After Gynecomastia Surgery, Chest Has Collapsed. What Can I Do? (photo)

Your incisions will go through a maturation #process after gynecomastia surgery. For the first few months they will be red and possibly raised and/or firm. As the scar matures, after 6-12 months, it becomes soft, pale, flat, and much less noticeable. You may experience numbness, tingling, burning, “crawling”, or other peculiar sensations around the surgical area. This is a result of the #healing of tiny fibers which are trapped in the incision site. These symptoms will disappear. Some people are prone to keloids, which is an abnormal scar that becomes prominent. If you or a blood relative has a tendency to keloid formation, please inform the doctor. Also, as you heal, the area may feel “lumpy” and irregular. This, too, decreases with time, and massaging these areas will help soften the scar tissue. The #compression garment helps reduce the swelling, and the longer it is worn, the more quickly you will #heal. It can also assist in the retraction of the skin. If you have any concerns about #healing, its best to ask questions of your surgeon or their nursing staff. It's possible the indentations can be addressed with cosmetic filler(s) if eligible. 

This is too early to assess the outcome of your surgery.  Communicate your concern with your surgeon and give it some time to heal.  Good luck and be safe.John T.
Nguyen, MD, FACS, FICSDouble Board
Certified Plastic Surgeon

I see what you are referring to and I understand your concern.  You are still quite swollen and this will improve. To what extent it is difficult to say but contour abnormalities are very common in Gynecomastia surgery. I would reevaluate in six to eight weeks and if your are concerned , discuss with your surgeon.  This can be corrected if it persist.

During gynecomastia surgery, most of the firm breast tissue is removed.  A certain amount should be left beneath the nipple to prevent a "saucer deformity" which it looks like you may have.  It is a little too early to know what the final outcome will be.  If the deformity remains, a combination of liposuction of the surrounding tissue and fat grafting the deficient tissue may be necessary.

York J. Yates MD - Utah.

Hi cnbbncc,Thank you for the post and the photos. At 10 days you are very early in the healing process (so much so that the bruising is still present on the photos). Final results can take up to six months. I recommend to be patient and stay in close communication with your surgeon.Sincerely,Dr. Dadvand

Thank you for the question and picture.

 

At this stage in your recovery it is much too early to evaluate the end results of surgery.

One of the potential risks associated with gynecomastia surgery is contour deformity related to over resection of glandular tissue and/or adipose tissue.  This is a risk that is explained to patients who are undergoing the procedure. Many patients who have gynecomastia are looking for the chest to be as flat as possible. Surgeons must  balance their desire to achieve the patient's goals with efforts to avoid over resection and contour deformity.

If the " contour deformity” remains an issue long-term, you may find that your situation will be improved upon with techniques such as fat grafting,  use of allograft/dermis as a filler and/or selective liposuction of prominent areas.

I hope this helps.

Board Certified Plastic Surgeons all perform gynecomastia surgery in pretty much the same fashion.  We make a small incision at the areolar skin junction and perform liposuction of each breast.  Once this is performed the remaining breast tissue is nicely defined.  The incision is then extended from the 3:00 to 9:00 position along the skin/areolar junction.  The incision should not extend onto the skin.  The breast tissue is removed leaving approximately 1cm on the underside of the nipple/areola to maintain its blood supply.  The wound is closed with internal sutures. A garment is worn for approximately 6 weeks. This method results in a nice chest contour. 

The depressions you have seem to be the result of removing the breast tissue and some of the fat but without the liposuction.  It's likely that you will need to have liposuction of the remaining chest to deminish the appearance of the depressions.

Although it is a bit early, it looks like you may have had too much removed. But you will need to give it time to settle down.

Though it is too early, because you still have some swelling. But it seems that too much breast tissue was taken, and I do not believe any liposuction was done.

The design of the incision makes me think this was not done by a Board Certified Plastic Surgeon (American Board Of PLastic Surgery)

Consultation with a board certified plastic surgeon for full evaluation and treatment, Liposyction of the chest and possible fat grafting, or local tissue transfer.

You could consider fat grafts to the depressed areas. Best to seek in person evaluations from boarded PSs in your area.