Gynecomastia

What is the gynecomastia?

It is a condition that occurs in men and presents as an increase in breast volume. It is fairly common and is observed in 65% of young people and 40% of adults.

What is the cause?

The etiology of the appearance of gynecomastia is not unknown. The main factor for the excessive growth of the glandular tissue is either increased production of estrogen or reduced action of androgens in the cells of the gland. In addition, the presence or absence of obesity (when there is lipomastia) plays a very important role.

When does gynecomastia first appear?

• The most common is adolescent gynecomastia which is usually transient and appears at the ages of 12-15 years.
• In other cases, it can be idiopathic of unknown etiology and appear at any age. It is usually accompanied by local fat deposition and is called pseudogynecomastia.
• Sometimes it can be due to certain medication (iatrogenic or pharmaceutical etiology) for this reason a targeted hormonal test is necessary pre-operatively.

What is the difference between glandular gynecomastia and pseudogynecomastia?

- Glandular gynecomastia refers to the enlargement of the mass gland and there is need for surgical excision in order to get an aesthetically pleasing result.
- Pseudogynecomastia is called when there is fat deposition in the breast area without affecting the size of the gland. In this case, surgical removal of the gland is performed in combination with liposuction for the fat.

What is the treatment?

The treatment for gynecomastia is surgical removal of the gland when there is intense hypertrophic growth. In the case that it is combined with significant fat deposition in the area, a combination of gland removal and lipolysis can be done with Thermi-Tight or FRBR technology. In this way, we simultaneously achieve destruction of fat and tightening of the skin in the area.
The gland that is removed is always sent for a biopsy. It should be noted that even though gynecomastia is almost always a benign condition, male breast cancer represents 1% of all cases of breast cancer and it should not be ignored in such an operation.

Where is the incision made?

When the gland is removed, incisions are made around the areola at the border with the skin. In the case where there is fat deposition peripherally, FRBR or ThermiTight is done, 2 very small incisions (4 mm) can be made on each side.

Are there complications?

Complications are rare (bleeding, wound dehiscence, etc.). Frequent monitoring and understanding of pre- and post-operative instructions is the secret to avoiding complications.

Are there complications?

After 2-3 days the patient can return to his daily life. He can return to sports activities and anything else that requires physical exercise in 4 weeks. Note that for 3-4 weeks the patient will wear a special elastic corset and for the first 2 days drains will be placed in the breasts.

When do you see the result?

The result starts and is visible immediately after the surgery. There will be a gradual improvement in the result with marked differences in the first 6 months.
After the operation, post-operative appointments are scheduled at our clinic for the first 2 weeks for monitoring and wound care of the wound by Dr. Andreas Ioannidis and his staff. Then follow up appointments are made at 1 month - 3 months - 6 months to see the final result and healing.