Is Vaser liposuction for gynecomastia better?

Vaser is the brand name of a manufacturer of ultrasonic liposuction. Ultrasonic liposuction works by causing something called cavitation which is basically tissue inclusion via vibrating at an ultra high frequency. Ultrasonic liposuction I consider to be very advantageous in the male chest because the breast tissue is very hard and traditional liposuction can very often not penetrate it well.

Hello, and thank you for your question about VASER liposuction for gynecomastia. VASER liposuction can be an excellent option for treating gynecomastia, depending on the severity of your condition and your goals. VASER is an advanced liposuction technology that uses ultrasound energy to emulsify fat before it is removed, making it easier to target and remove fat with precision. This technique can provide smoother results, better skin tightening, and a more defined contour compared to traditional liposuction.

However, it’s important to understand that gynecomastia often involves both excess fat and glandular tissue. While VASER liposuction is highly effective for removing fat, it may not fully address the glandular component of gynecomastia. In such cases, direct excision of the glandular tissue may be required to achieve optimal results. Many surgeons combine VASER liposuction with glandular excision during the same procedure to ensure the best outcome.

Regarding safety, VASER liposuction is generally as safe as traditional liposuction when performed by an experienced, board-certified plastic surgeon. It can be worth the extra cost if you are looking for a more contoured and precise result, especially in areas where skin tightening is a concern.

Ultimately, the best approach depends on your specific anatomy and goals. I recommend consulting with a board-certified plastic surgeon who specializes in gynecomastia surgery to determine if VASER liposuction alone is suitable for you or if you would benefit from a combined approach with glandular excision.

Sincerely,
Dr. Katzen

Thanks so much for your question,

Vaser liposuction can be an excellent treatment option for gynecomastia, particularly for patients with fatty tissue. It's ideal for creating a smooth, well-contoured chest with a faster recovery time compared to traditional liposuction. However, for patients with significant glandular tissue, a combination of liposuction and glandular excision may be required for the best results.

Ultimately, whether Vaser is "better" depends on the specific characteristics of the gynecomastia and the individual’s goals. It's essential to consult with an experienced surgeon who can recommend the best approach based on a personalized assessment.

Sincerely,
Dr. Emmanuel Mallol

Not necessarily. Vaser is a power tool using ultrasound that mechanically helps the surgeon perform the liposuction. Same as power assisted liposuction. Just makes the surgery easier given the power application. I does not negate the need for gland excision which is helpful in maximizing your contour in a lot of cases. I hope this helps.

Thank you for posting your question here.
Vaser is a great instrument it works well when fat is lodged within fibrous tissue. It mainly makes the job of the surgeon easier , I wouldn't say it gives the patient a whole lot of extra benefit but if it makes the surgeons job easier so you can argue that it might be a little less traumatic but I did see alot of post vaser patients with a lot of internal scar so you can also argue that it might increase scarring so it's probably user dependent. If your tissue is not very fibrous and the price point is very different then maybe you can skip the vaser part. whatever the case is, there is a good chance if you have alot of glandular tissue that you might end with a small incision and direct excision with or without the liposuction.
Whatever the case is I would recommend that you discuss your needs with your surgeon and come up with a plan that works for you.

Vaser liposuction is often considered an excellent option for gynecomastia surgery due to its precision and effectiveness. Here's a breakdown of why it might be better in certain cases:
Advantages of Vaser Liposuction for Gynecomastia
1. Selective Fat Removal:
Vaser uses ultrasound technology to liquefy fat cells, making it easier to remove excess fat while preserving important surrounding tissues like nerves and blood vessels. This precision is particularly beneficial for gynecomastia, where the goal is to contour the chest area.
2. Tightens Skin:
The ultrasound energy stimulates collagen production, which can help tighten the skin after fat removal. This is especially useful for men with mild to moderate skin laxity.
3. Improved Chest Contouring:
Vaser allows for detailed sculpting, creating a more masculine and natural-looking chest shape compared to traditional liposuction methods.
4. Minimally Invasive:
Vaser is less invasive than excisional gynecomastia surgery (where glandular tissue is removed through incisions), meaning smaller scars and faster recovery for cases that primarily involve fatty tissue.
5. Reduced Downtime and Discomfort:
Many patients experience less bruising, swelling, and discomfort compared to traditional liposuction due to the gentle nature of ultrasound-assisted fat removal.
Limitations
• Glandular Tissue:
If the gynecomastia involves a significant amount of glandular tissue (not just fat), Vaser liposuction alone may not be enough. In such cases, surgical excision of the gland might still be required, sometimes combined with Vaser for optimal results.
• Skin Elasticity:
While Vaser helps with skin tightening, patients with severe skin laxity or those who’ve lost significant weight may need additional procedures like skin excision to achieve the desired contour.
It depends on your specific condition. For patients with mostly fatty gynecomastia and good skin elasticity, Vaser liposuction is often superior due to its precision, skin-tightening effects, and faster recovery. However, if glandular tissue is prominent, a combination approach (Vaser + excision) might be the best solution.
Consulting with a board-certified plastic surgeon who specializes in gynecomastia correction is crucial. They can assess your chest composition, skin elasticity, and overall goals to recommend the most effective approach tailored to your needs.

When doing an assessment for the Male chest it’s important to recognize that there are three tissue variables involved that can contribute to what the chest looks like.
One is excess glandular breast tissue, which is the definition of gynecomastia.
A second is excess subcutaneous fat, which is highly correlated with weight or obesity.
The third is skin laxity, or loss of skin elasticity due to age.
In my opinion, any form of Liposuction including VASER is not good at removing glandular breast tissue.
By far, the best treatment for treating glandular tissue is with an open excision.
The subcutaneous fat layer is best removed with liposuction.
Laxity becomes the most difficult variable to treat and is often the underlying cause for patients being dissatisfied with gynecomastia surgery.
Any history of weight loss, weight, fluctuations, or being over the age of 35 is going to have some impact on quality.
When doing an assessment, I always have patience put one arm over their head like they’re scratching the back of their neck or upper back.
By putting one arm at a time over your head, you put the skin and the pectoralis muscle tension.With the skin and the muscle intention, it’s easy to get a very good assessment of how much glandular tissue is present into some degree how thick the subcutaneous fat layer is.
You can also see the impact of laxity if you look at your chest slowly, moving your arm back to a down position.
Gynecomastia surgery is fairly complex because it has three tissue variables and making an accurate assessment and prescribing the right treatment. Options is key for having predictable outcome.
Missing how much is related to tissue, subcutaneous, fat or potential skin laxity can create an erroneous understanding of what post operative results are going to look like.
in the hands of an experience provider and accurate assessment should allow for predictable results.
A sufficiently experience provider should be able to show you an impressive collection of before, and after pictures of previous patients who had the same candidacy for surgery as self.
You should therefore have a very good understanding of what your results are going to look like.
Highly experienced surgeons should have access to hundreds of before and after pictures to choose from.
Doing gynocomastia assessments and surgery accurately is more difficult than most people realize.
There our substantial differences in skill and experience among plastic surgeons for this kind of work.
In the end provider selection is by far the most important variable.
And the hands of the right provider you’ll get an accurate assessment and the surgeon will have the ability to communicate clearly in regards to what your results are going to look like.
Without including pictures, we can’t begin to make an assessment.
Those who have purchased the VASER typically highly enthusiastic about any potential advantage to this device.
In my opinion, Equipment has very little to do with surgical results.
If VASER was clearly better than everybody would be using it.
The device does have some potential advantages and differences in comparison to other forms of Liposuction.
VASER can potentially be more aggressive, removing more fat in less time.
This may seem like an advantageous approach, but this also means that when surgeons lack sufficient skill patients have the potential of being far more disfigured from using this device than traditional Liposuction.
VASER also has a documented higher level of complications compared to other forms of liposuction.
Considering how much variation there is among providers for this type of work, I recommend patients have multiple consultations before selecting a provider.
I also don’t think patients should select providers based on what type of equipment they use.
When in doubt slow down and schedule more consultations.
There’s no correct number of consultations needed to find the right provider.
The more consultations you schedule the more likely you are to find the better provider.
The biggest mistake I see patients make when it comes to cosmetic Surgery is having only one consultation and then scheduling surgery.Having only one consultation, more or less eliminates the ability to choose a better provider.
I don’t believe patients can select the right surgeon by using the Internet.
Best,
Mats Hagstrom MD