Male Breast Reduction
Males can develop breast tissue which is called gynaecomastia. This can cause undue stress, an inferiority complex and embarassment.
It is quite a common occurence in New Zealand and more so at middle age. Male breast reduction surgery can help in some situations.
Causes of male breasts or gynaecomastia (man boobs) is due to various reasons. Some of the common causes include adolescency, hormonal changes, dietary and estrogen induced products, low testesterone, kidney and liver disease and also fat deposition due to obesity.
Drugs and high alcohol intake can also cause man boobs. Therefore, it is important to understand the cause of gynaecomastia before coming in for surgery. This would mean seeing a GP or endocrinologist for prior evaluation.
Expectation & Decision making
Male breast surgery is not for everyone. Select candidates are healthy, have stable emotional status, have firm and elastic skin (in some cases, extra skin has to be removed).
Candidates will be unhappy with their chest appearance, do not take drugs or consume excessive alcohol. If you have irreversible causes for man boobs then these should be tackled first by your GP or endocrinologist.
Preparation
You would be seen by Dr Satya Shanbhag for surgical assessment and discussion about the procedure and possible complications.
Procedure
The procedure is done through a very small fraction of a circle around the nipple/areola region. The operation is done under local anaesthetic. The recovery and quality of the experience is far better than general anaesthesia therefore there is no need for an overnight stay.
The fatty or the glandular tissue (or both) is removed as required for complete reduction. One breast only will be done in a single sitting. Each sitting will take about30-45 minutes. The nipple is then implanted to the deep chest tissue. The deep layers are then closed with dissolving stitches. The skin is closed with very fine nylon stitches. These will be removed after 7-10 days time.
Some patients may develop seroma fluid and require drain insertion. Otherwise there will be no drain inserted during operation.
Complications
Complications are typically uncommon. However early and minor complications can include; bruising, swelling, and moderate pain which can be well controlled with analgesics.
Seroma (the accumulation of tissue fluid) can occur after a few days. There can also be partial to permanent numbness at the nipple or the areola. Major complications include skin and fat necrosis, however this is very rare.
Pricing
The price of single male breast surgery is dependent on the complexity.
Single breast -> from $1,500 to $1,800
Both breasts -> from $3,200
Please contact reception to schedule an appointment with either Dr Satya or Nurse Edlyn for further information.