Some men suffer from excessive breast development. There are several surgical solutions including male breast reduction surgery to get a more contoured chest. Dr Carmen can help.

The growth of glandular tissue or deposition of fat in the chest area, or the presence of excess skin, in the chest of a male, causes it to be enlarged giving it a breast-like appearance. Liposuction or Excision Surgery can help.

GUIDE Male Breast Reduction

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Male Breast Reduction –
Gyno or Gynecomastia Surgery

Benefits of Male Breast Reduction Surgery

Male Breast Reduction Surgery is an effective procedure in removing excess fat, skin & glandular tissue, and skin. This can help give you a toned chest.

If there is too much excess fat on your chest, Gyno can also affect your posture and back. Having male breast reduction surgery can help improve your posture and relieve any back pain you may be experiencing. This is especially important since back pain and extra weight on the chest can prevent you from doing some physical activities.

What Causes Man Boobs or Male Chest Enlargement?

Enlargement of the Male Chest or Male Breast Development usually occurs due to:

  • An increase in breast tissues as a result of fluctuation in hormone level in the body a condition known as true gynecomastia
  • Accumulation of a large amount of fat nearby the chest area a condition called pseudo-gynecomastia

Fat accumulation usually results from an unhealthy diet and a lack of physical activity. True gynecomastia is caused due to the fluctuation in the levels of testosterone and estrogen in men.

Estrogen is a strictly feminine hormone that helps in the development of the breast, but men can also produce it in small amounts. When there is an excess of estrogen or the level of testosterone is extremely low, men develop breast tissue.

Apart from the above reasons, the enlarged male chest may also arise due to:

  • A major fluctuation in hormone levels
  • Pubertal changes
  • Major weight fluctuations and obesity
  • Medications 
  • Use of excess alcohol and recreational drugs
  • Hyperthyroidism

Options for surgical correction of Enlarged Male Breasts

There are various surgical methods of treatment available and it is highly individualised, as it differs based on the cause of enlarged breasts in men. Some options for male breast reduction surgery include:

  1. Gynecomastia surgery
  2. Liposuction
  3. Gynecomastia surgery with liposuction

Gynecomastia is a condition that causes the growth of excess glandular tissue in the chest, which is brought due to disturbance in hormonal level giving a breast-like appearance to the male chest. 

1. Gyno or Gynecomastia Surgery

Gynecomastia surgery is a cosmetic surgical procedure that removes excess glandular tissues and skin around the chest. It is an invasive surgery that allows the removal of glandular tissues and skin that would not have been possible through liposuction alone. The nipple-areola complex will be readjusted following removal of the skin giving you the desired result. 

2. Male Breast Liposuction or Scarless Male Breast Reduction

Liposuction is a cosmetic surgical procedure that removes excess fat tissues that persist even after weight loss through diet control and exercise. Liposuction will be preferred to improve the appearance of your chest if the condition is brought about by the excess deposition of fat.

Age, skin elasticity, and the presence of excess skin and glands around the chest should be considered before deciding if liposuction alone will be enough to get you the desired outlook of your chest. 

3. Gynecomastia surgery with liposuction

This is usually preferred in the case when the male chest enlargement occurs due to the growth of glandular tissue and deposition of fat. It helps fix both the problems and in turn, gives the best-looking result.

Your Male Breast Reduction surgery

1. The Consultation

Consultation forms the first phase of your male breast reduction journey. You will have an in-depth discussion with your surgeon about the different procedures available and select the best procedure for you. Your surgeon will take a detailed medical history while discussing your goals from the procedure. You should be honest and reasonable about your expectations as it can help you in getting your desired outcome.

You will be explained about the procedure, the alternatives, and the risks involved. You will have to stop using aspirin and blood-thinning agents and will be advised to avoid smoking for at least 3 weeks pre and post the surgery as nicotine present in smoke has shown to cause necrosis of fat and delayed wound healing. It produces a less pleasing appearance of the scars following excision surgery.

Cosmetic Surgery Regulation - Dr Carmen

2. The Male Breast Reduction Surgical Procedure

This is the second phase of your journey. Both surgeries are performed under local or general anaesthesia depending on your condition and the surgeon’s recommendation. 

Gynecomastia surgery

An incision will be made around the nipple-areola complex. Any excess glandular tissues and/or excess skin present will be removed through this site. 

The nipple-areola complex will then be readjusted.

You’ll have dressing applied to the incised area and a drainage tube will be placed to accumulate fluid, and help with bruising, and soreness. Surgery will take anywhere from 2-3 hours or more. 

Liposuction surgery

Small, inconspicuous incisions will be made around the skin areola junction from where fat will be removed.

First, diluted local anaesthesia is infused to reduce discomfort, bleeding, and trauma. 

A thin cannula is then inserted through the incisions to loosen and dislodge excess fat cells from the site using a controlled back and forth motion. 

The dislodged fat is then suctioned out of the body using a syringe attached to the cannula.

The incisions are then stitched after fat removal.

3. Recovery

  • Recovery post gynecomastia surgery

Post-operation, you may expect:

  • Drainage tube to collect fluid, and lower bruising, and soreness 
  • Loss of sensation in the incised areas which should be recovered gradually.
  • Soreness, swelling, and pain

Medications to help you manage these common conditions will be prescribed to you.  

If you experience any unusual symptoms or excessive bleeding it should be immediately reported to your surgeon.

  • Recovery post breast liposuction

Recovery can be expected to take only a few days. You may still feel sore for a few days after the procedure with minimal pain. An exact time frame to when complete recovery will occur cannot be pinpointed for every patient. Patients should be able to resume daily activities after two to four weeks, while it will take only a couple of days in case of liposuction. However, complete recovery may take a few more weeks. Most patients will be able to return to their workplace a couple of days after the procedure.

Post-surgical care 

Post-surgical care recommendations may include:

  • Wearing compression garments for up to six weeks to minimise scarring and get the desired result
  • Stay away from heavy weight lifting and physical workouts for at least a month
  • Do not smoke three to four weeks post-surgery as it both slows the healing process and produces undesirable results

All surgery has risks – for detailed information about the risks and potential complications of male breast reduction surgery please visit the risks of surgery page.

Male Breast Reduction Surgery FAQs – Questions about Male Chest Reduction

Medical References – Further Reading

Male Breast Reduction Consultation with Dr. Carmen Munteanu – Specialist Plastic Surgeon

Dr Carmen Munteanu MD. FRACS (Plas) is a very skilled and compassionate Specialist Plastic Surgeon based in Melbourne’s eastern suburbs.

She is one of Melbourne’s most experienced and sought-after female Plastic Surgeons specialising in aesthetic breast surgery and body contouring. That includes Breast ReductionBreast LiftBreast Implant Surgery and Body Surgery.

With over 25 years of surgical experience in Plastic Surgery, Dr Carmen firmly believes that a good surgeon is first a good doctor. She will always take into consideration all the health aspects and personal circumstances of each patient.

A dedicated Specialist Plastic and Cosmetic Surgeon, Dr Carmen is renowned for providing exceptional care, support and helping achieve realistic goals for her patients.

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