Ins and Outs of Gynecomastia Surgery

Gynecomastia is a pretty unique one among disorders: it is more of a disorder as compared to a real ailment, one usually caused by either obesity or hormonal imbalances. This is not to say that it is not to be minded, however, as not only are people affected with gynecomastia prone to all sorts of psychologically and socially difficult complications, but the condition itself is also a painful one, not to mention that the breast tissue may even become part of a bigger, more dangerous medical complication such as breast cancer, which is sometimes said to even occur more often in males than in females. Thus, treatment procedures are in order, from simple medications to more extreme procedures such as gynecomastia surgery, which will be discussed in this article.

Surgery is the preferred form of treatment by people affected with gynecomastia for more than two years, as the tissue that accumulates on the affected areas tends to get harder, consequently more difficult to remove through simple medicine prescriptions. This surgery can be in the form of liposuction, male breast reduction surgery, or a combination of these and other techniques.

Types of Gynecomastia Surgery

Liposuction, the first of the two gynecomastia surgery techniques, is the process where the surgeon removes fat cells (which the breast is primarily composed of) in order to deflate and therefore reduce the size of the breast. This is done mainly by inserting a tube which vacuums out the tissue, in order to facilitate easy removal that is as non-invasive as possible.

Breast reduction surgery, the second technique, is slightly more invasive, and creates a bigger surgical scar than that of liposuction. This procedure is more advantageous, however, in the sense that surgeons will be able to remove the affecting tissue more thoroughly than in liposuction.

As stated above, most procedures will involve a combination of the techniques, resulting in such combinations as the thoroughness of actual breast reduction, but with the minimal scarring of liposuction. However, other techniques such as gland excising and skin sculpting may also come into play, depending on the case. It is important to have a thorough discussion with the doctor in order to come up with the best possible treatment for a gynecomastia case. This is particularly applicable to individuals who may have careers or other significant aspects of their life affected by surgical scars, such as models and bodybuilders.

Recently, gynecomastia surgery has been receiving some flak, with debates on whether or not it is simply another form of plastic surgery done in order to make people more confident about their appearance (as some gynecomastia cases are simply an extension of obesity) or a form of surgery that is really required. Contrary to popular belief, the future complications offered by a gynecomastia case mean that treatment—even if not in a form as extreme as that of surgery—is always due.