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Male breast reduction surgery (gynaecomastia)

Removes excess breast tissue fat and sagging skin sometimes found on men

Male breast reduction surgery to deal with the problem of excess breast tissue (known as gynaecomastia) is a procedure that removes the excess tissue.

It can significantly improve the appearance of your chest – and help to increase your self-confidence.

Why us

  • Fast access to treatment when you need it
  • Internationally and nationally renowned consultants
  • Clear, inclusive pricing
Typical Hospital Stay

Same day discharge –

1 night

Type of anaesthetic

General

Covered by health insurance?

No

Procedure duration

90 minutes

Available to self-pay?

Yes

Find a consultant at Sussex Premier Health

Mr Mark Pickford

Consultant Plastic Surgeon

Your initial consultation

At Sussex Premier Health you will meet with your Consultant Plastic Surgeon in one of our private consultation rooms, during this time you will be able to discuss your medical history.

Your Consultant will discuss with you what you want to achieve and whether gynaecomastia surgery is suitable.

If you decide to go ahead with the procedure, we’ll give you at least two weeks between consultation and operation date. This is because we want you to be really happy and confident with your decision.

The procedure

On the day of your operation, our ward staff will show you to your own private room. Your private room will have an en-suite bathroom and TV and Wi-Fi facilities.

Your chest has two main parts – glandular tissue (firm and dense) and fatty tissue (soft) and the ratio of one to the other varies from person to person.

If you have excess fatty tissue, the usual approach is to carry out liposuction, or if you have excess glandular tissue, the best way to deal with this is for your surgeon to cut it out.

When the procedure is undertaken by liposuction, we have limits on the volume of fat and fluid that can be removed, depending on the facilities at your hospital – your surgeon can confirm this. It is unusual for large amounts of fat to be removed in a gynaecomastia procedure and so this would not normally be a concern unless you were having liposuction elsewhere at the same time.

Where liposuction is performed in conjunction with any other cosmetic procedure, our policy is that we will remove no more than a maximum of 2000ml of aspirate (fat and fluid) from all areas combined.

During both forms of procedure, your surgeon will remove the tissue through incisions made under your arm or around the nipple.

The operation is usually performed as a day case, though sometimes you may need to stay in hospital for one or two nights afterwards.

Aftercare

After your procedure, you will be taken to your room where you can rest and recuperate until we feel you’re ready to go home.

You will need to plan time off work so that you can recover at home.

Once you’re ready to be discharged from hospital, you’ll need to arrange for a friend or family member to take you home as you won’t be able to drive.

For guidance on pain relief and your recovery time, please see our patient information sections below.

Male breast reduction surgery is more common than you might think and is becoming more popular. Male breast reduction surgery removes the excess breast tissue, fat and sagging skin that lead to the appearance of ‘man boobs’.

Gynaecomastia, the presence of excess breast tissue in men, can occur for various reasons. It may develop if you have lost weight and been left with sagging skin across the chest, or may be the result of age. You may have developed excess breast tissue during puberty, a common occurrence, but did not lose it when you got older.

Whatever the reason, and if you feel self-conscious about your chest, male breast reduction can help flatten the breast area and give you a firmer, more masculine chest while also helping to increase your confidence in your appearance.

The operation usually lasts around 90 minutes and is performed under general anaesthesia, so you are asleep throughout the procedure.

At Sussex Premier Health, your consultant will be with you every step of the way: from giving advice at your first consultation through to offering ongoing support after your treatment.

A cosmetic surgeon’s reputation qualifications and experience are vitally important so we only work with consultant grade specialists. These are highly experienced consultants who have completed years of medical training. All our consultants are on the specialist register of the General Medical Council (GMC) and many are also members of the UK’s leading cosmetic and plastic surgery associations.

You will have bandages applied to support your chest after the operation to control swelling and you will receive pain relief medication.

We will provide you with a supply of all the medicines your consultant feels you need to take home with you after you’ve left hospital, up to 14 days. This may be at an additional cost to some patients.

After the surgery your chest is likely to be swollen and bruised for a while, but to help reduce that you may need to wear an elastic pressure garment for one or two weeks.

You should take a week off from work and should avoid exercise for around three weeks. It usually takes around six weeks before you will be able to return to normal activities completely. We’ll talk to you about this.

Complications from this type of surgery are rare, but you may notice some red and lumpy scars that will fade with time.

When we discharge you we’ll talk to you about any necessary follow-up appointments.

As with any cosmetic procedure, you should review your expectations thoroughly before you decide to proceed.

Your surgeon will explain the results that you can expect from having male breast reduction surgery, and will discuss any associated risks and alternatives to the procedure before it goes ahead. It may take up to six months for you to see the full benefits and results of your surgery.

On rare occasions, complications following this surgery can occur. The chance of complications depends on the exact type of treatment that you are having and other factors such as your general health.

Your consultant will explain how these risks apply to you.

If you have any questions or concerns about your recovery you can call and speak to a member of the nursing team at any time, please call 01424 757459.

Interested in finding out more?

Speak to a member of our team

Phone01424 757400

Enquiry form

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