Male breast reduction will reduce the prominent breast tissue bringing the chest contour back to normal by reducing or removing the enlarged breast tissue. Enlargement of the male breast (gynaecomastia) is common, occuring in at least one third of males at some stage during their lift, and can occur with puberty or other hormonal changes, with many drugs and medical conditions, and also with being overweight.
Male breast reduction can allow men to wear tight tee-shirts and other clothing while exercising, going to the beach and swimming.
Male breast reduction is the third most common cosmetic surgery procedure in men after liposuction of the face and body and rhinoplasty. The method of surgical correction for male breast enhancement with breast reduction can involve simple liposuction, surgical removal of breast tissue, or a combination of both depending on whether the tissue is mainly fatty, mainly glandular, or a combination of fatty and glandular. Scars are located around the nipple, or if there is a large amount of loose skin which needs to be removed eg after massive weight loss, more visible scars are necessary.
The surgery for male breast reduction is performed by Dr Cope as a day-surgery or overnight stay procedure, with most people returning to work within 7-10 days following the surgery*. A pressure compression garment must be worn for a few weeks, which minimises the bruising and swelling and helps produce an even contour. Heavy activities and sport should be avoided for one month*.
*Note results vary from patient to patient
Frequently Asked Questions
Male breast reduction will improve the contour of your chest by reducing prominent breast tissue, allowing you to wear the clothing you desire and to participate in activities such as swimming normally.
Male breast reduction (correction gynaecomastia) can be performed at any age after puberty, whenever you have prominent breast tissue that is bothering you
Male breast reduction (correction gynaecomastia) removes fat, glandular tissue, and sometimes skin from the breasts, making the chest contour flatter.
A male breast reduction is usually permanent if your weight is stable. Your breasts are made up of hormonal breast tissue and fat, and changes in either of these can change the size of your breasts. Even if your weight is stable then hormonal changes can occasionally cause your breasts to enlarge again, possibly requiring another operation.
Most patients who have correction gynaecomastia surgery only have a scar around the lower half of the areola. Some patients with very fatty breasts can have the breast reduced by liposuction alone, leaving one 2 small (5mm) scars in the crease below the breast – however, this often does not reduce the breast as well as excising the breast tissue – for the best improvement in contour you need to accept the scar around the lower half of the areola. Patients with large breasts or with a lot of loose skin eg after massive weight loss (where skin needs to be excised as well as the fat and breast tissue) need larger scars on the chest wall.
Liposuction (with only two 5mm scars per breast) can be used to reduce your breasts, with the risk of having slightly droopier breasts afterwards, but a large reduction is not possible just with liposuction.
There is a Medicare rebate for reduction where breast tissue is excised (but not for liposuction alone), which means that if you are insured your health fund may cover the hospital bed fee and theatre fee costs (depending on your level of insurance)
Male breast reduction is performed as a day surgery or overnight stay procedure in an accredited hospital, depending on what you are like with anaesthetic recovery. Occasionally if the amount of breast tissue is very small then the operation can be performed under local anaesthetic in the office.
It is normal for scars to be red, lumpy and obvious for 6-8 weeks after surgery. After this they gradually fade, with most people’s scars being white by one year, although uncommonly this process can take 2 or more years. The simplest way to help this process is to keep tape such as Micropore tape on the scars for the first 3 months or so, but an alternative to this is to massage the scars. Most correction of gynaecomastia scars are hard to see once they fade*.
During the first week after surgery you need to rest and take things quietly at home. When you go home there will be waterproof dressings covering your breasts, which normally stay on for one week, allowing you to shower normally. You should wear your compression garment the whole time, which needs to be worn for at least two weeks after the surgery. Most people feel well enough to drive to the postoperative visit, which is usually 5-7 days later, and most people return to office work 10 days after male breast reduction (correction gynaecomastia)*.
For most people it is 2-3 weeks until they are ready to return to sport and full activities*
*Note results vary from patient to patient
