“Man boobs” or “moobs”, technically known as gynaecomastia, may be very common, but they’re still extremely embarrassing. It’s an issue for 40-60% of men, and for most, no matter how hard they train at the gym, tone their pectoral muscles and control their weight, the appearance of a breast just won’t shift. There are various surgical options for removing the man boobs and reshaping the contour of the chest, but liposuction is the simplest procedure because it gives a great result with minimal discrete scars, and a relatively short down-time.
- Some men have true gynaecomastia, which is the over-development of firm, glandular breast tissue. Others have Pseudo-gynaecomastia, which the result of excessive fatty tissue building up on the chest wall.
- For some men this is a problem that has concerned them since puberty. They may have consulted their general practitioner and have had their hormone levels tested, but these tests are usually normal.
- Most men have already tried weight loss, going to the gym, and avoiding potential exacerbating factors such as alcohol, recreational drugs and steroids before consulting a plastic surgeon.
There are many reasons why people choose male chest reduction surgery:
- Stubborn areas of fat that are resistant to diet and training at the gym
- Unhappiness with physical appearance and outline in clothing
- Unwelcome comments from friends or work colleagues
- Having to wear baggy clothes to cover up.
- Embarrassment and lack of self-confidence. particularly when changing in public
- Not able to go topless on summer holidays because of feeling self conscious
- Tender, uncomfortable breast tissue.
- A firm lump, felt beneath the skin, particularly in the region of the nipple.
- After losing weight the skin has become stretched and sags to form a breast shape.
The benefits of surgery
- Improved body confidence and self-esteem.
- Flatter firmer chest with better contoured pecs.
- Ability to wear slim fit shirts and T-shirts.
- Confidence to remove your top on holiday or at the pool.
- Gynecomastia may be corrected using a variety of cosmetic surgery techniques. Fat, glandular tissue and any excess skin is removed to create a flatter, firmer chest shape.
– If the problem is excess of fatty tissue alone and skin tone is good then it is usual to perform a straight-forward liposuction procedure.
– Sometimes liposuctions is combined with a small incision around the lower half of the nipple area to remove excess fat.
– Larger gynaecomastia may require formal excsision through a scar around the nipple.
– If the chest skin is stretched and sagging, the excess skin will have to be removed in a procedure similar to a breast reduction for women.
- It is a day case or overnight procedure under general anaesthetic.
- The procedure normally takes 1- 2 hours to complete.
- All stitches used are absorbable, so no stitches need removing.
- You should wear a tight lycra compression vest 24/7 for 6 weeks afterwards.
- Some bruising and swelling is usual but this subsides after 1-2 weeks
- Any discomfort should be easily controlled with over-the-counter painkillers such as paracetamol.
- I’ll see you in clinic just over one week after the operation to make sure everything is going well.
- Gradual recovery over 6 weeks. Return to light work and social activities after 1-2 weeks, longer if your work is very active or physical. Avoid lifting or pushing anything heavy for three or four weeks. Typically it’s 6 weeks before you should return to full exercise.
- Men are usually delighted with a flatter firmer chest and improved definition of the pectoral muscles.
- Your new look can have a fantastic positive impact on your body image and self-confidence, leading to a better quality of life.
- The scars with liposuction are usually very discrete and inconspicuous, such that most people wont see them. Any scars improve over 6-12 months, going pale and soft.
- Up to one in three men having chest wall reduction may require a secondary procedure to fine tune or adjust what has been done. Tweaking the result may involve further liposuction, removing residual skin excess, or revising a scar.
- Chest reduction surgery is generally regarded as a very effective and permanent solution to man boobs, but any change in your weight will still affect the appearance of your chest.
