Other than changing into our hockey pads for our beer league games, a Calgary winter doesn’t feature many situations where you need to take your shirt off around anyone other than your spouse or partner.
Phew. If you’re saddled with enlarged male breasts, you’re likely self-conscious about removing your shirt when around others. And that can make you turn down invitations, such as river rafting, that you would otherwise jump at the opportunity.
That’s no way to go through life.
Fortunately, Dr. Frank can help by performing male breast reduction surgery at his Calgary practice.
What is gynecomastia?
True gynecomastia is triggered by a decrease in the amount of the hormone testosterone compared with estrogen. This causes an increase in the amount of breast gland tissue in both teenage boys and men. Gynecomastia can affect one or both breasts or it can affect them unevenly.
This breast enlargement isn’t a serious health issue, but it can be embarrassing for a man. It can make a man avoid scenarios where he would be required to take his shirt off.
Gynecomastia can go away on its own, and it typically does in adolescents at the conclusion of puberty. This can also happen with adults if the changes in aging have created variations in testosterone levels. But in adults, the condition is often combined with some fatty tissue and glandular enlargement, so it may not fully resolve.
How is breast reduction done?
If the patient’s enlarged breasts are mainly the result of fatty tissue, Dr. Frank may be able to perform limited liposuction to remove this tissue, but if the patient has the rubbery mass of true gynecomastia liposuction won’t be sufficient.
In these cases, surgery is necessary. To avoid obvious scarring, Dr. Frank usually will make incisions around the areolae. He will then remove the glandular tissue, along with excess skin and fat. Liposuction may be included if the patient has an abundance of fat in the breasts in addition to the glandular tissue. The procedure usually lasts around 1-2 hours.
When can I get back to my normal activities after this surgery?
You can walk the day of your surgery with Dr. Frank. You can drive after a week. Most male breast reduction patients can return to work in 1-2 weeks. If you have strenuous work that involves your chest, this will need to be delayed. You’ll know when you’re ready to return to that kind of labor and to strenuous exercise. Pure chest exercises, such as lifting weights, will need to wait for probably about 6-8 weeks. Dr. Frank will discuss timelines with you during your consultation.
Are you embarrassed by your enlarged breasts? It’s probably not something you simply have to live with. Call Dr. Frank at (403) 245-1228 to schedule a consultation.
