Depression in Chest After Gynecomastia Surgery? (photo)

Question

Hi. I had gynecomastia surgery 2 days ago. I have attached a current picture of me with the compression vest removed. My doctor says that the contour will become inform over time but what do you think.

Jed H. Horowitz, MD, FACS · Answer

Two days is very early into your healing process to judge your final outcome. Asymmetry during the healing process is not at all uncommon after any breast surgery.  Also, your incisions will go through a maturation #process following #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.

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. In the future, if you are concerned with scars, with your surgeon's approval you may be able to use scar management treatments such as Biocornuem,  Scar Guard, Scar Fade,  IPL Laser,  Yag Laser,   5fu/Kenalog for thick scars, or silicone sheeting. It's possible the any #indentations can be addressed with cosmetic #fillers or #fat #grafting if you eligible. If you have any questions about your #healing, its best to speak to your surgeon or their nursing staff.

Tom J. Pousti, MD · Answer

Thank you for the question and picture. Given that you are only a few days out of your chest wall surgery, it is much too early to evaluate the outcome.  Issues such as  resolution of swelling/inflammation and skin "redraping"  will come into play. This is a situation where patience is indicated;  evaluate the outcome of the procedure performed several months from now.

	 Best wishes.

Rigo J. Mendoza, MD · Answer

At 2 days after surgery, it is hard to make any judgement on final result because of all the swelling associated with surgery.  Usually you want to give it 3 - 6 months for all the surgical changes to settle down.  You should mention your concerns to your doctor on your follow up visits.

Barry L. Eppley, MD, DMD · Answer

At just 2 days after surgery, no one can accurately predict the final chest shape result after gynecomastia reduction. You clearly have a lot of chest skin and how well that will reshape is unpredictable.This is a healing process that is going to take a full three months before you will have your answer.

Talmage J. Raine, MD, FACS (retired) · Answer

Your picture is pretty typical for an early result. Do yourself a favor and relax for a few weeks before you begin to scrutinize the result. They all look weird for a while.

Depression in Chest After Gynecomastia Surgery? (photo)

Answers (5)

Answer: Early Gynecomastia Results

Answer: Early Gynecomastia Results

Answer: Deformity after gynecomastia surgery

Answer: Deformity after gynecomastia surgery

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Everything you need to know about Gynecomastia Surgery

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Depression in Chest After Gynecomastia Surgery? (photo)

Answers (5)

Answer: Early Gynecomastia Results

Answer: Early Gynecomastia Results

Answer: Deformity after gynecomastia surgery

Answer: Deformity after gynecomastia surgery

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Recommended reading

Everything you need to know about Gynecomastia Surgery

Our mission is to create a world where every investment in modern beauty is Worth It.