Gynecomastia

What qualifies you for Gynecomastia surgery?

Overweight patients or patients with serious health conditions may not be suitable for gynecomastia surgery.

How long should you stay in the hospital after the surgery? 

The patient is required to stay 1 night in the hospital. 

How long is the surgery? 

The surgery will take 1 to 2 hours.

What you should avoid before the surgery? 

The patient should stop taking any blood thinners such as aspirin, anti-inflammatory drugs, and herbal supplements and stop smoking before the gynecomastia surgery.

How is the surgery performed?

Gynecomastia symptoms may look the same, but the causes and treatments may differ. There are two main approaches to surgery.

To restore the natural contours of the breast and to correct any deformity of the breast, nipple, or areola tissues. In both cases the procedure is done under local anesthesia, making it practically painless. 

The most common one among them is a male breast reduction procedure, which is a combination of breast gland removal and liposuction.

The surgery involves inserting a small tube through a 3- to 4-millimeter incision. The choice of surgical technique depends widely on the possibility of skin redundancy or the excess skin the patient will have during the surgery.

Gynecomastia recovery timeline

The Gynecomastia surgery recovery period lasts around 3-4 weeks, but the patient may return to work and normal activities in around 3 - 4 days.

It can take six months to see the full results. The gynecomastia recovery period requires wearing a special type of vest for two weeks – the compressing vest speeds up the healing process and also reduces the chance of complications such as edema. After one or two weeks, your stitches will either dissolve or be removed at your clinic. 

Side effects that are common with Gynecomastia 

Gynecomastia surgery's side effects can include bruising, swelling, discomfort, and slight pain which can be soothed with painkillers, scarring, bleeding, developing lumps, and a temporary loss of sensitivity in the nipple.

Gynecomastia success rate

According to a gynecomastia surgery survey based on twenty-nine patients and a total of 53 breasts were operated on, there were high satisfaction rates amongst both patients and surgeons. 37.9% of patients classified their outcome as ‘excellent’, 55.2% as ‘good’, 3.4% as ‘satisfactory’, and 3.4% as ‘poor’. 

Gynecomastia before and after pictures might look appealing, but the doctor’s instructions need to be followed thoroughly for the gynecomastia removal surgery to be a success.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Psuedogynecomastia vs. Gynecomastia – What Is The Difference?

Pseudogynecomastia is a related condition to gynecomastia that develops as fat deposition without glandular proliferation and occurs most frequently in obese men. Because of the increasing incidence of obesity, the number of patients with pseudo-gynecomastia is also increasing accordingly. 
Gynecomastia vs. Fat – How can I know If it’s Gynecomastia or Just Regular Fat? 

Generally speaking, if the patient’s body is at a stable weight, but the breasts tend to be enlarged for a more extended period (2 years union it is usually due to gynecomastia. It’s best to get a checkup from a doctor. You should also see a doctor if you have pain in the breast area or if there's an obvious lump. The lump also may need to be removed in some cases.

Is Gynecomastia surgery painful?

Gynecomastia surgery is not painful. The procedure is done under local anesthesia so the patient won’t feel much pain. During the gynecomastia post-surgery period, the patient may feel discomfort and pain, but these effects can be eased by the use of painkillers the doctor prescribed.

When can I get back to work after Gynecomastia? 

After 3 to 4 days you can expect to get back to your routine.

This content is written and reviewed by our content team in 2023.