Gynecomastia is an embarrassing condition to live with as a man, but it’s also very common and most often treatable. You don’t have to live with the appearance of enlarged male breasts; you can once again enjoy a firm, defined masculine contour. In fact, surgery performed by Dr. Ronald Schuster reduces the excess tissue so you can feel confident baring your chest. While the surgery itself is common, it’s important to choose a surgeon who will use the right techniques in order to bring about attractive, long-lasting results.
In virtually all cases, gynecomastia cannot be corrected with liposuction alone. Liposuction removes excess fat cells, so it will be a component of the male breast reduction procedure because extra fat contributes to the condition. In most cases, gynecomastia is also caused by excess glandular tissue, which is dense tissue that lies beneath the nipple area. While liposuction is very good at removing fat, it is not designed to remove glandular tissue, which must be excised (cut away). Dr. Schuster adeptly performs all of these techniques in a single procedure. To remove the fat and glandular tissue, incisions are made on the side of the chest, where they will be less noticeable than they would be if they were made near the nipple. This lateral pull through technique – as it’s called – makes it possible for Dr. Schuster to perform both excision and liposuction through the same incisions, off of the front of the chest.
Removing the fat only, with liposuction, is unlikely to yield results that you’ll be happy with. The dense glandular tissue will still be there, causing the pectoral area to look breast-like. The size and amount of this glandular tissue varies from man to man, so it’s important to choose an experienced gynecomastia surgeon like Dr. Schuster. He knows how to build a procedure that addresses your chest tissue. Techniques may include a combination of:
- Liposuction
- Ultrasound-assisted liposuction
- Direct excision
Less commonly, significant excess skin must also be removed from the breast area. This isn’t necessary for most men with gynecomastia because the skin generally has good elasticity and will shrink back to conform to the new chest contour.
Gynecomastia Candidacy
To find out if you are a good candidate for male breast reduction in the Baltimore area, please call the practice of board-certified plastic surgeon Dr. Ronald Schuster at 410-902-9800. Our office is located in Lutherville-Timonium and we proudly care for people from across the region.
