Male Breast Reduction

Overdevelopment or enlargement of breasts can be caused by aging, puberty, medication, and certain health conditions in men. Oftentimes, the sagging and tenderness of the breasts leads those to consider surgery. During the surgery, the excessive glandular tissue and/or fat is removed for a more masculine chest appearance.

BEFORE & AFTER

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TIME FRAME

1.5 Hours - 2 Hours

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ANAESTHETIC METHOD

General

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STITCH REMOVAL

Not Required

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OVERNIGHT STAY

No

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BACK TO WORK

3 - 7 Days

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BACK TO FITNESS

4 Weeks

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PRICE: CUSTOM APPROACH

Schedule a consultation to get your exact cost for breast reduction.

What is Male Breast Reduction Surgery?

Male breast reduction surgery, or gynecomastia, aims to improve male breast contour by removing excess breast glandular tissue and/or fat, lifting, and shaping deformed breasts and areolas. Several liposuction techniques and tools are typically used to reduce and reform breast tissue, in addition to other methods of Dr. Bray’s creation.

Dr. Bray’s variety of liposuction approaches are chosen to fit each individual patient. However, glandular tissue is denser than fatty tissue and is often not amenable to removal by liposuction. Unlike other surgeons, who must make a visible incision on the breast itself, Dr. Bray is almost always able to remove this excess breast gland through a small incision in the underarm area. This scar will never be visible unless someone looks closely in your armpit. He may also remove the gland when reducing or repositioning the areola, sometimes required in those men who have significant breast sagging after major weight loss. 

Dr. Bray’s technique, while minimally-invasive, must usually be performed under general anesthesia. Afterwards, some soreness and swelling are common but easily managed with pain medication. Dr. Bray will provide you with a compression vest to ease discomfort and improve the healing process.

Benefits of Male Breast Reduction

Men receive an array of benefits following male breast reduction, including an improved appearance, posture, and self-confidence when performing physical activities. Dr. Bray works to form the chest into a more masculine impression. Secondly, men with gynecomastia often hide their breasts by slouching their shoulders forward, as well as carry extra weight. This poor posturing and extra fat can cause back issues, making physical activities more difficult.

How is Dr. Bray’s Approach Different?

Dr. Bray’s approach to male breast reduction surgery is not only effective, but aims to result in invisible scars. To his knowledge, Dr. Bray is the only surgeon who creates an incision in the armpit to leave less, and more concealable scarring. By using BodyTITE™, he is also able to contract and tighten the skin for a more youthful look. However, Dr. Bray uses multiple modes of liposuction aiming to create a masculine appearance. 

While many physicians choose to make an incision on the breast itself, leaving a long, visible scar, Dr. Bray selects the armpit in order to conceal the scar from view. With the use of BodyTITE™, the enhanced skin contraction reduces the occurrence of loose, irregular skin afterward. As a caveat, there are rare cases in which an armpit incision is not enough. This is usually when the breasts have lots of laxity and drooping. In these cases, he may need to make an incision on the breast. 

Although many people believe removing the breast gland leaves a long and very visible scar, Dr. Bray does not. Dr. Bray removes breast glands in many of his patients with the use of varied tools and techniques. And does so through an armpit incision, accompanied by BodyTITE™ to remove surrounding fatty areas.

Male Breast Reductions After Massive Weight Loss

Dr. Bray commonly treats men after massive weight loss. Bodybuilders who have undergone steroid use and lost tremendous amounts of weight may develop enlarged, sagging breasts. Dr. Bray works to return the breasts to a normal and masculine appearance. Due to this, oftentimes, skin must be removed, and more intensive scars are a result. However, the outcome is more dramatic. Moreover, Dr. Bray always aims to reduce the scarring as much as possible using various techniques and tools, including BodyTITE™.

Preparing for the Procedure

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Medical conditions, such as heart disease, hypertension, thyroid problems, diabetes or the regular use of certain medications might affect your surgery. If any of this applies to you, please consult with Dr. Bray first.

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No smoking of any sort of nicotine, vape or marijuana products for approximately 6 weeks before your procedure. Continuing to do so might adversely affect your surgical outcome. We also advise not consuming alcohol at least a week prior to surgery.

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Follow Dr. Bray’s instructions concerning diet, hygiene and medications. Before any kind of surgery, your stomach should be empty, which is why you should not eat or drink after midnight the day before the procedure.

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Make sure to wear comfortable clothes and shoes to allow easier change of clothes before and after surgery. Please arrive without any jewelry, makeup and nail polish on the day of the procedure. If you wear contact lenses, please switch them out for glasses.

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Plan enough time for your recovery. Taking a few days off from work will be essential. Patients usually require between 3 and 7 recovery days before returning to office-type work. Those with physically-demanding jobs will require more time, typically 2-3 weeks.

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Ask someone to drive you to your appointment and pick you up after surgery. By law, you cannot drive after your surgical operations, thus you will need to arrange a ride home.

In line with COVID-19 regulations, we have reassessed our cleaning and sterilization protocols. Upon arrival in our office we conduct symptom screenings with a questionnaire and check our patients’ temperature. We also require mask wearing for our staff and patients. COVID-19 testing before surgical procedures is mandatory in order to protect our staff. Please inform yourself regarding testing centers in your area and arrange for testing prior to your surgery.

We require a number of lab tests, diagnostic tests and medical evaluations leading up to your surgery. The nature of these tests will vary according to the procedure, your age, health, history, and other key health factors. Make sure to run all the necessary blood work and receive clearance before any surgical procedure. Necessary testing may change based on procedure, age, health, history and other factors.

It’s of utmost importance to follow all of your surgeon’s instructions regarding diet, supplements and medications. Stop drinking alcohol and smoking of any kind. Avoid exposure to sick people and quit taking blood thinning medications, such as Aspirin, Ibuprofen and a number of supplements. Post-surgery preparations should be made, such as arranging transportation, getting time off from work, stocking up on food and anything else you will need post-surgery and making sure someone will stay with you during the first two days after the procedure.

Figure out what you are going to wear, follow your surgeon’s instructions regarding pre-surgery fasting and any other preparation measures. Go to bed early and get well rested before your big day. We also recommend getting your house in order and buying ice packs to help with swelling after the surgery.

Post Op / Aftercare

Dr. Bray will provide you with a plan to greatly improve the healing process. It is critical that these instructions be followed. Generally, he advises between 3 and 7 days off work. Additionally, a compression vest will  be provided to reduce the swelling. Expect to wear this garment for roughly the first 4 weeks after surgery. It can be worn underneath regular clothing and is not visible to others. Lastly, ensure that the hygiene, medication, and dietary instructions are followed. 

Bruising, swelling, and tightness are common side effects of this procedure, especially among patients with larger corrections. Refrain from any strenuous movement, such as exercise or lifting heavy objects. Vertical arm movement above shoulder level should be almost entirely avoided; however, lateral, waist, and elbow movement is safe.

You should avoid tanning and direct sunlight for 5-6 weeks until the swelling and bruising have completely subsided. These heat rays can prolong swelling and cause permanent discoloration to the scar, making it more visible. 

Some Common Side Effects

Dulled sensation in the area around the scar is common in men who have undergone a larger correction. Normally, the sensitivity returns after a year. Lastly, the areolas of your breasts may shrink up to 50%. The process is spontaneous and typically occurs when a lot of glandular tissue is removed.

Complications From Male Breast Reduction

Potential complications for a male breast reduction include, but are not limited to:

  • Excessive swelling and bruising
  • Infected wounds  
  • Unintended altered nipple position
  • Loss of sensation in nipple 
  • Fat necrosis

RECOMMENDED SURGERIES WITH MALE BREAST REDUCTION

FAQ

Gynecomastia is the result of several factors, chief among them are:

    • Hormones: An imbalance between the two sex hormones – estrogen and progesterone.
    • Obesity: Excessive weight increases estrogen, which in turn makes the male breast grow. 
    • Newborn: Estrogen passes through the placenta into the babies. The enlargement thus attained is temporary and usually disappears after birth.
    • Puberty: If the testosterone level sometimes drops during puberty, while estrogen levels increase. 
    • Age: As we age, our testosterone levels decrease, and oftentimes our estrogen levels increase.
    • Hormone medications: Sometimes required to treat medical conditions.
    • Certain prescription medications
    • Anabolic steroids: Particularly if taken without proper use of an aromatase inhibitor.

Many men cannot reverse their condition with diet and exercise alone. Those who struggle as such are excellent candidates, so long as they are healthy without any medical conditions that can decelerate the healing process. It is important that candidates are non-smokers and do not engage in drug use or excessive alcohol consumption. Lastly, men who are obese may need to lose and find a more stable weight prior to breast reduction surgery. Please contact Dr. Bray to schedule a consultation to see if you are a candidate for male breast reduction.

Dr. Bray will need your health history and also perform a physical examination. In addition, he may perform other tests to rule out complicating health conditions through urine tests, blood tests, liver function tests, hormone studies, low-grade mammograms, and biopsy for cancer cells.

Medical conditions, such as heart disease, hypertension, thyroid problems, diabetes or the regular use of certain medications might affect your surgery. If any of these apply to you, inform Dr. Bray.

Recovery normally takes approximately 1-2 weeks; however, you may resume work after 3-7 days. Those who work from home can often resume within a day or two after surgery. During the recovery period, do not engage in strenuous activity or heaving lifting, avoid lateral arm movement, and follow all of Dr. Bray’s instructions.  To assist in the healing process and reduce swelling, a compression vest must be worn, and medication will be prescribed by Dr. Bray.

Light exercise after 1-2 weeks is safe; however, heavy lifting and chest workouts should be avoided for at least 6 weeks. For the first 3-7 days of surgery, do not engage in any exercise at all. Lower extremity activity can resume after a week or two. Dr. Bray is very involved in the post-operative process, and will create a strict plan for you to follow.

Dr. Bray looks at the body holistically. Thus, a male breast reduction may not be suitable alone depending on your physique. When Dr. Bray examines you, he may recommend complementary surgeries to balance your body. As such, he aims for a natural, youthful look in all of his patients. Common complementary surgeries are abdomen and flank liposuctions.

There are some cases of gynecomastia that are temporary. In situations where the breast enlargement is solely due to excess fat (pseudogynecomastia) then weight loss alone might be sufficient to solve the problem. But For many men who experience true gynecomastia as adults, it can be extraordinarily difficult or impossible to return to normal breast size. Because breast glands rarely shrink once they have grown excessively, surgery is usually necessary. It is important to note that in cases where gynecomastia has been caused by drug use such as anabolic steroids, the likelihood of recurrence is higher.

Male breast reduction is an invasive procedure that permanently changes the size of your chest. Dr. Bray not only works to permanently reduce your chest size, but form its masculine appearance.  However, those looking for permanent relief must be mindful that certain factors could lead to a recurrence of gynecomastia in the future; weight gain and steroid use are two major factors. That said, with Dr. Bray having performed over 1000 of these procedures, the incidence of recurrence is extremely rare.If you have questions about the longevity of this procedure, please schedule a consultation with Dr. Bray.

Dr. Bray has been performing this surgery for over 20 years. His approach is a strategic combination of latest technology and techniques used to craft a more masculine appearance. Dr. Bray uses various liposuction techniques, such as power-assisted and energy-assisted liposuction. These allow him to contour the chest, and reduce the size. Regarding scar size, Dr. Bray makes his incision in the armpit – not the breast itself. This unique approach allows the concealment of the scar. Moreover, by using BodyTITE™ liposuction, the scar’s healing process is improved. This is especially important when making larger incisions or removing the breast gland. Dr. Bray considers all aspects of your body, possible complications, and various outcomes. He always works to leave a near-invisible scar, with a smaller, sculpted, and more masculine chest.

*INDIVIDUAL RESULTS MAY VARY

Contact Dr.Bray

Schedule a private consultation with Dr. Bray by submitting the form below or calling his offices directly at 416-323-1330.

Schedule a private consultation with Dr. Bray by submitting the form below or calling his offices directly at 416-323-1330.

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