Male Breast Surgery: What Is It?

By Author: Kyle Donley
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Male breast enlargement is an all too common condition, especially in males with weight problems. The process of male breast surgery involves reducing male breasts, man boobs, man nipples or puffy man breasts to a point where the patient is comfortable with his appearance. All these various conditions fall under the general blanket term gynecomastia. This term stems from the Greek, gyno, meaning woman and mastos, meaning breasts.

Male breast reduction surgery is very similar to female breast reduction surgery. A patient must first meet with a physician and discuss whether or not they are a well-suited candidate to undergo this procedure. A good surgeon will take everything into account including body type, male breast size, family history, personal illness history, patient's mental health, lifestyle and other factors. Keeping in mind that male breast reduction surgery is generally elective and rarely necessary as a preventative surgery, a doctor should always explain the risks that accompany any surgical procedure.

Once a patient decides to undergo the male breast reduction surgery, an appointment is made for ...
... the actual procedure, either in-house or at an out patient clinic suitable for such a procedure. The actual surgery is performed by removing fat, reshaping skin tissue below the surface of the nipple and moving the nipple and areola to a higher place on the breast. The standard incision used in breast reduction surgeries is often referred to as the "anchor", due to the crescent shaped cut made directly under the areola and vertically downwards to the crease of the breast. Another newer technique is the "vertical" breast reduction technique. This style of incision supposedly reduces scarring and healing time, but is less common than the anchor technique due to its being slightly more complicated. The vertical technique involves a circular incision being made all the way around the nipple and then cut downward into the breast itself. After removing skin and fat, the doctor stitches up the incision by pleating skin around the breast.

A third technique involves using liposuction to remove skin and fat through a series of tiny incisions made throughout the breast. This technique is often referred to as "scarless" breast reduction, for although there is in fact some scarring, it is much smaller and less noticeable.

As with many surgeries the patient is first put under general anesthesia, which will put a patient under for the duration of the procedure. Although male breast reductions can generally be performed in just a few hours, many patients elect to stay overnight to sleep of the lingering affects of anesthesia.

Healing times after male breast reduction surgery vary depending on the individual, but an otherwise healthy patient should expect to heal completely within a few weeks.

Who needs male breast reduction surgery?

So who needs male breast reduction surgery? The answer should already be somewhat obvious: Men with oversized breasts do.

Oversized man breasts can be very daunting and humiliating for men. Often men with large breast feel a lack of confidence, self esteem and suffer from general melancholy and despair. Male breast reduction surgery can alleviate these feelings by giving these men a more masculine and largely preferable body.

What are the benefits of male breast reduction surgery?

For a man who previously had large, effeminate breasts - the benefits are enormous. Having the burden of intense weight removed from their chests elates men who needed such a procedure. Success, confidence, assured attitude, renewed vigor and an overall feeling of comfort with one's body are some of the many immediate benefits. And once a person has regained confidence, the sky is the limit. Individuals find they earn more money, make new friends and are infinitely more successful in matters of the heart.

What are the risks?

Like any surgery, male breast reduction carries some physical risks. These include: delayed healing, scars, mismatched breasts, loss of blood to the nipple, tissue death, decreased sensitivity to the breasts and general infection. On whole however, male breast reduction surgery is largely considered very safe and the aforementioned side affects tend to be rare.

The information in the article is not intended to substitute for the medical expertise and advice of your health care provider. We encourage you to discuss any decisions about treatment or care an appropriate health care provider.
About Author:
Kyle Donley is a writer for Yodle, a business directory and online advertising company. Find a surgeon or more personal care articles at Yodle Consumer Guide. Male Breast Surgery: What is it? Visit Male Breast Surgery: What is it?.