Can Men Have Breast Reduction Surgery?


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Although breast reduction surgery is primarily thought of as a female surgery, there are a growing number of males also choosing to reduce the size of their breasts through surgery.

What Causes Male Breasts to Become Enlarged?

Enlarged male breasts are known as gynaecomastia, a condition caused by the build up of excess fat on the chest. This increase in tissue is a common condition that affects around fifty percent of men. This can be caused by certain drugs such as tricyclic antidepressants, marijuana, and anabolic steroids. It can also be caused by hormone levels during puberty. Whilst gynaecomastia is not a danger to your health, it can make you feel self- conscious. This had led to a growth in male breast reduction surgery.

Procedure for Male Breast Reduction Surgery

Male breast reduction surgery differs from female breast reduction surgery, as liposuction is used to break down and remove the excess fat. This means that male breast reduction surgery is less invasive and therefore has a much quicker recovery time.

There are several different types of liposuction each of which involves slightly different techniques to produce the same results. Male breast reduction can be carried out under a local or a general anaesthetic. Unless a large amount of tissue has to be removed, it is likely that the surgery will be carried out whilst you are under a general anaesthetic as this causes less of a risk to your health.

During this procedure, a local anaesthetic will be injected into your breasts. Once this has numbed the area, small incisions will be made through which tumescent fluid will be inserted into your breasts. This fluid contains a local anaesthetic as well as a drug to constrict your blood vessels and reduce bleeding. It also helps to break down the fat cells and the glandular tissue of the breasts. The surgeon will then insert a small cannula, which uses suction to remove the tumescent fluid and the broken down tissue.

After the procedure, it is likely that a drain will be left in place so that the remaining tumescent fluid can exit your body. This will be slightly red in colour because of bleeding; however, this is normal and should not cause you any concern. If you are worried about the drainage you should speak to your surgeon immediately as they will be able to advice you as to whether or not it is normal. You will also be expected to wear a compression garment around your chest. This will minimise bleeding and bruising, and help to achieve the results that you want.

In some cases if you have larger amounts of fat, the procedure will be carried out under a general anaesthetic. If this is the case, it may be necessary for the surgeon to remove some of the tissue using a scalpel. This is more invasive and as a result requires a longer recovery time, and has a greater risk of scarring.

Male breast reduction surgery generally takes between one and three hours. This depends on the complexity of the surgery and the amount of tissue that is being removed.

Recovery from Male Breast Reduction Surgery

The recovery from male breast reduction surgery is much quicker than the recovery from female breast reduction surgery. Most people go home on the day of their surgery provided that there are no complications. In some cases, you may be required to stay in the hospital overnight so that you can be monitored. You will normally be on your feet within two days of having the surgery, although you should not do any vigorous activities for the first three weeks. At this point, you will be able to resume your daily activities, although you should avoid exercise for six weeks.

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