Gynaecomastia Melbourne
At our clinic in Melbourne, we provide options for male breast reduction to help address enlarged tissue in the chest, a condition known as gynaecomastia. This condition can affect patients of any age and is usually seen as a soft, non-cancerous growth beneath the nipple. It may appear on one or both sides of the chest.
Gynaecomastia can be linked to changes in the balance of hormones or may develop alongside weight gain. The approach to treatment depends on the extent of the condition. Some patients may need liposuction alone, while others may require the removal of glandular tissue or excess skin. In some cases, a combination of techniques is used.
Before proceeding with any surgical procedure, it’s important to discuss your concerns with a qualified cosmetic doctor. They can explain what the treatment may involve, including recovery and outcomes, to help you decide whether it is suitable for your goals and health needs.
What are the causes of gynaecomastia?
Excess Body Fat: Significant weight loss, such as from weight loss surgery, can lead to the development of gynaecomastia due to changes in body composition.
Medications: Certain medications that alter hormone levels can cause enlarged breasts in men. It is important for patients to inform their practitioner about any medications they are taking.
Underlying Health Conditions: Conditions such as kidney failure, obesity, tumours, chromosomal disorders, malnutrition, cirrhosis, hyperthyroidism, and hypogonadism are linked to gynaecomastia.
Recreational Drug Use: Substance abuse, including recreational drugs, can lead to gynaecomastia as a side effect.
Alcohol Consumption: Frequent consumption of alcoholic beverages can affect hormone levels and alter the fat-to-muscle ratio, increasing BMI and potentially leading to gynaecomastia.
Xeno-oestrogens: These are synthetic compounds that mimic oestrogen, found in some meat and dairy products, which can cause an increase in breast size in men.
Difference between pseudogynaecomastia and gynaecomastia
Pseudogynaecomastia is a condition where the chest appears enlarged due to excess fat in the area, often seen in patients with higher body weight. This enlargement is not related to glandular breast tissue.
Gynaecomastia, on the other hand, involves the growth of glandular tissue beneath the nipple. This may feel like a firm disc or lump under the areola and can occur on one or both sides of the chest.
In some cases, the tissue may be more spread out and resemble the texture found in female breast tissue. A proper assessment is often needed to tell the difference and determine the most suitable approach to care.
Recovering after male breast reduction surgery
Every patient is unique, so recovery experiences vary. The timeline below provides a general overview of the recovery process:
Days 1, 2 and 3:
Following surgery, patients typically have bruising and experience discomfort with slight pain. Patients receive medication to help manage these symptoms. Resting during this stage of recovery is essential. To maintain adequate circulation in the lower extremities, patients should walk around periodically. While showering and bathing must be avoided during this time, it is okay to take a sponge bath.
7 Days Post-op:
Patients can return to work, perform light exercises, and shower.
14 Days After:
As long as patients refrain from putting pressure on their chests, they can return to their normal activities.
Post-op signs and symptoms to watch for
Fever – A fever could indicate that an infection is present before any bleeding or oozing of fluid from the incision occurs.
Signs of Infection – Bleeding or oozing fluid from an incision site could be a symptom of infection. Reporting bleeding or oozing fluid right away can prevent additional complications from arising.
Leg Pain and Inflammation – Patients experience inflammation and pain in their legs (especially if these symptoms are only present in one of the individual’s lower extremities). DVT occurs when a blood clot develops in the leg.
Severe Pain – This type of pain can indicate an underlying medical problem.
Trouble Breathing – When an individual experiences difficulty breathing after the procedure, this is a medical emergency.
Constipation – To avoid the onset of constipation, patients need to drink more fluids and take stool softeners and prescribed medications.
Asymmetrical breasts
Damage to the blood vessels, the nerves, the muscles and the lungs.
Changes in the sensations of the nipple-areolar complex or the breasts
Persistent pain
An accumulation of fluid
Persistent pain
The need for a revision
Request a Consultation
Your Gynaecomastia Consultation with Dr Mark Attalla
If you are considering male breast reduction (gynecomastia surgery), we invite you to schedule a consultation with Dr Mark Attalla at Chelsea Cosmetics Melbourne.
During your consultation, Dr Attalla will discuss your goals, assess your suitability, and explain what the procedure involves, including recovery and expected outcomes.
Request Consultation
Dr Mark Attalla, MBBCHa FACCS – Cosmetic Practitioner
MED0001170831
Preparing for male breast reduction surgery
Patients can reduce the likelihood of experiencing complications by taking some steps before their procedure.
Avoid alcoholic beverages for 2 days before and 2 days after surgery – Alcohol increases inflammation, and drinking alcoholic beverages while taking pain medication can be dangerous. It can also result in complications, negatively affecting the body’s healing ability.
Discontinue smoking for at least 4 weeks before and 4 weeks after surgery – Following this requirement is vital because smoking and using products that contain nicotine can inhibit the body’s ability to heal.
Stop taking certain medications, vitamins, and herbs ten days before and ten days after surgery – Certain medications can cause unnecessary bleeding or prevent the clotting process, including aspirin, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), ibuprofen and blood thinners. Patients requiring medication ten days before surgery may use acetaminophen (Tylenol).
Vitamins and herbal supplements can also cause unnecessary problems during and after surgery; therefore, patients must stop taking these products ten days before and ten days after surgery.
Prescription and doctor-recommended products – Patients taking medications (i.e., prescription or over-the-counter), vitamins, or herbs at the direction of their physician must continue taking these products until they speak with their doctor about modifications.
If you have any specific questions about male breast reduction in Melbourne, please feel free to get in touch with us
Recovery information
Immediately after surgery
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- If you’ve had a general anaesthetic, you’ll be taken into a recovery room where you’ll be monitored for several hours.
- Once stabilised, patients either go home or are moved to an overnight ward.
- It is normal to experience some discomfort or pain, swelling and bruising. This is a regular part of the healing process.
- You’ll be fitted with a compression garment to help protect the treated areas, reduce swelling and support the new shape.
- If you’ve had high-definition liposuction, you will have surgical drains. Staff will tell you how to look after the drains and how to measure the amount of fluid in them.
- If going home after day surgery, you must have someone accompany you when moving around or going to the bathroom. You may faint and may need help when standing up.
- If you had High Definition liposuction you will have drains which are small tubes coming out from the small liposuction incision to drain the blood and the excessive fluids that get treated after high definition liposuction.
1 week after surgery
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- You will visit Dr Attalla in his rooms for a scheduled follow-up visit. Your compression garment will be removed so that Dr Attalla can carefully examine the area and ensure that everything is healing well.
- Most of the pain and discomfort would have subsided
- Drains are typically removed one week after HD liposuction
2 weeks after surgery
You will be required to come to the clinic every week for four weeks to have lymphatic drainage and massage.
Maximum swelling and some tissue hardening happens on Week 2. Typically, most of the swelling and hardening will subside over the following two weeks.
1 month after liposuction surgery
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- Most patients can return to work approximately two weeks after their procedure. If your work is physically intensive, we suggest waiting for another two weeks. If you operate heavy machinery, you may need to wait longer. We’ll provide each patient with guidance on when they can return to work.
- The majority of swelling and bruising will have subsided
- In the third and fourth weeks, patients can reduce the time they wear their compression garment from 24 hours a day to 12 hours a day.
- After four weeks, patients can return to normal daily activities and light exercise.
Preparing for liposuction
Patients receive varying levels of anaesthesia when undergoing liposuction. Consequently, you cannot drive for 24 hours. On the day of surgery, you must have a responsible adult drive you home and remain with you overnight. Please note that hiring transportation following anaesthesia is not permitted. Patients who arrive without a driver will have to reschedule their procedure.
You must discontinue taking or decrease your dose of certain medications before surgery. These medications include non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), aspirin, ibuprofen and blood thinners. If you take any prescription medications, you must discuss them with Dr Attalla before the procedure in case you need to reduce or discontinue them.
Herbal supplements to be discontinued include Kava Kava, St. John’s Wort, Garlic, Ephedra, Valerian, Feverfew, Ginseng, Dong Quai, Goldenseal, Echinacea, Liquorice and Ginkgo biloba. You must also stop taking vitamin E and fish oil during this timeframe.
Liposuction outcomes
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- May help remove excess fat that do not respond to diet and exercise
- May help reduce fat cells in target areas
- May be suitable for large-volume fat removal
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Disclaimer: The outcomes mentioned above should not influence your decision when considering liposuction; instead, focus on adopting an exercise routine and maintaining a healthy lifestyle.
What to expect directly after male breast reduction surgery
After male breast reduction surgery, patients receive compression garments. These garments must be worn continuously for at least 14 days. After these initial 14 days have passed, the patient can begin wearing the garment for 12 hours instead of 24. The patient can decide whether he wears it during the day or at night. Wearing it as directed is essential because disregarding this requirement can negatively affect the final results.
Patients who underwent liposuction or a combination of liposuction with the tissue excision method will also receive a binder. The patient wears this binder during the first week of recovery. This binder ensures that any remaining tumescent fluid drains from the patient’s chest.