. Polat S, Cuhaci N, Evranos B, Ersoy R, Cakir B. Gynecomastia: Clinical evaluation and management. Indian Journal of Endocrinology and Metabolism. 2014;18(2):150. doi:https://doi.org/10.4103/2230-8210.129104
2. Murad MH, Johnson, Kermott. Gynecomastia – evaluation and current treatment options. Therapeutics and Clinical Risk Management. Published online March 2011:145. doi:https://doi.org/10.2147/tcrm.s10181