Do you feel self-conscious about your chest? Do you have excess fat deposits that you feel prevent your chest from looking masculine? If so, you may be a good candidate for male breast reduction at Nuance Cosmetic Surgery in Folsom, CA. To help you decide if this procedure is right for you, today, we’re taking a closer look at what you can expect from the results.
Is Male Breast Reduction Permanent?
Gynecomastia treatment results may be permanent, but permanent results are not guaranteed. Numerous factors affect whether your gynecomastia will return, including the cause of your male breasts. For example, if the appearance of your chest is affected by excess fat deposits, you can expect an enhanced appearance that lasts a lifetime. However, you should be aware that only some of the fat cells in the chest can be removed. The rest can still store fat post-op.
On the other hand, if you are on a medication that causes excess breast tissue growth, your gynecomastia may return if you do not stop taking the medication. Similarly, there is a chance that your gynecomastia will return if you are growing excess skin and breast tissue due to a hormonal imbalance. If you have gynecomastia caused by a hormonal imbalance, it is vital for the continuation of your new and improved look that you get hormone therapy to balance your hormones.
What Are the Risk Factors of Gynecomastia?
Age is one of the most significant gynecomastia risk factors. This condition often develops in boys who are going through puberty because their hormones are very imbalanced. It also often develops in men who are older because testosterone production decreases significantly with age. When adolescent boys develop this condition, it usually resolves itself as the testes and pituitary glands ramp up their testosterone production.
When men in their 40s or 50s develop gynecomastia, it is not realistic to expect the situation to resolve itself. Rather, excess tissue needs to be removed. Typically, testosterone levels must be bolstered by hormone replacement therapy for continuous ideal results. Obesity is another common risk factor because fat cells produce estrogen. When estrogen levels are too high, the chest can start to look and feel extremely feminine.
What Other Risk Factors Should I Be Aware of?
Certain medications, like anabolic steroids, can also lead to the development of excess breast and skin tissue. To mitigate your risk of developing gynecomastia in the future, you should not take anabolic steroids. If a doctor prescribed you a medication that has this side effect, talk to them about taking an alternative medication that serves the same purpose without causing gynecomastia.
Am I a Good Candidate for Male Breast Reduction?
You need to come in for an initial evaluation to determine whether gynecomastia treatment is right for you. If your chest contours are caused by a significant amount of excess fat, we will evaluate whether you are a good liposuction candidate. If you have excess skin and breast tissue, we will evaluate whether you are healthy enough for gynecomastia removal. Similarly, we may evaluate whether you are a good candidate for liposuction and excess skin and breast tissue removal.
Who Is a Good Liposuction Candidate?
Generally, a good liposuction candidate is in relatively good health and concerned about excess fat deposits. We usually look for men who have at least an inch of pinchable fat, but this procedure can also be effective if there isn’t a whole inch of excess fat. It is also important for the efficacy of the procedure that there is not too much excess fat in the problem area.
Who Is a Good Candidate for Breast Tissue Removal?
There is a good chance you will qualify for breast tissue removal surgery if you have an excessive amount of breast tissue growth affecting your self-confidence and contours. However, it is not a guarantee. To qualify for breast tissue removal or liposuction, it is important that you are in relatively good health. If you need to undergo both procedures to sculpt your ideal contours, it is very important that your heart and lungs are in extremely good health.
If you only need one procedure to improve your chest contours, it may be performed under local anesthesia and a sedative to keep your chest numb and mind calm. However, the greater the scope of your procedure, the more likely it is that you will need general anesthesia. This is particularly true if you also need to receive liposuction in other regions of your body, like your flanks, to achieve the strong, lean, masculine physique you’re going for.
Who Is a Poor Male Breast Correction Candidate?
Male breast correction may not be right for you if you suffer from any medical condition that could make the procedure unsafe. For example, if your blood doesn’t clot normally, you may not qualify. Moreover, if you are on a daily anticoagulant or blood-thinning drug or supplement, you may not be a good fit for surgery. You will need to talk to your doctor if you can stop taking such a pharmaceutical temporarily before and after your procedure.
Uncontrolled diabetes may also disqualify you from surgery. If you need general anesthesia to keep you calm and comfortable, you must be able to go eight hours without eating prior to surgery and two hours without consuming any liquids. During your initial evaluation, we will discuss your medical history and present health to verify that you can undergo surgery safely. Your procedure may need to be rescheduled if you are suffering from an acute illness.
What Will I Need to Do to Prepare for Surgery?
We will advise you on how to prepare for your male breast reduction or liposuction during your initial consultation. To be considered a good candidate for either procedure, you must be able to comply with all preparation guidelines, including discontinuing the use of blood-thinning pharmaceuticals, like NSAIDs, MAOIs, fish oil supplements, and vitamin E supplements. As a reminder, you may not need to fast depending on the anesthesia that will be used.
Another vital preparation step to take is to not consume anything containing alcohol or nicotine. This helps to ensure that your blood pressure is not dangerously high when you come in for your procedure. YOu should also be aware that these substances cannot be consumed for a period of time after surgery to ensure your recovery goes as smoothly as possible.
What Other Preparation Instructions Should I Keep in Mind?
It is very important that you have a strong support system in place in advance of your surgery. You will need someone to drive you home from your operation due to the effects of the anesthesia. It will not be safe for you to drive during the first 24 hours following your surgery because your reaction time may be a little slower than usual. Ideally, you should have someone spend at least the first 24 hours after your surgery with you to help you recover.
Furthermore, you should strongly consider wearing a button-up shirt to your procedure. It will be a lot easier to button up a shirt than pull a t-shirt over your head. However, your wardrobe choice is not as important as keeping your chest clean and free from irritation. Those are other steps we’ll talk about during your evaluation.
What Can I Expect After Surgery?
Once your procedure is complete, you will be taken to a recovery room for at least an hour. Once the anesthesia has worn off, we will review your aftercare guidelines with you again. These will first be reviewed during your evaluation to help us decide whether surgery is a good fit for you.
You should expect to feel groggy for several hours after your surgery. You can also expect to feel extremely tired during the first several days post-op. This is normal as recovering from surgery requires a lot of energy.
Schedule Your Initial Evaluation Today
You deserve to be able to take off your shirt with confidence. If you have male breasts due to excess breast tissue growth or stubborn fat deposits, male breast reduction may be right for you. Depending on the cause of your male breasts, your results may last a lifetime. To find out for sure whether gynecomastia treatment is right for you, book an appointment with us today at Nuance Cosmetic Surgery in Folsom, CA. We welcome the opportunity to improve your appearance.