Dr. Medalie is a specialist in the surgical treatment of gynecomastia or male breast reduction surgery in Cleveland, Ohio.
Although rarely discussed, male breast enlargement is a common condition. There is no specific cause for gynecomastia, although there has been some correlation with various medical conditions or drugs (anabolic steroids, some heart medications, marijuana, etc.). Men who feel self-conscious about their appearance are helped with male breast reduction surgery. The procedure removes fat and/or glandular tissue from the breasts, and in extreme cases removes excess skin, resulting in a contoured chest that is flatter and firmer. If excess glandular tissue is the primary cause of the breast enlargement, it typically requires sharp excision. The excision may be performed alone or in conjunction with liposuction. Dr. Medalie prefers power assisted liposuction because it has greater efficacy in the dense fibrous tissue under the nipple. In a typical procedure, an incision is made at the skin-areola junction in the 4-8 o’clock position. Working through the incision, Dr. Medalie removes the excess glandular and fatty tissue from beneath and around the nipple. The remaining excess tissue is contoured via liposuction to blend smoothly with the rest of the chest wall. Major reductions that involve the removal of a significant amount of tissue and skin may require larger incisions that result in more conspicuous scars. When liposuction is used to remove excess fat, the cannula is usually inserted through the existing incisions or in an inconspicuous location under the arm. Dr. Medalie typically performs male breast reduction (gynecomastia reduction) as an outpatient procedure in Cleveland, OH.
Anesthesia
Medications are administered for your comfort during the surgical procedures. The options include local anesthesia (for small areas just underneath the nipple), intravenous sedation and general anesthesia. For larger volumes, I typically recommend general anesthesia.
Liposuction technique
In cases where gynecomastia is primarily the result of excess fatty tissue, liposuction techniques alone may be used. This requires insertion of a cannula, a thin hollow tube, through several small incisions.
The cannula is moved back and forth in a controlled motion to loosen the excess fat, which is then removed from the body by vacuum suction.
There are various liposuction techniques that may be used; the technique most appropriate in your case will be defined prior to your procedure.
I find that most gynecomastia patients require more than just liposuction (especially directly underneath the nipple).
Excision technique
Excision techniques are recommended where glandular breast tissue or excess skin must be removed to correct gynecomastia. Excision also is necessary if the areola will be reduced or the nipple will be repositioned to a more natural male contour. Incision patterns vary depending on the specific conditions and surgical preference. In large volume cases, sometimes a large incision is performed to truly flatten the chest and then the nipple is resized and put back on as a graft in a higher and more natural masculine position.
Combination of liposuction & excision techniques
Sometimes gynecomastia is treated with both liposuction and excision. This is my personal preference as it gives me the most flexibility in terms of surgical management.
*Plastic surgery results can vary from patient to patient and are not guaranteed.
For more of Dr. Medalie’s gynecomastia patient photos, please visit his photo gallery.
Male Breast Reduction Before and After
