Traveling for Gynecomastia Surgery: What About Post-Op Complications?

So, you’re potentially willing to travel to work with a gynecomastia expert, but you’re worried about what will happen if you have a problem when you return home. It’s a valid concern.

Having worked with guys from six continents over the years, we have discussed this topic often. Here’s what we tell our out of town gynecomastia patients who come to Boca Raton to work with us.

Do Your Homework

The first stage of the process is up to you. Research and find a board certified plastic surgeon who’s a true gynecomastia specialist. This means they’ll have at least a few hundred successful procedures under their belt, or as in our practice, a hundred or more each year. Actually, traveling to get this level of expertise should mean you are less likely to have a post-op problem than if you choose a less-experienced doctor closer to home.

Here’s a sense of the difference experience makes. In nearly all our man boob procedures we’re “in and out” quickly, minimizing the chances of infection and unnecessary tissue damage. We also dress wounds tightly and efficiently immediately after surgery is complete. In addition, since we’ve been using instruments of our own design for many years, we are adept at avoiding nicks to pec muscles and blood vessels which can cause bleeding and worse. We think of our procedures as very “clean.”

You’ll also want to check out the surgical facility where your doctor operates. Whether it’s a hospital or private surgical suite, make sure it’s accredited by the Joint Commission, AAAASF, or another organization that insists on high standards of cleanliness, modern equipment, staffing and best practices.

Teaming Up for Good Gynecomastia Results

The rest of the process—and most importantly the surgical results—depends on a close, honest partnership between you and us. We start by taking your medical history and ordering tests to make sure you’re ready for surgery. You should be completely open about your health, medications and lifestyle choices. In some cases, we refer guys to their primary care physician for clearance.

You’ll need to commit to following our pre-op instructions closely. Among the most important measures is to avoid taking aspirin and NSAIDS like Motrin that can cause you to bleed more than necessary. And though we will have you take antibiotics as a precaution, we’ll also want you to watch for any sign of infection anywhere on your body. Even if you develop a small case of acne that’s active on surgery day, we may decide to wait to operate.

The Healing Period

Provided you heed our post-op advice to the letter, the chances of infection or excess fluid build-up are very low. There is a small chance of developing a hematoma (a pocket of blood under the skin)—it happens in approximately one in 100 cases. This is one reason we have our patients stay in South Florida after man boob surgery for one to three days. If a vessel should leak after surgery, that’s usually the time frame. We watch for hematomas and treat them before our patients return home.

We emphasize how important it is for guys to wear snug compression garments around the clock, except to shower, for at least 3-4 weeks. Provided our patients don’t jump the gun with strenuous activity, the pressure exerted by the garments helps keep swelling and fluid build-up down.

One thing that happens occasionally is late development of scar tissue that can make a nipple look puffy again. If this should occur with a patient who lives in another city or state, we ask them to return at their convenience for complimentary cortisone injections. For patients who live outside the U.S., we request they assist us in contacting a local plastic surgeon to discuss treatment.

A Few Last Thoughts

Once we develop a relationship with a patient, they are never on their own! We can Skype or Facetime just about anywhere in the world, and patients can send us photos too. When patients return home we make sure they know they can contact us with any concerns, and we also tell them how to get in touch no matter the time.

Distance, while it can be an inconvenience, should not be the main factor in deciding on a gynecomastia surgeon. Many years of experience and evidence of thousands of successes are much more relevant. Consider this: if you’re concerned about post-op problems you may have heard about from other guys, such as craters or tethers, those will be corrected by a great surgeon right on the operating table, not dealt with afterward. With a plastic surgeon who specializes in gynecomastia, you can be sure they’ll know how to anticipate, identify and handle just about anything they (and you) should encounter.

We would love to work with you no matter where you live. Send us an email and tell us about your case today.