Abnormal breast enlargement caused by various reasons in men is called gynecomastia. Gynecomastia has negative psychological effects on men and restricts their social lives especially in the summer months. For this reason, it is one of the most common plastic surgery procedures preferred by men. Gynecomastia usually develops due to hormonal disorders, weight gain and loss caused by unhealthy diet, supplements used for bodybuilding, and alcohol or antidepressant use. Therefore, various tests are needed to identify the underlying cause of gynecomastia before surgery.
After identifying the exact cause of gynecomastia (breast enlargement in men), the way of performing the surgery is determined. In some cases and at some ages, gynecomastia treatment is not needed because when a temporary breast tissue enlargement develops during adolescence, this condition resolves spontaneously within 3 years, without requiring treatment. If this condition is caused by various medications, discontinuing the medication may be effective in reducing this abnormal breast enlargement.
Gynecomastia surgery usually takes 2 hours. If the breast enlargement is caused by just the excessive expansion of the fat cells, liposuction is performed. This method is based on melting fat cells and then sucking out them using negative-pressure aspiration through cannulas. If the enlargement is also caused by the breast tissue, the excess breast tissue is accessed and removed through a 1-2 cm incision made on the dark area around the nipple. In cases where both conditions exist, the surgical procedure is performed in conjunction with liposuction.
If the operation has been performed under general anesthesia, the patient is discharged after a 1-night hospital stay. He can usually return to work after 1 week. The patient should wear a medical corset for about 1 to 1.5 months. No scar is left in the surgical site in patients who have had only liposuction, while hardly visible scars can be seen in patients who have undergone surgery.
Bruising and edema may be observed in the surgical area, which decrease or completely disappears after 1 week. There may be collapse in the brown area around the nipple (areola) or asymmetries between the two breasts. If excess skin has been removed during the surgery, scars may develop in the suture lines.