Gynecomastia is a condition that affects men with enlarged breast tissue leading to the development of female-like breasts. And according to the best gynecomastia surgeon, the development of gynecomastia affects men’s self-confidence and body image. For example, some men cannot wear clothes like fitting t-shirts, and others are unable to work out in the gym. It’s because they feel ashamed of how their breasts look. Luckily, gynecomastia surgery (reduction mammaplasty) helps remove excess breast tissue. Below is information you should have before having your gynecomastia surgery.
Did You Know There Are Alternatives To Surgery?
Surgery isn’t always recommended for all gynecomastia patients, especially those with mild gynecomastia. These non-surgical interventions include
- Weight loss: Losing significant weight may reduce the size of your breasts. Weight loss is recommended for men suffering from obesity. However, it doesn’t always eliminate all breast tissue causing gynecomastia.
- Hormonal imbalance treatments: One main cause of gynecomastia is hormonal imbalance. So, hormonal imbalance can help reduce breast enlargement.
- Exercising and proper dieting: A proper diet and constant exercising will help reduce hormonal imbalance and burn the excess fat in your breasts.
- Stop using steroids: Steroids contribute to hormonal imbalance. Therefore, halting their use may reduce the risk of breast enlargement.
For some patients, these non-surgical interventions work. However, these alternatives are largely unsuccessful for patients with mild to severe gynecomastia.
Gynecomastia Surgery Preparation
It’s important to prepare for gynecomastia surgery to avoid unnecessary stress and anxiety. Below, we’ve compiled a list of your surgery preparation’s do’s and don’ts.
- Schedule time off work: You’ll need enough time to heal after your surgery. So, you’ll need to avoid handling strenuous tasks like work for a few days. Your physician can provide you with a timeline of the amount of time to take off.
- Medications: If you’re taking any medication, for example, prescription drugs, blood thinners, etc. Ensure you inform your surgeon and stop taking them immediately.
- Alcohol and smoking: Stop taking alcohol at least a week before your surgery. For smoking, you should quit for at least two weeks. Nicotine is known to delay healing.
- Lab work: Ensure you’ve delivered any lab reports and medical clearances required before your surgery.
- Prescriptions: Your physician will prescribe some medication to take after the surgery. It would be best to fill up on these prescriptions before your surgery. You’ll also get the opportunity to ask questions and get answers.
- Please arrange for a caretaker: It’s not advisable to drive after an operation due to the effects of anesthesia. Therefore, arrange for someone to drive you before and after your surgery. If possible, arrange for someone who’ll care for you for the first 24 hours after surgery.
Performing Gynecomastia Surgery
The type of surgery done to correct your gynecomastia depends on its cause. Is your gynecomastia a result of excessive fat, excess loose skin, or excessive breast tissue? For excessive fat, the surgical procedure used is liposuction. Skin excision is done to remove the excessive loose skin. And excessive breast tissue is removed through an incision near your areola.
Potential Risks Associated With Gynecomastia Surgery
The after-surgery risks depend on factors like the skills and experience of your cosmetic surgery, your overall health, and the type of anesthesia used during surgery. Some of these risks include
- Blood loss: You should expect some blood loss. However, your life will be at risk if you suffer from excessive blood loss.
- Infection: Look out for any signs of infections like swelling, fever, pus, or inflammations.
- Organ damage: Liposuction can easily cause organ damage.
- Disappointing surgery results: There is always a risk that you might not be happy with the results of your gynecomastia surgery.
- Other health risks you must be aware of include hematoma, seroma, nipple inversion, scarring, nerve damage, and blood clots.
Recovery From Gynecomastia Surgery
Surgery cases involving liposuction take a shorter time to heal. Within a few days, you should be back to your normal routine. Surgeries involving excessive breast tissue removal require longer to heal. Usually, it takes about two to four weeks. And since healing will take some time, ensure your wounds are always clean and dry to avoid infection. So, it would be best if you avoided hot tubs, baths, and swimming until your physician gives you the clear.
Recovery requires a lot of patience. You have to wait for the swelling to reduce to assess whether the surgery was successful. Therefore, you should expect to get bored during recovery time. In this case, you should plan ahead by preparing books to read, movies to watch, games to play, or other light activities you can do at home.
Gynecomastia surgery can improve the quality of your life tremendously. However, before undergoing the procedure, ensure it’s something you need and want and seek your healthcare provider’s approval. And if you have any further questions, call us now, and our specialists will provide you with the answers you need.
If you would like to know more about liposuction be sure to visit Liposuction Australia
