Procedure 09
Male gynecomastia
Abnormal growth of the breast gland in men, most often in adolescents and young men. The gland is removed through an areolar incision, and the excess fat by liposuction.
- Work-up
- Endocrine, beforehand
- Scar
- Areolar
- Combined with
- Liposuction
- Result stable
- 3 months
Figures confirmed by the surgeon; they vary from case to case and are specified in consultation.
The essentials
The four questions that come up
- What does the operation involve?
- Removing the abnormal breast gland through an areolar incision, and the excess fat by liposuction. In marked cases, particularly after major weight loss, the chest may also benefit from a breast reduction procedure.
- Who is it for?
- Men whose breast gland has grown abnormally. It most often concerns adolescents and young men, and it causes real self-consciousness, with difficulty playing sport and wearing swimwear.
- Is a work-up needed first?
- Yes. An endocrine work-up checks for hormonal disorders. These are rarely found: most often gynecomastia is idiopathic, that is, of no known cause.
- When is the result final?
- After three months. The result is then stable and definitive.
A gland that develops in men
Gynecomastia is an abnormal growth of the breast gland in men. It most often concerns adolescents and young men.
It is not a matter of overall body shape: it is the gland itself that grows. It causes real self-consciousness, with difficulty playing sport and wearing swimwear — two situations where the chest cannot be hidden.
The work-up beforehand
An endocrine work-up checks for hormonal disorders.
These are rarely found: most often gynecomastia is idiopathic, that is, of no known cause. The work-up remains a prerequisite, because a hormonal cause is not treated in the operating room.
How the operation proceeds
The operation removes the abnormal breast gland through an areolar incision. The excess fat is removed by liposuction.
Two procedures, then, and they do not address the same thing: excision deals with the gland, liposuction with the fat around it. Their respective share is decided on examination.
In marked cases, and particularly after major weight loss, the chest may benefit from a breast reduction procedure, with a scar in the fold of the chest or around the areola. The skin is then in excess, and removing it becomes part of the operation.
The result
The result is stable and definitive after three months.
That interval is the tissues’, not the scar’s, which keeps fading for longer. At three months the shape obtained is the one you keep.
Possible complications
They are few, and knowing them is part of informed consent.
- Poor scarring.
- Early lymphatic effusion, requiring aspiration.
Frequently asked questions
What patients ask
These answers reflect the content written and validated by the surgeon. Each one is written to stand alone, question by question.
Does gynecomastia always have a cause?
Where is the scar?
Is liposuction enough on its own?
What about after major weight loss?
How long before the result shows?
Meet us
Consultation
A first consultation is there to understand your request and tell you what is possible — including when the answer is that it is better to do nothing.
Clinique Esthétique Ferrère
16 ter rue Ferrère
33000 Bordeaux
In cosmetic surgery, French law requires a detailed written quote and a cooling-off period of at least fifteen days between the consultation and the operation. No deposit may be requested during that period. Two consultations are required before any operation.