Real Patient Question: Do You Remove all the Gland?

Here’s an inquiry we fielded recently from a real guy with gynecomastia. We actually hear this question quite often:

Do you remove all the gland during gynecomastia surgery?

We always deliver our answer in two parts. The first part is “yes,” we remove all the gland that’s directly under the nipple. That’s the excess breast tissue that bothers most men – the gland they can feel and see; the lumps of tissue that can cause puffy nipples and contours that look more feminine than masculine.

The second part of our answer provides additional information that’s helpful for patients to know. That is, we remove as much excess breast tissue as possible from the areas surrounding the nipple. Many guys don’t realize that gland tissue intertwines with fat throughout their breasts, just as it does with female breasts. It’s impossible to remove every last cell of breast gland. You wouldn’t want your plastic surgeon to attempt it – the result would be a mutilated chest.

Men often ask this question because they are concerned their man boobs might recur. In our 35 plus years of practice performing gynecomastia surgery, we can only remember one case in thousands in which breast tissue regrew after surgery. Occasionally guys “feel something” under the nipple after recovery that concerns them. Most of the time it’s merely scar tissue that can be treated with simple cortisone shots.

We tell our gynecomastia patients that the very best way to safeguard great surgical results is to follow our instructions. This includes preparing properly for surgery, taking it easy for a while during recovery and so on. We also advise guys not to engage in activities that can possibly trigger breast tissue growth, such as taking steroids or some medications which can cause gynecomastia as a side effect (Propecia for hair loss being one of the most common). We cover all this information in detail during gynecomastia surgery consultations.

Guys who consider male breast reduction surgery all have the same goal in mind: masculine contours. This requires the plastic surgeon to remove the gland directly under the nipple and carefully sculpt the remaining tissue–both breast gland and fat – to create results that look natural. In fact, one of the reasons we see many men seeking gynecomastia revision surgery is their doctor removed too much tissue, causing a crater deformity, nipples that are out of position and other problems.

The best thing men can do to ensure lasting good results is to choose a gynecomastia surgeon with great care. The procedure demands an in-depth understanding of the condition and significant experience.

To learn more, we invite guys who are considering gynecomastia surgery to arrange an appointment with us. We are happy to consult in person or online.