What's involved with a male breast reduction?
A male breast reduction involves reducing the volume of glandular (breast) tissue, adipose (fatty) tissue, and sometimes excess skin of the male chest wall due to gynecomastia. Typically men with larger breast tissue may feel self conscious or embarrassed about their chest, frequently choosing to avoid shirtless situations because of the appearance of their full chest. Gynecomastia, which means 'woman-like breast' is a condition in which there is overgrowth of the breast tissue (proliferation) that results in the development of firm rubbery tissue beneath the nipple and fatty tissue around the chest wall. Gynecomastia results from a hormonal imbalance at the breast tissue level causing the excess growth. This can be due to hormonal changes, obesity, certain medications, drug use (including marijuana and steroids), alcohol, hereditary factors, and in many cases for unknown reasons. It can affect just one breast, or both breasts, and may cause widening of the nipple & areola, and in some cases droopiness (ptosis).
The male breast reduction procedure accomplishes a few important goals to improve the chest wall appearance:
There are a variety of different male breast reduction surgical techniques. Dr. Sharma will go over your options during the consultation and determine what will work best for you. Typically the procedure involves liposuction through a small incision at the lower part of the areola. This helps to reduce the fatty tissue and improves the contour of the chest wall. Sometimes, if there is excess glandular breast tissue below the nipple, a semi-circular incision is made around the lower half of the areola to cut out the firm rubbery tissue. In severe cases, with excess skin and droopiness, a more extensive operation is required to remove the extra skin and re-position and reshape the nipple and areola. Dr. Sharma will discuss the pros and cons of each of the scars and techniques with you to determine what is best for your individual needs.
The male breast reduction procedure accomplishes a few important goals to improve the chest wall appearance:
- reduce the breast volume by removing excess breast and fatty tissue
- improve symmetry of the two breasts
- improve the overall chest contour
- reduce any excess skin if required
There are a variety of different male breast reduction surgical techniques. Dr. Sharma will go over your options during the consultation and determine what will work best for you. Typically the procedure involves liposuction through a small incision at the lower part of the areola. This helps to reduce the fatty tissue and improves the contour of the chest wall. Sometimes, if there is excess glandular breast tissue below the nipple, a semi-circular incision is made around the lower half of the areola to cut out the firm rubbery tissue. In severe cases, with excess skin and droopiness, a more extensive operation is required to remove the extra skin and re-position and reshape the nipple and areola. Dr. Sharma will discuss the pros and cons of each of the scars and techniques with you to determine what is best for your individual needs.
Am I a Good Candidate?
Healthy, non-smoking patients who have these features typically make good candidates for a male breast reduction procedure:
Dr. Sharma will review the pros and cons of the various types of male breast reduction techniques with you during your consultation, and whether or not you are an appropriate candidate for this procedure.
- excess breast volume (fatty and/or breast tissue)
- chest wall asymmetry - one breast larger than the other
- a desire to improve the shape of the male chest and feel more confident
- realistic goals and expectations
- abstinence from drugs contributing to the gynecomastia (e.g.: anabolic steroids, marijuana, etc)
- no reversible medical causes to explain the gynecomastia (e.g.: abnormal hormone levels in the blood)
Dr. Sharma will review the pros and cons of the various types of male breast reduction techniques with you during your consultation, and whether or not you are an appropriate candidate for this procedure.