Male Breast Reduction

Patients who come to Ottawa Plastic Surgery for a Male Breast Reduction can attest to the following benefits: 

• Confidence in how you look
• Contouring the body to look more masculine
• Confidence in wearing certain types of clothing
• Reduction in excess breast tissue that causes pain
• Confidence to participate in physical activities as well as intimacy

The following are attributes that can determine whether you are a good candidate for Male Breast Reduction:

• Men whose condition cannot be corrected through alternative medical treatments
• Healthy individuals who do not have a life-threatening illness or medical conditions that can impair healing
• Nonsmokers and non-drug users
• Men with a positive outlook and specific goals in mind for improving the physical symptoms of gynecomastia
• Men who are physically healthy and of relatively normal weight
• Men who have realistic expectations
• Men whose breast development has stabilized
• Men who are bothered by the feeling that their breasts are too large

Adolescents may benefit from surgery, although secondary procedures may be needed in the future should breast development continue.

When you arrive at our practice on the day of your surgery, your plastic surgeon will walk you through the procedure, explaining his techniques and methods based on the plan you discussed during your consultation. After this, an Anesthesiologist will administer a type of anesthesia. 

Next, your surgeon will use one of the following (or both) techniques tailored to address your specific type of gynecomastia. 

1. The first technique option is liposuction. In cases where gynecomastia is primarily the result of excess fatty tissue, liposuction techniques alone may be used. This requires the insertion of a cannula, a thin hollow tube, through several small incisions. The cannula is moved back and forth in a controlled motion to loosen the excess fat, which is then removed from the body by vacuum suction.
2. The second technique option is excision. Excision techniques are recommended where glandular breast tissue or excess skin must be removed to correct gynecomastia. Excision also is necessary if the areola is reduced or the nipple will be repositioned to a more natural male contour.
3. The third technique option is a combination of both liposuction and excision. Depending on your specific concerns, your plastic surgeon will discuss and recommend the right technique for you. 

Once the surgery is complete, the final step is to close the incision. From there, you will be taken into a recovery room as the anesthesia wears off, and a member of our surgical team will explain what your post-surgery recovery period will look like.

An Ottawa Male Breast Reduction is generally performed in one surgical appointment, where patients return home the same day. During your recovery period, dressings or bandages will be applied to your incisions and an elastic bandage or support garment may be used to minimize swelling and support your new chest contour as it heals after surgery. A small, thin tube may be temporarily placed under the skin to drain any excess blood or fluid that may collect.

Our surgical team will go over a schedule of instructions that explain how to care for the wound site, change bandages, and which pain medicines are safe to take to aid in your healing. You will be advised to avoid strenuous physical activity for a certain period of time, to prevent swelling, or re-opening of your incision wound. Following these instructions are essential to the success of your surgery.