Sydney plastic surgeon Dr Mark Kohout speaks with Christine Doggett about gynaecomastia and permanently reducing enlarged breasts in men.
‘Gynaecomastia is unfortunately becoming more common as our lifestyles become more sedentary...’
Gynaecomastia is best defined as the enlargement of male breasts beyond what is considered socially aesthetic. “Gynaecomastia is unfortunately becoming more common as our lifestyles become more sedentary and our social lives revolve around eating and drinking, sometimes excessively. It seems that men are generally getting heavier,” Sydney plastic surgeon Dr Mark Kohout explains. “On the other hand, it is fortunately becoming m o re acceptable for men to have cosmetic surgery in the form of liposuction to improve and correct this condition. There is less stigma attached and consequently we are seeing more male patients seeking treatment of gynaecomastia.”
Very young men may be embarrassed by their enlarged breasts after the hormonal influences of puberty. Usually it is a temporary condition but sometimes it can persist into adult life.
Gynaecomastia can also be seen in some body builders who take steroids, which can bring about a boost in the production of the female hormone oestrogen. The condition is most common in both young and older men who are generally overweight. In older men, this weight gain can be linked to a slower lifestyle, excessive alcohol intake and even some medications.
Enlarged male breasts are not restricted to a particular age group and nor is the treatment. “To correct the abnormality, the most common procedure is a combination of fat removal by liposuction and then the removal of excess breast glandular tissue by excisional surgery,” Dr Kohout explains. “If there remains an excess of skin, then this can be removed by surgery similar to female breast surgery, but this is quite rare.”
The actual procedure will depend upon the individual assessment of each patient. Ultrasonic liposuction can be used alone if only the removal of fatty tissue is required . Ultrasonic liposuction breaks down and liquefies the more fibrous fatty tissue found in men. However, if the breasts are also enlarged, a small incision is made within the areola, or nipple area, and the remaining scar is barely visible.
Dr Kohout perf o rms this procedure as day surgery. “After liposuction for gynaecomastia, the patient can generally return to work after a couple of days. The chest will be taped up under a pressure garment for about a week and then the garment must be worn for up to six weeks,” he says.
Ultrasonic liposuction produces good results for men in the treatment of enlarged breasts by aesthetically improving the contours of the chest area and creating a more balanced body shape.