Botched Gynecomastia Surgery. How Can my Chest Be Revised and Look Better So I Can Compete in Bodybuilding Competitions?

Surgery can have variable outcomes even when performed perfectly.  From the one photo posted, you may need minor touch up liposuction.  Good luck and be safe.John T.
Nguyen, MD, FACS, FICSDouble Board
Certified Plastic Surgeon

Following surgery, your incisions will go through a maturation process. 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.Bruising and #swelling are normal and usually increase slightly after the removal of any tape or foam. The bruising will decrease over 3-4 weeks, but may last as long as 6 weeks. The majority of the swelling will be gone within the first 3-4 weeks. However, it may take 6-9 weeks to disappear completely. 

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.  Typically, its best to wait at least one year following the initial surgery to consider a revision. It is imperative you select a plastic surgeon who is #board-certified and has a great deal of experience with male breast #reduction. Plastic surgeons who have specialized in breast surgery and cosmetic surgery are suitable to perform your procedure. Aside from checking board-certification, it is suggested that you look at before and after photos of the surgeons actual patients, and read patient reviews. Gathering all of this information will help you make a well-informed decision.

Please be advised that each patient is unique and previous results are not a guarantee for individual outcomes. As with all cosmetic surgery, results will be rewarding if expectations are realistic. With any surgical procedure, there are some risks which your doctor will discuss with you during your consultation.

What i see in the picture is not a bad job.  I should show you some.  Your incision fans outward sightly and this was possible to ge better exposure. It never looks perfect especially trying to match the opposite side. It is better to leave alittle than to excise to much tissue. Your incision will continue to improve. Try and be patient.  If you need a revision go to a pastic surgeon.

At this point in time the best option is to allow the scars to mature both inside and out. The scars will likely fade, the indentations with muscle contraction will decrease and the urgency you feel to do something more may subside. For lasting visible scars or indentations, most Plastic Surgeons will be able to improve your contours using a variety of techniques when the time is right.

The scar used for your surgery is not commonly used by Plastic Surgeons but certainly meets a basic standard of care. Your description of your surgery being "botched" is pretty harsh and shows that you have little tolerance or understanding for what can happen with surgery. Next time, take your responsibility seriously to become educated about the details of your surgery before you have anything done. The placement of the scar, the risks associated with the procedure and the range of outcomes you might expect should all be discussed before surgery. You should also be reminded that just because you had surgery, you are still at risk of this problem recurring in the future. This is particularly the case if you use any substances that are known to stimulate the breast.

Dr. Mosher

This is a standard subcutaneous mastectomy incision used by onclologic surgeons. IT can be removed but the repair will nake your areola slightly larger. In regards to the irregualrities, the correction depends oin whethert they are residual gland or fat. In the former, you will require a revision with open surgical correction. In the latter you could potentially be treated with liposuction and/or lipoinjection

I would seek a consultation with a couple of board certified plastic surgeons to give you opinions.  Gynecomastia is traditionally treated by liposuction which uses 1 or 2 small incisions.  Sometimes it requires removal of gland but again this can be done through the same incisions using ultrasonic liposuction or a very small incision at the edge of areola.  Concerning you incision, I would let time heal and fade your scar before considering scar revision if needed.

Dr. ES

Hi,Thanks for the post. From the photo it is difficult to assess the quality of the work done, especially when you can't factor in how soon after the surgery this photo was taken. Most incisions go through an inflammatory phase where they can get red before they typically fade. No scar is invisible, but final scar appearance takes up to 1.5 years. Sincerely,Dr. Dadvand

You choose a cancer surgeon and he did his best.Redness will decrease in the future and you may need more glandular excision.

Thank you for the question.

The incision you incurred for your gynecomastia surgery falls within standard practice in the general surgery community. The redness of the scar is in all likelihood attributed to the age of the scar. With time, it will lighten. Make sure to keep sunblock on it if you expose yourself to the sun regularly.   A scar revision is possible, but, for best results, I would give it a year before you considering such a procedure. Regarding the contour of your chest, anytime a mass (gynecomastia) lies underneath the skin/soft-tissue, it acts as a tissue expander, thus expanding the overlying skin. When that mass is removed, as it was in your case, the overlying skin isn't always going to be able to retract to its pre-gynecomastia form. Thus, in cases where there are "deformations" following the excision of the gynecomastia, this can be corrected by fat transfer to the underlying area.

Warmest Regards,

Glenn Vallecilos, M.D., F.A.C.S. 

You will need a full examination and comparison to the opposite side for symmetry.

As for the scar, Discuss with your BOARD CERTIFIED PLASTIC SURGEON