What is Gynecomastia?
Gynecomastia is a medical condition that presents very similarly to macromastia in the male population. It involves the enlargement of the male breast tissue, which commonly occurs in infancy, puberty or middle-aged men. Gynecomastia is actually quite common, affecting over half of males to some degree, but for some it can be quite distressing.
Unlike macromastia, gynecomastia is usually characterized by enlargement of glandular tissue more so than fatty tissue. Typically, gynecomastia is symmetric, however enlargement can be greater on one side.
The approaches for treatment of gynecomastia are different from those techniques used in female breast reduction.
VASER Technique
Mild gynecomastia can often be treated with VASER (Vibration Amplification of Sound Energy at Resonance) liposuction alone.
With traditional liposuction techniques, a cannula and manual movement is used to break down fatty tissue. By contrast, with VASER ultrasound high frequency vibrations are used to help break up stubborn fat deposits with less force and imperceptible scars.
VASER + Surgery
More severe gynecomastia uses VASER technique combined with a small periareolar incision that can often blend in seamlessly with the surrounding tissue. For extremely severe cases of gynecomastia both skin and glandular tissue need to be addressed, which requires the placement of visible scars on the chest.
Next Steps
Gynecomastia can vary considerably from person to person. It's best to meet with a board-certified plastic surgery like Dr. Romy to discuss which option works best for you.