Tweakments are not just for women anymore. As more men get into injectables, hair restoration and fine-tuning their physiques, one area that has come into sharper focus is the chest. We’re hearing that male breast reduction, also known as gynecomastia surgery, is becoming more popular, especially as the warmer months approach.
Featured Experts
- Dr. Elie Levine is a board-certified plastic surgeon in New York
- Dr. Evan Garfein is a board-certified plastic surgeon in New York
“As we head into summer, men and women start to realize that they will likely be revealing more of their body, and the spring is a time that many people think about body contouring,” says New York plastic surgeon Elie Levine, MD. “In addition, as minimally invasive options improve so much, I have the ability to profoundly change chest size and shape with a few tiny, barely noticeable incisions. This has piqued interest in my practice.”
It is not just about major changes either. Fitter patients are also looking to tweak specific areas that feel out of proportion. “Men have become more conscious of the potential of plastic surgery to address aesthetic concerns,” adds New York plastic surgeon Evan Garfein, MD. “Especially for men who are very fit, the presence of breast tissue, usually behind the nipple, can be uncomfortable.”
This patient, 46, underwent bilateral male breast reduction with Dr. Levine using suction-assisted lipectomy and radio-frequency-assisted liposuction (RFAL), removing 500cc from each breast.
The Emotional Toll
Although patients often focus on physical changes, there’s an emotional side to gynecomastia that can run deep. “It is often hard for patients to open up to how difficult it is living with a less-than-ideal chest size and shape,” says Dr. Levine. “This is often something that people are living with from their teenage years, and each person finds the right time in their life to address it.”
Feeling uncomfortable in your body is not exclusive to female patients, says Dr. Garfein. “Often the way men and women express dissatisfaction with some part of their bodies is similar,” he notes. “Very often it is a comment around feeling uncomfortable with their bodies or being dissatisfied with a part of their physique.”
Choosing the Right Technique
For anyone considering the surgery, it’s important to know that the approach can vary depending on anatomy and goals. “There are times when the amount of breast skin and tissue requires a formal male breast reduction with more significant incisions,” says Dr. Levine. “However, the vast majority of my patients get outstanding results with a combination of radio frequency by BodyTite or QuantumRF and liposculpting. It creates dramatic improvement with minimal recovery.”
Dr. Garfein adds that surgical planning always starts with balance. “The techniques follow the principles,” he explains. “We aim to create a male chest that’s in harmony with the rest of the body. How we get there depends on how much excess skin, fat and breast tissue the patient has. A small amount of extra skin can often re-drape on its own after fat and tissue are removed. A larger amount may need to be excised. Fat can be liposuctioned. Breast tissue needs to be cut out.”
Recovery and Results
Recovery from male breast reduction is usually straightforward, with patients able to resume light activity within a few days. “The results are typically dramatic, amazing and the recovery seamless in most patients,” says Dr. Levine. “Even if people are not ready to embark on this journey, it is always valuable to come in and understand their options so that they can marinate until the time is right for them.”
Dr. Garfein adds, “Recovery is usually fairly quick with a couple of days of downtime and then about two weeks of soreness. I have patients in a snug compression garment for four weeks religiously. As far as results go, if they’re not happy, I failed.”
