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Male Breast Reduction in New Jersey
David Evdokimow, MD
The concept for an attractive body is different for men than it is for women. While strength is important for everyone, for men, extra emphasis is placed on having an upper body that looks especially strong. Sometimes, no amount of weight lifting can deliver the lean, sculpted pectoral muscles men want or reduce excess fat and breast tissue in the chest area (a condition referred to as gynecomastia). So that these men can have the strong, masculine look they've worked so hard for, Dr. David Evdokimow performs breast sculpting and breast reduction for men, at his New Jersey practice.
To learn more about gynecomastia with one of the more experienced, board-certified New Jersey plastic surgeons, Dr. David Evdokimow, you can request your consultation online or call us at 908-221-1136. We serve men and women from New Jersey, New York and the rest of the country.
About Gynecomastia
Gynecomastia is the unilateral or bilateral development of feminine-looking breast in males. It occurs much more frequent than initially considered; in fact, recent studies show overall incidence of 32% to 36%, and even as high as 40% to 64.6% in adolescent boys.
There are several possible causes, although, in the majority of cases, the cause is unknown.
- Idiopathic (unknown reasons). This accounts for 25% of all cases.
- Developmental – from birth, during puberty, or through aging.
- Hypogonadism. Research has shown that an excess of female hormones (estrogens), and a decrease of the male hormones (androgens) could be responsible.
- Tumors, although this is rare.
- Systemic issues such as thyroid disorders, kidney failure, liver disease, or adrenal problems.
- Congenital.
- A common congenital disorder known as Klinefelter syndrome (the presence of an extra X chromosome in a male) can be responsible for gynecomastia and should be considered carefully before male breast reduction as it increases the risk of breast cancer. For men with Klinefelter syndrome, excision techniques may be preferred to liposuction. However, males with gynecomastia that is unrelated to Klinefelter syndrome have no increased risk for breast cancer, when compared to the rest of the population.
- Other conditions such as HIV, ETOH abuse, spinal cord problems, chest trauma, and stress.
Before the Procedure
During the consultation, a detailed history of each New Jersey male breast reduction patient will be taken. Dr. Evdokimow will want to know about your use of medications and over-the-counter substances. He'll also perform a thorough physical exam. He'll look for possible breast cancer (although it is very rare) as well as endocrine disease. In most cases, an identifiable cause is not found. Dr. Evdokimow will develop a unique treatment plan specifically for you.
The Procedure
Male breast reduction is usually performed as an outpatient procedure under general anesthesia. Depending on the cause of gynecomastia, the type of gynecomastia, the degree of enlargement, and the condition of the overlaying skin, one of the following techniques will be applied:
- Liposuction alone, although this may be too difficult if you need to treat fibrous tissue.
- Ultrasound-assisted liposuction. This is the most popular method of treatment. If ultrasound-assisted liposuction is used, there will be 3 stages. First, the treatment area will be infused with tumescent fluid (a sterile solution containing epinephrine and local anesthetic). Next fat will be liquefied. Finally, the liquefied fat and fragmented breast tissue is aspirated through a small tube.
- Excision and/or liposuction combined with skin reduction.
- Reduction procedures similar to breast reduction for women will be applied in extreme cases.
- A combination of liposuction, ultrasound-assisted liposuction and excision.
Surgical excision still remains important, when indicated, but the use of the ultrasound-assisted liposuction has significantly improved patient outcomes.
After the Procedure
A postoperative compression garment, combined with soft foam pads, should be worn for 2 to 3 days followed by use of compression garment for several weeks. Normal activity can be resumed in about a week; however, strenuous physical activity should be avoided for 4 to 6 weeks.
Complications from gynecomastia correction are uncommon and their occurrence is usually related to the degree of reduction. In large reductions, the most frequent complication is a seroma (fluid collection), which usually requires drainage. The rate of complications tends to be higher after excision techniques than with liposuction. Also, optimally matching the shape of the chest on both sides may occasionally require a second procedure.
