This is for the men out there, or ladies with men in their lives, who may be interested. I previously talked about plastic surgery for men to give them a more youthful appearance. The focus then was on the face.
Today I’m going to talk about one of the most frequent concerns for men, gynaecomastia (aka. male breasts, aka. man boobs, aka. moobs).

This is by far one of the most distressing cosmetic conditions that men have. It can happen to anyone. They can be fit or overweight. Men with this often avoid taking off their shirts in public. They won’t go swimming or to the beach. If they do, they wear a shirt. Often they wear two shirts to better conceal the area, or even a compression shirt under their regular clothes. They complain that they can’t wear the tight fitting clothes they want to because of their chests. Often guys work out like crazy to get super fit, but won’t show anyone. I have patients talk about how they worry about getting intimate with their partners because of their gynaecomastia.

What can be done about Gynaecomastia?

In fact, a lot can be done. The most important thing is to make sure that it is not a health concern.
There are a number of causes for gynaecomastia that are perfectly natural, but there are others that are not, and need to be ruled out. This includes hormone disorders and even male breast cancer. Your doctor is a good resource to screen for any medical causes. There are drugs that cause this: prescriptions, steroids, illicit drugs, and excessive alcohol. If these are the cause, then cessation may be enough. In the case of a prescription, then a change to another medication may be all that is needed.
Controlling your weight is important. There are two reasons for this. The first is that a portion of gynaecomastia is gland tissue and a portion is fat. Weight loss will help decrease the fat in the area. The other thing that weight loss will do is lessen the conversion of natural male hormones in the body to female hormones which increases the volume of gland. And of course there is plastic surgery for gynaecomastia.

So what does gynaecomastia surgery entail?

Like all surgeries it has to be customized to you and your specific problem. As I mentioned, gynaecomastia is usually made up of fat and excessive glandular tissue. For the really fit men, it is usually just the gland that contributes to their gynaecomastia. Both need to be treated to get the best cosmetic result. The gland is removed through a very small incision that runs along the boarder of the areola and the chest skin. I usually use less than 1/4 of the diameter in the lower-outer portion of the areola.
I find this leaves a scar that is very hard to see without careful scrutiny. A small amount of gland is left behind to prevent excessive hollowing that could lead to indentation. The other component is fat removal. I love this part of the surgery. The fat I remove is done through liposuction. Oftentimes, I don’t need to add any scar for this. I remove the fat over the pec muscle, I make sure to remove it from under the areola and then I do what I think takes a good result and makes it great. This is a trick I had never seen in Canada and I had to go to Australia to learn. I remove very aggressively the fat that lies just below and lateral to the pectoralis major muscle. If you see pictures of really fit men, they have a very defined edge to their pec.
By thoroughly removing the fat below the pec, extending towards the armpit, I am able to chisel the chest, creating really nice pec muscle definition. By doing so I am not just removing the gynaecomastia, but creating an athletic looking chest wall. For the extra time in surgery and the recovery, it is well worth it to get the best result from your gynaecomastia surgery.

Results from gynaecomastia surgery can be amazing and life changing.

I have been contacted by potential patients from across Ontario, Canada and even the USA because of patient reviews. They have seen photographs and been in a blog discussion with past patients who’s lives were altered by this surgery. It is a very rewarding surgery for me and something that brings a high level of satisfaction to my patients.

For more information on gynaecomastia visit https://drshortt.com/body-contouring/male-breasts-gynaecomastia/

If you are interested in gynaecomastia surgery please contact my office for a discreet consultation. Click here or telephone 905-849-4282.

Dr Rodger Shortt is a specialist plastic surgeon who graduated from Queen’s Medical School in 2004 and became certified by the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada in 2009. He received further sub-specialty fellowship training with international plastic surgeons in micro-vascular breast reconstruction, cosmetic plastic surgery, and body contouring after bariatric (gastric banding) surgery, significant weight loss or post-pregnancy. Dr Rodger Shortt strives to be the best plastic surgeon and is committed to providing high quality patient care and achieving excellent results. He is considered one of the top plastic surgeons and one of the few plastic surgeons in Canada that has the top rating of five stars in Realself, Rate MD, and Ontario Doctor review.