Male Breast Reduction

You will be asked to sign a surgical consent, which enumerates the risks of the procedure in detail. These risks have been explained here, but are also discussed at the consultation. You will need to arrange for an escort to drive you to and from the surgery center. Patients cannot operate motor vehicles after surgery, and we will not place recently sedated patients into taxis for transport home. It is mandatory to have someone stay with you for at least 24 hours after surgery for your comfort and safety.

The Day of Surgery
Depending on the degree of breast enlargement present in your case, Dr. Parson will explain the exact surgical approach he would take to provide you with the best contour using the least-invasive operation. In the least-invasive approach, and if most of the enlargement is fatty in nature, he may utilize liposuction to contour the breast area. Under a general anesthetic (completely asleep), he makes very small incisions through which he inserts a small tube. Vacuum suction applied to the tube then extracts the fat, leaving you with a smoother, flatter contour. A pressure dressing is applied to assist the skin in conforming back to the underlying muscle. The procedure usually takes about an hour, and is done as an outpatient.

If you have primarily a glandular accumulation causing your abnormal contour, he can usually remove this through a small incision at the lower half of the periphery of your areola (pigmented part of the nipple). The breast gland is then completely removed. Often a small drain tube is placed to assist the skin in conforming back to the underlying muscle. The procedure takes about 60 to 90 minutes, and is done as an outpatient. It can be done either under a general or local anesthetic.

Typically the stitching is done with self-absorbing type suture material, avoiding the need to remove stitches after surgery.

The Post-Operative Period
At the conclusion of your procedure, you will be placed into a pressure vest over tape and gauze dressings. The breasts become bruised, swollen, and tender for a week or so, but the pain should not be severe, and is usually well controlled with the pain medication that is prescribed.

After 2 to 3 days, Dr. Parson or his nurse removes the dressings, and the incisions are checked to ensure that there are no problems or complications such as infection. You will then be able to shower. You will be asked to wear the vest around the clock for 2 to 4 weeks for support of the skin during the early stages of wound healing. Though the skin of the breast may feel numb for a while, usually the feeling returns in 6 to 8 weeks, but can take up to a year to feel completely normal. Heavy exercise should be avoided for 3 to 4 weeks, and you should stay away from sporting activities or work that risks a blow to the chest for 4 weeks as well. Avoiding sun exposure to the incisions sites for 6 months or more reduces the risk of dark pigmentation of the scars; you may need to use a sunscreen for up to a year for this reason. It normally takes approximately 6 to 8 weeks for all of the initial swelling to subside, and it takes 1 to 2 years for the scars to mature and fade.

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