Gynecomastia Correction

• Share your health information with your plastic surgeon, remember to mention if you have allergies, previous surgeries, use of medications, hormones, vitamins or supplements and any other relevant medical information
• Your surgeon will ask you questions about what you would like to improve on your chest, what are your expectations for the results and will inform you of what can realistically be achieved.
• Your chest will be examined, taking into account factors such as bone structure, skin thickness, fatty tissue, nipple size and positions and the relationship to your bone structures.
• Photos at different angles will be requested in order to carry out a complete evaluation
• Pre-surgery blood tests will be ordered
• You’ll need to quit smoking completely
• Sometimes a chest ultrasound might be requested

For patients over 40 years of age or with any added cardiac, respiratory, renal pathology, etc. The following will be requested:

• Chest X-ray
• Cardiological assessment
• Electrocardiogram

🗓️ 1 MONTH BEFORE SURGERY

• Stop smoking 1 month before your scheduled procedure
• Stop taking alcohol 1 week before the procedure
• Avoid using aspirin, fish oil, garlic and omegas, at least 3 weeks before the procedure *if you are medically required to do so, it is very important you let your medical coordinator know about this
• No exercise 3 days before the surgery
• Avoid eating very greasy food 2 days before your surgery
• No skin tanning 2 weeks before the procedure to avoid skin damage
• Plan for your stay in Cancun for surgery and recovery
• Make sure you have lose button down shirts to use during the recovery
• Get a suitcase with wheels!!!! Most of the times you won’t be allowed to carry anything heavy for a couple of weeks.

⚠️ The day / night before the surgery you will be requested NOT to EAT or DRINK anything 8 hours before the procedure. This is a very important request that you will have to follow in order to assure your personal safety during the surgery.

The most common technique for the correction of gynecomastia consists of a combination of extraction of the male mammary gland in conjunction with local liposuction of the area. Sometimes, depending on the previous assessment with the plastic surgeon, there may be the possibility of having to remove excess skin in order to give the chest a flat and masculine appearance. Depending on your expectations, your plastic surgeon will suggest the type of technique for which you are a candidate.

Anesthesia

The time of the surgical procedure is about 3 to 4 hours depending on the technique. General anesthesia is administered for a safe and comfortable procedure.

Incisions & Sutures

In the most common technique where the mammary gland is removed and complemented with localized liposuction, the main incision is semicircular along the lower half of the areola.

When the position of the nipple-areola complex is lower than normal, it is sometimes necessary to use a peri-areolar incision similar to the crescent lift, but surrounding the areola, also known as a donut lift. This to be able to reposition the areola and nipple so that it has a better aesthetic.

However, in patients with severe flaccidity where, in addition to excess fat and overdevelopment of the mammary gland, there is excess skin as such, a different approach is necessary to achieve the desired masculine appearance.

Over time, the incision lines will tend to fade. It is important that you understand that the quality of the scar depends on a wide variety of factors such as your skin, genetic predisposition, sun exposure and nicotine.

Sutures are placed in different tissue layers in order to close the wounds and keep the breasts in their place.

Right After Surgery

After the surgery is done and you have fully woken up from the anesthesia, you will have a compression garment around your chest, you might feel a certain tightness.

You will be offered liquids and if tolerated a small meal. A few hours after the procedure you will be able to go back to your hotel / home.

Before You Leave the Hospital

Your plastic surgeon will come to assess your health condition and give you proper care instructions to take back home. It’s normal that you will be prescribed painkillers and antibiotics during the healing process. Your surgeon will offer you a check up appointment during the following days.

After the procedure the plastic surgeon will sometimes leave a drain in order to help with the healing process. You will wear a special compression chest garment for 4-6 weeks. You should not lift anything heavy or raise your arms beyond your shoulders to avoid injury. You need to stay out of the sun for one month. It is important that you follow your surgeon’s recommendations in order to have a good result.

You must take in consideration the following:

• Take your medications as indicated on your post-operative care papers that you will receive before you are discharged from the hospital.
• First follow-up post-surgical appointment will be between the 3rd and 5th day to remove the chest drains
• Relative rest for 10 days
• No sexual activity for 4 weeks
• You should not exercise or exert yourself in the next 4 weeks
• You will be able to shower after your first office check-up with your doctor
• You should not sunbathe for the next 4 weeks
• You shouldn’t be touching your wounds
• You have to keep your compression garment at all times
• You will need to sleep on your back in a semi-sitting position for  at least the following 10 days
• You should not smoke at all

⚠️ It is very important that you understand that not following this instructions can ruin the results for your surgery.

During the recovery period your surgeon will provide with a list of things to take care during this time. It is usually recommended for the patient to have approximately 10 days stay at the destination, in order to have proper after care and medical check ups with your surgeon. After the procedure a chest compression garment is placed to help with healing and reduce pain & inflammation. Recovery time 1-2 weeks.

The results of gynecomastia correction surgery are immediate although it’s important that you understand that the final results will take a couple of months until the incisions have healed and the swelling goes down.

Although risks and complications rarely occur during a gynecomastia surgery, they can include:

• Anesthesia complications
• Bleeding
• Infection
• Soreness
• Changes in sensitivity
• Scarring
• Necrosis

In order to minimize the risks, your surgeon will order a series of blood tests and a cardiac evaluation to ensure that you are in good health for your procedure.

Following the recommendations of your surgeon will promote a good result.