Things to Consider Before Undergoing Gynecomastia Surgery

Gynecomastia is a prevalent condition in males especially teenagers. Breast enlargement can be caused by a number of reasons, but in most cases, it is hormonal. When puberty hits, males experience their hormones going haywire and thus the breast enlargement. The body just tells the fat to go to the chest and accumulate there. Sometimes, the breast mass is painful and tender to touch, but at all times, it causes embarrassment. But there are solutions for this condition, and one of the most popular ones is gynecomastia surgery, which is also referred to as male breast reduction surgery.

An Overview of the Surgical Treatment

The objective of the surgical procedure to treat gynecomastia is to remove the breast mass that is in the chest. Cosmetic or plastic surgeons are the ones who perform this surgery and they perform a combination of two procedures on the patient. The doctor performs periareolar surgery and lipectomy or liposuction on the patient to restore the shape of the chest and to extract the excess fatty tissue. The surgery also serves as a way to determine if the breast mass is benign or malignant. Breast cancer is possible in men, and gynecomastia surgery is a way to prevent progression of the disease.

Things to Consider Before Going under the Knife
 
1. How long have you had the breast mass?
 
It is important to consider how long have the breast mass been there because it will determine if surgery is in order. Males who had the breast mass for 2 years or more are advised to take it out via surgery because their breast masses might be cancerous.

2. What is the cause of your gynecomastia?

If you’re a male entering the puberty stage, then you cannot resort to surgery as treatment because most boys who develop this condition will lose the breast mass once the hormones start to normalize. If you are overweight and have not attempted any program to reduce your weight to normal, then gynecomastia surgery is also discouraged. Correct diet and exercise may be enough to reduce your breast mass. For those who developed the condition because of certain drugs and anabolic steroids, surgery is not for you too. It is best to stop the medication first and observe the effects. Most breast masses will disappear once the medication is not taken anymore.

3. Do you take care of your skin well?

The best candidates for plastic surgery are those whose skins would be able to recover quickly and respond well to treatment. Elasticity and skin health, therefore, is very important. Do you have habits that have the potential to damage your skin like a bad diet, staying outdoors too long or smoking? It is advised that you eat well, drink lots of water and avoid prolonged sun exposure prior the surgery to lower the risk of cellular damage. You need healthy skin cells to proliferate over your surgery wound. Smoking can slow down the wound healing, and so smokers are advised to quit first prior to surgery.