Many men often face an unpleasant aesthetic problem - breast enlargement. For the stronger sex, this seemingly sheer trifle often causes severe depression. From childhood, brought up on the axioms that men should not complain, they take this rule literally. And they don’t turn to plastic surgeons, thinking that by doing so they show slack. Doctors reassure all gentlemen: the removal of gynecomastia, and this is what professionals call the procedure for returning a normal breast, is a non-dangerous operation. By agreeing to intervene, you can forever get rid of a small flaw in your appearance.
The main causes of gynecomastia
As already mentioned, gynecomastia is an increase in the mammary glands in the stronger sex. Breast growth is due to swelling of adipose or glandular tissue. This part of the body is hypertrophied. The mammary glands look saggy. Visually, they resemble female breasts. The problem becomes a consequence of various endocrine disorders, cancer, hormonal changes, drug use. People with some chronic ailments suffer from it.
But most often, gynecomastia is caused by a violation in the body of the level of female sex hormones - estrogen. Sometimes its development provokes a genetic tendency or certain constitutional features of the body. In this case, the gentleman, the doctors propose to remove the gynecomastia. In men, such recommendations raise a storm of doubt: is it worth it? Definitely an operation is necessary, since it is the only solution to the problem.
What drugs cause the development of the disease?
The removal of gynecomastia should be decided by those men who are given the appropriate diagnosis. Unfortunately, sometimes they themselves are to blame for having “earned” a similar problem. Uncontrolled intake of anabolics often leads to the development of gynecomastia. Trying to quickly build muscle, gentlemen begin a course of steroids, which often out of ignorance is unbalanced. Some drugs are converted to estrogens and provoke abnormal breast growth.
Kinds
Gynecomastia is of three types:
- True It is very painful. The man feels fullness in his chest, heaviness. Sometimes a clear liquid is released from the nipple. The breast structure is lobed, dense.
- False. The pain is not felt. The chest is soft on palpation. It is characterized by bilateral growth of lipid tissue. A similar variety is most often found in men who, being fat for a long time, lost weight dramatically.
- Mixed option. It is characterized by proliferation of subcutaneous fat. The chest is greatly enlarged.
In any of the three cases, a representative of the stronger sex will be offered removal. Gynecomastia can be said no only with a scalpel.
Indications and contraindications
As already mentioned, the treatment of the problem is surgical. But before you agree to the removal of gynecomastia, you must consult a doctor. The surgeon will decide if you have indications for reduction mammoplasty. Firstly, men of normal weight are allowed to undergo surgery. Secondly, they should not have chronic diseases of the kidneys, lungs and heart. Remember that you should not immediately go under the knife, especially if the problem is not pronounced. Perhaps a set of physical exercises will help to adjust the shape and size of the mammary glands. As for adolescents, they are recommended surgery if gynecomastia is observed for more than two years. It is clear that contraindications for surgical intervention are obesity, the presence of chronic diseases of internal organs, a mild form of the disease.
Preparation for surgery
The operation to remove gynecomastia is prescribed only after a complete examination of the patient. It provides:
- History taking. A doctor asks about all the diseases that were previously transferred and currently available, as well as about the ongoing surgical interventions. He finds out if the patient is allergic to any medications. Your doctor may ask you what medications a man is taking at a given time.
- Testing: urine and blood. A coagulogram may be prescribed - a check of the coagulability of the latter. In addition, the patient is given an ultrasound and chest x-ray. He donates blood for hormones without fail.
The doctor takes photographs of the breast so that after the operation it is possible to evaluate the result by comparing the “before” and “after” pictures. Two weeks before the manipulation, heavy smokers are advised to get rid of a bad habit, since the use of nicotine negatively affects the healing process.
How is the operation?
The operation to remove gynecomastia in men is as follows. First, near the edge of the dark circle of the nipple - the alveoli - an incision is made. Sometimes it is located in the inguinal region - localization depends on the chosen technique. After the incision is made, the doctor excises excess areas of the skin and glandular tissue. Then the wound is sutured.
When it is necessary to pump out excess subcutaneous fat, a cannula is inserted into a small incision. It is connected to a vacuum apparatus, which performs liposuction. In any case, after the completion of the main stages of the procedure, drainage tubes are inserted into the wound. The patient wears them for the first few days, thereby preventing the appearance of hematomas and seromas. A sterile dressing is applied to the wound. The operation usually lasts 1-1.5 hours. It is carried out under general anesthesia.
Postoperative period
After removal of gynecomastia, the excised tissues are sent for histological examination. It is a mandatory stage of treatment, as it is able to detect the presence of cancer cells - atypical formations. At this time, the doctor makes sure that the patient does not have complications. These include the following issues:
- The discovery of bleeding.
- The formation of hematomas, bruises, bruises, blood clots.
- The development of infection.
- Congestive pneumonia.
- Anesthetic complications.
- Damage to muscles, nerves, blood vessels.
- The formation of rough scars.
- Numbness of the skin in the area of the incision, a change in its color.
- Fat necrosis.
- Asymmetry of the chest.
- Slow healing.
Rehabilitation
After the operation to remove gynecomastia, the stronger sex is often in a good mood. The feminine breast disappears, the body acquires male contours. Joy obscures some discomfort in the area of the mammary glands - the patient may feel pain. Analgesics will help to calm her down. Of course, the operation is minimally invasive, so the patient is likely to be released home the next day after surgery. Moreover, he will need to go to the hospital every day for examination and dressings. You should not be scared if the operated area swells. This is the norm. Be careful: avoid sharp and fast movements.
Day and night, a man wears compression underwear - this is a prerequisite for maintaining the result obtained by surgery. Do not raise your arms high above your head to avoid stitching. By the way, they can be made with self-absorbable or ordinary threads. In the latter case, the stitches will be removed ten to twelve days after the operation. The entire recovery period lasts about three to four weeks.
Patient Reviews
Men who have had gynecomastia removed have positive reviews. They are happy with a quick solution to their problem. Some do not like that for a month you can not play sports. Do not raise your arms, swing them, make sudden movements.
The result of the surgery can be evaluated after six weeks. Only after they pass, the patient will form the final contour of the chest. Men note that due to the operation they were able to get rid of at least 50 percent of the volume of excess tissue in this area. In a word, as the reviews say, the operation to remove gynecomastia is a great way to get rid of not only the disease, but also the tormented complexes. After her, the gentleman will be able to visit saunas, gyms, beaches and pools without shame, his intimate life will improve, and there will be no trace of depression.