Gynecomastia under local anesthesia

Healthy male patients with excess breast tissue or unwanted breast 
development who have no underlying breast disease.Men who desire 
improved physical and aesthetic appearance should have realistic 
expectations based on their condition and the procedure performed. You 
should meet with a board certified plastic surgeon to be able to get a 
formal diagnosis and to be able to decide on a course of treatment if 
necessary.

Most of my patiets having gynecomastia surgery can  be done under local with IV sedation. It is much more comfortable for the patient to have a twilight while the numbing medicine is put in. There is rarely a need for a general anesthetic ie. breathhing tube - only in severe cases when more advanced surgery is required.

Yes this can be done under local.Obviously the body heals with swelling and inflammation and usually that maxes out at two days and then starts getting better. Most of these patients take no pain medicine (because of the nerve blocks given during surgery) and usually feel very comfortable going out in public the same or next days.  I usually call my patients the night of surgery and check on them in person the next day. If everything is fine the next day, I then let them shower and they do not need a dressing over their incisions. At the two week check up, I usually have people start working out and then after six weeks they can do whatever they want. I routinely tell people to take a few days to a week off work and to hide out but some people are very nervous especially celebrities and they might hide out for two weeks. As with any scar on the human body, initially scars are red, hard and raised and it typically takes six months to a year for them to become a soft thin white line. Additionally with recovery, there're many things we do to expedite healing such as nerve blocks during surgery, oral supplements, skin care and scar therapy recommendations, lymphatic massage sessions that are included in our pricing.I strongly feel that it's very important to have an honest conversation with your surgeon about your particular situation, lifestyle, work environment and specifically which procedures you're having done so that you both have the most honest answer about your recovery and are realistic with expectations and results.I would recommend that you see a board-certified plastic surgeon in your area that is a member of both ASPS & ASAPS and performs a lot of short scar chest/breast reductions in men. Good luck with your future surgery!I hope this helps answer your question. If it does, please take a moment to up vote this answer on the “respond” button on the top right.  

Thank you for sharing your question.  In certain cases I do perform gynecomastia correction under local anesthesia alone.  Patient's have little additional discomfort.  The reasons for which type of anesthesia  to use is based both on the patient's safety, concerns, and procedure to be performed.  Hope this helps.

I perform gynecomastia surgery under local all the time. Yes, there is more pain but in some people this ins't an issue.  The tissues are anesthetized and in MOST cases there is little to no discomfort.  There is also the anxiety factor.  Some men naturally don't like being awake while someone is poking, prodding, and cutting their tissue.

pascalremi.  You have been misinformed. Most plastic surgeons perform gynecomastia surgery under general anesthesia because it is actually safer and much more comfortable for the patient. Postoperative pain management is easily accomplished with pain medications and is no worse under general anesthesia as compared to local anesthesia. Be certain to consult with board-certified plastic surgeon to review all of these aspects of Gynecomastia surgery. Good luck.

Most surgeons who perform a lot of male breast reduction surgery will only do it under general anesthesia. Unless a medical condition prevents it, I will only do it under a general. The surgery can last for 3 to 4 hours depending on what is being done. Keeping the patient as comfortable as possible is most important and general anesthesia is the best way to achieve this. Make sure the anesthesiologist is board certified. Good luck!