Growth of the breast tissue in men is common and is called gynecomastia. This condition often occurs during puberty and in many occasions resolves spontaneously. It can also occur in old age in which case it is unlikely to resolve but rarely requires treatment.

In people under the age of 20 treatment is rarely performed as the condition is likely to improve. In most cases the cause for the condition remains uncertain (idiopathic gynecomastia) and is has generally been attributed to an inbalance in sex hormones or the tissue unresponsiveness to them

However there are a number of factors that can produce the condition which need to be excluded. These include generalised weight gain. This is known as pseudogynecomastia and is best treated by judicious weight loss. Other causes include:

• Medication- the following drugs are believed to cause gynecomastia:
  • Cimetidine, Omeprazole, Spirinolacte and Cannabis

• Increase in the production of the female hormone estrogen
  • This occurs in certain testicular tumours and in patients with hyperthyroidism

• Decrease in the production of the male hormone testosterone
  • This can be caused by genetic conditions such as Klinefelter syndrome. Diseases of the hypothalamus or pituitary can also lead to low testosterone levels. Abuse of anabolic steroids has a similar effect.

It is important to remember that in the vast majority of cases no cause is found for the condition. In many cases other male members of the family have the condition and it can be considered hereditary.

Treatment

If you are overweight it is sensible to try and loose weight as this will reduce the fatty content of the breast tissue. In some cases this will not reduce the fullness in the area as it is composed of breast tissue rather than fatty tissue.

Exercising and building up the pectoralis muscled under the breast may make the condition worse. This is because it makes the muscle bigger and thicker but has little effect on the overlying breast tissue.

There a number of medications that are reported to reduce gynecomastia. There is little evidence that they are effective but they may be worth trying in the first instance as they are unlikely to cause any harm.

Surgical reduction of gynecomastia is possible and is either performed by fat reducing or excisional techniques. Liposuction is the main fat reducing technique and is works best on people with generalised prominence in the area without excessive skin laxity. Advantages of liposuction include minimal downtime and very little scarring. The scarring is limited to 2-3 short incisions approximately 5mm in length located at the edges of the breast tissue.

In excisional techniques skin is removed along with breast tissue. This technique is best reserved for people with significant skin looseness as it will reduce this. On the downside it does involve more scarring than liposuction. This is usually located around the nipple but can extend down the fold under the breast.

After Your Surgery

Whether you’ve had excision with a scalpel or liposuction, you will feel some discomfort for a few days after surgery. However, discomfort can be controlled with medications prescribed by your surgeon. In any case, you should arrange to have someone drive you home after surgery and to help you out for a day or two if needed.

You’ll be swollen and bruised for awhile–in fact, you may wonder if there’s been any improvement at all. To help reduce swelling, you’ll probably be instructed to wear an elastic pressure garment continuously for a week or two, and for a few weeks longer at night. Although the worst of your swelling will dissipate in the first few weeks, it may be three months or more before the final results of your surgery are apparent.

In the meantime, it is important to begin getting back to normal. You’ll be encouraged to begin walking around on the day of surgery, and can return to work when you feel well enough–which could be as early as a day or two after surgery. Any stitches will generally be removed about 1 to 2 weeks following the procedure.

Your surgeon may advise you to avoid sexual activity for a week or two, and heavy exercise for about three weeks. You’ll be told to stay away from any sport or job that risks a blow to the chest area for at least four weeks. In general, it will take about a month before you’re back to all of your normal activities.

You should also avoid exposing the resulting scars to the sun for at least six months. Sunlight can permanently affect the skin’s pigmentation, causing the scar to turn dark. If sun exposure is unavoidable, use a strong sunblock.

Your New Look

Gynecomastia surgery can enhance your appearance and self-confidence, but it won’t necessarily change your looks to match your ideal. Before you decide to have surgery, think carefully about your expectations and discuss them frankly with your plastic surgeon.

The results of the procedure are significant and permanent. If your expectations are realistic, chances are good that you’ll be very satisfied with your new look.

To find out if you would be suitable for surgical treatment of gynecomastia it is best to see a specialist to discuss your options. At the Gatehouse Clinic a number of our surgeons have a special interest in gynecomastia surgery and would be more than happy to see you for a consultation in which the condition would be discussed and any of your questions answered. If you would like to arrange a consultation please contact us at the Gatehouse Clinic where your enquiry will be handled with the strictest confidence.

Gynecomastia is a common condition producing generalized enlargement of the male breast tissue.

It can be treated by Excisional techniques which involve an incision around the nipple allowing access to the enlarged tissue which is removed.

Liposuction techniques involve reducing the amount of breast tissue by suctioning it out via small incisions around the breast.

A breast lift, also known as mastopexy, is a procedure to lift and reshape sagging breasts. According to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, nearly 100,000 women underwent this procedure in 2005.

Any woman who has ptosis, or sagging of the breasts, is a candidate for breast lift. Conditions that contribute to the ptosis of the breasts include:

Aging: As women age, there is a gradual reduction in skin elasticity, as well as the stretching and elongation of the Coopers Ligaments, which are responsible for holding breast tissue up against the chest wall. The breast tissue itself also changes with age from mostly firm, fibrous milk glands to fatty tissue, which is soft and saggy. This change accelerates with menopause, and the gradual reduction of estrogen levels.

Pregnancy and Nursing: enlargement of the breasts during pregnancy, followed by their deflation after the end of breast feeding, also stretches the Coopers Ligaments, reducing fibrous tissue, breast volume and leading to ptosis.

Large Breasts and Implants: The tissue and skin of inherently large breasts, or those that have been augmented with implants, stretch out from the breast weight, resulting in sagging.

Weight Loss: Rapid weight loss or dramatic fluctuations in body weight also cause the skin’s elasticity and breast tissue to decrease.

There are a variety of “litmus” tests to determine if the degree of sagging in your breasts is advanced enough to warrant a procedure. Many lay persons define breast sagging by how far the breast tissue descends on the chest wall. Plastic surgeons, however, define breast sagging based on the position of the nipple in relation to the breast mount or Inframammary Fold.

Degrees of sagging, each defined specifically by plastic surgeons are: Mild Ptosis, where the nipple is at the level of the Inframammary Fold; Moderate Ptosis, where the nipples have dropped below the level of the breast crease, but are still higher than that of most of the breast mount; Advanced Ptosis, where the nipples have dropped below the level of the inframammary fold and are just at the level of the maximum breast projection; and Severe Ptosis, where the nipples have dropped below the level of the inframammary fold, and below the breast mount, so they are pointing to the floor.

Other “tests” for sagging include “The Pencil Test” that defines sagging breasts as those which hold a pencil in place under the breast under-fold. While many women consider some degree of sagging as normal and natural, The Bra Test determines that breasts which fall upon removal of the bra are Ptotic breasts.

Together, you and your plastic surgeon will determine which kind of Breast Lift procedure is best for you. During a Crescent Lift, the cosmetic surgeon removes a crescent-shaped piece of tissue above the areola and restores the tissue to a higher position. This creates a minor lift for patients who have Mild Ptosis. One risk of this technique is a slight egg-shaped areola for patients who have heavier breasts and do not wear good quality supportive bras following surgery.

During Concentric Mastopexy, also known as the Benelli Lift, the plastic surgeon makes circular incisions around the areola, and removes the doughnut-shaped skin between the two incisions. The plastic surgeon then moves the nipple and areola upward and stitches surrounding skin around the areola. The Benelli Lift works best in women with smaller breasts and minimal sagging. A variation of this is the Benelli-Lollipop, which has straight incisions from beneath the areola to the mammary fold, rather than the circular ones. This is considered appropriate for women with medium ptosis.

Anchor-Shaped Mastopexy is the most common, and also the most invasive, Breast Lift procedure. Your cosmetic surgeon will make an incision above your nipple, in the shape of an anchor, with a circle at the top. The nipple is placed in the circle at the top of the “anchor,” forming the shape of the new breast. The lines at the bottom form the lower contour of your breast. The plastic surgeon sutures the skin around the areola, vertically down to the chest, and side to side along the newly created bottom fold.

Sometimes, breast lift is combined with a breast augmentation (with an implant) procedure to restore breasts to a fuller and enhanced appearance. At other times, breast Lift is combined with breast reduction surgery, with the aim of lifting the breasts while reducing their size to a more proportionate one. One alternative to a breast Lift is a nipple lift alone. While this will not raise the breast itself to the fullest extent possible, it has the advantage of leaving a scar only around the upper half of the areola.

After working hard at diet and exercise, you have lost a massive amount of weight only to find you have excess skin that just won’t go away. The good news is that there are cosmetic surgery procedures that can remove that skin and tighten up what remains leaving you with a more toned appearance.

Both sexes can be benefited from a number of facial procedures that are available for addressing specific problem areas. A face lift (rhytidectomy) generally deals with the lower portion of your face. Because of weight loss or age, your eyelids may now have drooping skin. The procedure is called blepharoplasty and is done on both men and women making them look younger and refreshed.

Your surgeon may also suggest a brow lift which lifts the position of the eye brows and removes the horizontal lines that may make a person appear angry. With all facial procedures, the incisions are made as small as possible and are designed to be hidden in your hairline or where there are natural folds of your skin.

Your neck may also be showing signs of your weight loss, giving you the “turkey neck” appearance. While a neck lift (cervicoplasty) can’t reverse the aging process it can make both men and women appear more youthful. When a neck lift is done, the procedure is similar to the lifts described above with the skin being lifted, tissue and muscle being tightened and excess skin being removed.

The breast/chest area can also be a problem for both men and women. Some men may have had heavy “man boobs” and now have sagging skin left there as evidence of the weight loss. A woman on the other hand might have sagging breast tissue and skin.

A breast lift (mastopexy) on a woman will involve moving the nipple higher and rebuilding the breast tissue that remains. If a woman doesn’t have enough breast tissue or perhaps would like to enlarge her breasts she may opt to have breast augmentation done also.

In male breast lift, incision is made at the fold under the breast area; any excess tissue and fat are removed via liposuction with the incisions being closed with fine sutures.

Considering the arm area, the most likely place with excess skin is the underside of the arm. Arm lift,(brachioplasty) can be done by making an incision near your arm pit, liposuction follows to remove fat from the under arms and then the excess skin is pulled towards and the incision is closed.

You might find that you have excess skin and tissue drooping around your abdominal area (both above and below the belly button) along with sagging skin in the buttocks area. During your consultation with your surgeon, various procedures may be discussed such as tummy tuck (abdominoplasty). Great care is given to hide incisions in natural folds of the body. The length of this horizontal incision depends on the amount of excess skin to be removed.

As with most procedures, the muscles are tightened through the incision and liposuction maybe used to remove fat and contour to your abdomen. Depending on how much skin and tissue you have remaining, your surgeon may suggest a body lift which is a combination of tummy tuck and butt lift.

Thigh lifts (thighplasty) are done to change the appearance of specific portions of your thighs. Liposuction may be used to define your thighs and remove any excess skin.

With any of these or other cosmetic surgery procedures, you should make sure your surgeon is certified by The American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS). When you meet your surgeon for the first consult you want to ask what their experience level is, with the specific procedure you are considering. Better to find out before you go through surgery than afterwards.

Prices for each procedure vary by geographic area and some surgeons have “packages” for multiple procedures. Financing is available for plastic surgery through several financing companies although you should explore all your financial options.

New Haven plastic surgery is creating a name for itself. Its reputation has built up over the years that it has started catering to the needs for reshaping, augmentation, contouring, lifting, and the likes. The services of the specialized clinics and surgeons generally attend to the needs of both the men and women who seek some opportunities to change their physical appearance.

With this, take time to get an overview of what is at stake at the New Haven plastic surgery services.

Breast Augmentation. The New Haven plastic surgery specialists can give you a clear-cut view of the concerns on breast implants. These experts say that the variety of breast implants such as the silicone gel implant, saline breast implant, or the cohesive gel implant can be done either on top or underneath the pectoralis major muscles and there under the breast glands. The main consideration is the thickness of the breast tissue and if it is capable to cover up such implant. Also, the incision area has to be carefully thought of. The major incision sites include the periareolar or around the nipples, the axillary or under the arms, and the inframammary or within the breast folds.

Liposuction. It is necessary that before any surgical operation is performed on you, you must first know if you are a right candidate for it. Not everyone can normally react to the process of liposuction. Your body needs to meet certain conditions and it should also be clear to you that liposuction is not in any way an alternative for weight loss. Rather, it is the process of the removal of excessive fats so as to contour the body into your most desirable figure. Liposuction is then a method that somehow sculpts the hips, abdomen, neck, buttocks, chin, arms, cheeks, knees, and thighs.

Breast Enhancement New Haven Plastic Surgery. It involves the techniques of reduction, reconstruction, and breast lifts. This surgical procedure is the best resort when a woman wants to modify the shape of her breasts so as her self-confidence would be amplified. However, male breast reduction is also offered in this area.

Botox Injections. These injections are effective in lessening the wrinkles and creases in the face as well as in the elimination of a bunny nose, the crow’s feet, and the frown lines. With this, a non-surgical brow lift can also be performed. Botox is likewise used in the neck especially if the patient wants to get rid of the horizontal neck lines. The botox injection allows the muscles to relax so the skin becomes smooth.

Juvederm Injections. Creases in the skin come along with aging. Aging makes the skin crease, fold, and wrinkle. You would soon realize that its texture is no longer the same as that with what it had been when you where younger. But with this New Haven plastic surgery method, the volume of the skin is restored. Juvederm gel is composed of hyaluronic acid that brings back or adds hydration and volume into the skin.

Face lifts. Again, the sagging skin in the face reveals your age. To get rid of these aging signs, face lift needs to be done.