Increasing number of breast reduction procedure for men

Although breast reduction used to be performed mainly on women, nowadays it is also frequently performed on men. This operation is indicated for patients who suffer from breast enlargement, or gynecomastia.

This phenomenon can cause aesthetic discomfort in men, and surgery is the best way to remedy it.

Here is everything you need to know about gynecomastia: its indications, its course and its aftermath.

Men are increasingly resorting to cosmetic surgery

According to various studies carried out on the subject, the number of men who have recourse to cosmetic surgery is clearly on the rise. In fact, in just ten years, this number has increased by about 11%. Of these patients, about 10% go to a surgeon for a breast reduction.

It should also be noted that in general, cosmetic surgery today attracts mostly young men, between 20 and 30 years of age, more than older patients.

So why are male patients so keen on cosmetic surgery?

There are many reasons: the desire to have a more beautiful figure, the need to get rid of an aesthetic defect that is a source of complexes, or as a necessity, particularly when it is a repair operation.

In the case of breast reduction, the patient, especially when young, expresses the need to remedy an unattractive aspect of the breasts, and the desire to have flatter breasts.

What is gynecomastia?

Gynecomastia is an excessive development of one or both breasts, we speak of unilateral gynecomastia when one breast is affected and bilateral gynecomastia when both breasts are affected.

This is a fairly common phenomenon in men, the chest has an overdeveloped appearance, and the patient complains of an unattractive and unmanly looking chest.

The causes of gynecomastia are multiple: gynecomastia can appear as a result of a hormonal disorder, which is why it is a fairly recurrent phenomenon in adolescents who have just reached puberty.

The use of certain drugs, such as those used to treat prostate cancer, can also cause gynecomastia. In addition, obesity, the consumption of alcoholic beverages, and a generally poor lifestyle can all contribute to gynecomastia.

Finally, it is possible to identify idiopathic gynecomastia in some patients, which is a form of gynecomastia that appears for no particular reason.

How can gynecomastia be treated?

During the preliminary consultation with the doctor, the latter will determine the causes of the appearance of gynecomastia.

If it is present because of a hormonal disorder, then an appropriate medical treatment will be prescribed to cure the problem. Otherwise, surgery will be considered to treat gynecomastia effectively.

Performed by a cosmetic surgeon, the aim of the operation is to eliminate the excess of the breast gland in the patient. The surgical procedure may be accompanied by liposuction, fat suction of the breast gland to optimise the result.

In some patients, liposuction alone may be sufficient to solve the problem. Once the excess breast gland has been removed, it will be analysed in a laboratory to check for the presence of cancerous cells.

Gynecomastia surgery is performed under general anaesthesia, although in some cases local anaesthesia may be considered. The procedure takes an average of 60 minutes, or a little longer if the excess of the mammary gland is important. Only one day of hospitalization is required, however for some patients, an outpatient stay is sufficient (the patient can leave the clinic the same evening).

The aftermath of gynecomastia

There is generally very little pain following the operation, which will eventually disappear in the weeks following discharge from the clinic. The surgeon may prescribe painkillers to ease the pain.

You will need to take a few days off work, but if the patient does manual work, then a longer leave of absence should be planned. Sports activities can only be resumed after at least 4 weeks.

The patient will notice some swelling in the operated area; this will eventually disappear after 3 to 4 weeks.

The patient will have to wear a compression waistcoat for about 21 days, which will limit the swelling that results from the operation.

Thanks to the modern techniques used in aesthetic medicine today, the risks of this procedure are very rare, and the results are in most cases very satisfactory.

The excess of the mammary gland is permanently removed, and the patient can benefit from a flatter and more aesthetic breast. However, in some cases when the result is not optimal, a return to the clinic may be considered in order to make some adjustments after agreement with the aesthetic doctor.

What other procedures are frequently requested by men?

The quest for a more harmonious body and a younger, more attractive face is driving more and more men around the world to seek the services of a plastic surgeon.

Among the operations most requested by men are liposuction (the stomach being the most targeted area), hair transplants (to permanently remedy baldness), and face lifts, to give them a second youth.

Genioplasty is also becoming increasingly popular among men in recent years. This procedure is used to increase and reshape the shape of the chin, and many men want to have a more pronounced chin and therefore a more assertive face.