Gynecomastia

For both men and women, the chest area can be a great source of confidence or insecurity. For women, attractive breasts are interpreted as a sign of fertility, femininity, and beauty. For men, a well-defined set of hard and pronounced pectoral muscles are a symbol of masculinity and strength. However, for many men, factors outside of their control cause a condition called gynecomastia, which is when breast tissue enlarges and detracts from the appearance of a masculine chest.

Widder Plastic Surgery offers a solution to this problem through Gynecomastia surgery, a procedure that safely and permanently removes excess breast tissue from the male chest. 

Dr. Shlomo Widder, our board certified plastic surgeon, has over 30 years of experience and is committed to patient safety and outstanding results. If you’re experiencing gynecomastia and want to know about all your options to treat it, we invite you to read on or schedule a consultation today.

Dr. Widder’s many patients trust him because of his genuine care, natural aesthetic eye, years of experience, and incredible results. Patient well-being is Dr. Widder’s utmost priority, and he will do everything he can to provide you with the natural results you want in the safest manner. 

Contact us for a male breast reduction surgery consultation in the Washington, D.C., and Northern Virginia area. 

Before and After Photos

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What Is Gynecomastia?

Gynecomastia is a condition in which boys and men grow excess breast tissue. In gynecomastia cases, one or both breasts may appear swollen and have characteristics typically associated with the mature female body. All males are born with and develop some breast tissue, but about 30% will experience gynecomastia as an infant, during puberty, or at later stages in life because of an imbalance in hormones (primarily testosterone). 

Male breast reduction surgery has gained some popularity due to increasing rates of obesity, but abnormally large male breasts due to carrying extra body fat are diagnosed differently and are classified as pseudogynecomastia. These are different conditions, but both may be treated with various male breast reduction surgery techniques.

What Causes Gynecomastia?

The hormone imbalance trigger for gynecomastia may be the result of a range of factors at different stages in life, including:

• An injury to the testicles, which can reduce the production of testosterone. 
• Issues with the patient’s thyroid.
• Illness, such as cancer, that affects glands responsible for physical and sexual development. 
• Obesity.
• Anabolic steroid use.
• Marijuana use.
• Kidney disease.

These are among the most common reasons a male’s body may experience too much estrogen (the hormone responsible for the development of most female characteristics) or not enough testosterone.

How Does Male Breast Reduction Surgery Treat Gynecomastia?

Gynecomastia is typically treated in one of two ways: hormone therapy or male breast reduction surgery. In some cases, gynecomastia simply corrects itself with time. For some patients, however, too much glandular and fatty tissue may require surgery to achieve a noticeable reduction and improve self-confidence. 

Male breast reduction surgery is usually performed in two parts; one is liposuction, and the other is excision and removal of excess breast tissue. Sometimes male breast reduction surgery may be best completed using one method or the other, and in some cases, it will require both.

What to Expect

Male breast reduction surgery begins with a thorough surgical consultation because each case will require a unique treatment roadmap. If liposuction is determined to be the best first step in male breast reduction surgery, it will be performed under local or general anesthesia, depending on the patient’s comfort level and specific health factors. 

During liposuction, a tiny incision is made so that a cannula can be inserted into the surgical site to remove pockets of fat cells. Patients are usually asked to wear a compression garment after liposuction surgery. Some return to their normal activities, barring strenuous exercise, within a few days. The total time for recovery if liposuction is the only method used is typically just a few weeks.

A breast reduction surgery that uses tissue excision as the primary approach can usually remove more tissue than liposuction. It’s more commonly performed under general anesthesia, but Dr. Widder may recommend local anesthesia with sedation medication in some cases. The recovery period is similar in length to liposuction but may require more downtime at the beginning before normal activities, again barring strenuous exercise, are resumed.  

The treatment planning for male breast reduction surgery at Widder Plastic Surgery will likely also involve body contouring to achieve a more desired, masculine chest for the patient.

Other Considerations

Gynecomastia can affect one or both of the breasts, in different ways. In most cases, it is not a serious condition, but it can cause some physical ailments such as back pain and emotional stress from embarrassment. Male breast reduction surgery not only removes excess breast tissue and fat in men, but also sculpts the chest for a more masculine look. In more severe cases of gynecomastia, patients may require a tissue excision. During a tissue excision, the surgeon is able to remove more tissue and skin than with liposuction alone. Following male breast reduction surgery, no matter the technique used, you will experience bruising and swelling on and around the chest area for the first couple of weeks. Although you may feel sore after surgery, this will subside after a few days. Some men may experience a loss of sensation in the chest area, but this is only temporary. Each patient will experience a different healing process and should follow the surgeon’s care instructions for optimal results.

Candidate

The best candidates for male breast reduction surgery have been diagnosed with gynecomastia and have tried other treatments such as diet, exercise, or medication. The most favorable candidates are those who are in good health, but need assistance getting rid of excess fat and tissue in the breasts. Patients with other medical conditions should discuss their medical history thoroughly with a surgeon prior to surgery.

Why Choose Dr. Widder?

One of the primary focuses of Widder Plastic Surgery is patient safety and comfort. If your gynecomastia treatment involves more than one procedure or is part of a larger male cosmetic surgery plan, Dr. Widder will schedule your surgeries so that no major procedures are combined. Some plastic surgery practices try to condense the timeline for surgical treatment plans to save time, but in his many years of practice, Dr. Widder has found this to be unsafe and produce less than desirable results.

When Dr. Widder performs surgery on a patient, his care extends beyond the operating room. He’s well-known for being an attentive partner in cosmetic surgery and shares his cell phone number with patients so they can reach him day or night if they’re uncomfortable or have concerns. It’s also a pillar of his treatment philosophy to make sure he personally checks in with his patients the night of their surgery and in the days immediately following. 

Patients interested in cosmetic surgery for gynecomastia are invited to scroll through Dr. Widder’s actual before-and-after photos of male breast reduction surgery to see the results of his work. 

Finally, Widder Plastic Surgery is a bilingual practice and proudly serves many Spanish-speaking, ESL patients. Hablamos español!

How Much Does Male Breast Reduction Surgery Cost?

Because gynecomastia affects males in different ways, approaches to treat it may vary. This can cause a wide range in the cost of surgery for gynecomastia. Dr. Widder will work closely with you to determine the most cost-effective plan for your concerns.

Let’s Talk About Your Treatment Options

Treating gynecomastia effectively, especially if the goal is to restore a sense of self-confidence, almost always requires surgical intervention. If you want to treat gynecomastia, partner with a plastic surgeon and a surgical team who will closely examine your case and make the best treatment plan for your unique circumstances. This can result in a male chest rejuvenation that sculpts an all-new, more masculine look for you.

Dr. Shlomo Widder is a breast surgery expert for both men and women. He has decades of experience treating gynecomastia with male breast reduction surgery using various techniques. Get in touch with our surgical team at Widder Plastic Surgery to see what it’s really like to have a caring, compassionate male breast reduction surgery partner. 

To schedule a one-on-one surgical consultation for gynecomastia surgery in the Northern Virginia and Washington, D.C. area, please contact us. You can send a message or questions through our website or call Widder Plastic Surgery, located just west of the Capital Beltway in Vienna, VA, at (703) 506-0300.