Male Breast Reduction

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.