What is the typical recovery time after Gynecomastia Surgery?

There are numerous procedures described for gynaecomastia with a whole host of different scars involving liposuction, surgical excision or a combination of the two.  The recovery period depends a little on what you are having done.  If you're having liposuction alone you should be home the same day provided you have a sensible adult staying with you that night, feel ok after the anaesthetic and are eating and drinking normally.  To get home the same day you also need to have a slightly earlier operating time during the day as if you come round from the operation late at night you will inevitably end up staying in hospital overnight.  If you have some glandular tissue excised with an open excision, some surgeons use drains afterwards.  If you have surgical drains most people stay in overnight and have them removed to go home the following day.  You should be able to expect the scars to have healed within two weeks, but are likely to be a slightly bruised and swollen still at that point.  Most people are advised to wear a compression garment of some description for a few weeks (opinions vary a little on this), would be exercising gently at a week and back to most of their usual exercise again within 4 weeks, but probably won't feel quite back to normal for more like 6 weeks.  Gynaecomastia surgery is easy to get wrong though so take your time, do your research and choose someone you trust.  Good luck!

For men treated with CoolSculpting, there is virtually no downtime following the in-office procedure and you can make an immediate return to normal activities. Patients who have undergone surgical operation can expect some degree of bruising for a week and another week of swelling. 
Individuals usually return to work and normal activities within a week; however, strenuous exercise or taxing labor should be avoided until cleared by your plastic surgeon. 
Typically, we may recommend that you wear a pressure garment for three to six weeks to avoid sun exposure and allow the skin to adjust to its new contours. Some scarring in the incision areas may be initially visible, but these marks usually fade and improve as the healing process progresses. Ideally, this scarring should be protected from sun exposure for at least six months.
Dr. Karan Chopra
Plastic & Reconstructive Surgeon
Johns Hopkins Trained 
Body & Face Expert

Recovery  can vary from patient to patient. For my patients, they are usually able to drive a car within a few days and return to work usually within a week, and formal exercise within 6 weeks. Good luck.