4 months post gynecomastia surgery, still puffy. Is that normal? (Photo)

Following #Gynecomastia #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.

Hello,

Thank you for your question.

It is difficult to determine as swelling may
last several months.

I'd recommend booking a follow-up appointment
with your Board Certified Plastic Surgeon to discuss your concerns.

Take care.

Hello, and thank you for your question and photographs. Post operative swelling continues for up to a year. You are probably about 90% of your result with approximately 10% swelling remaining. You should continue follow up appointments with your surgeon. He/she has your photographs and can evaluate you most accurately. It is not uncommon to occasionally have to do revision surgery on a patient. I tell my patients, that revision surgery is a possibility. It is much easier to remove fat/breast tissue if it was under corrected than it is to replace if it was overcorrected. Your result looks good. Hang in there.

It has been my experience that somewhere between 3-4 months after liposuction of a chest with excision of true gynecomastia, patients tend to get scar tissue immediately below the nipple areola complex.  This scar tissue, to some extent, mimics the previous gland.  It is often very disconcerting to the patient.If you were my patient and I found that you had apparent scar tissue below the nipple areola complex, I would inject a very small amount of corticosteroid into the center of the scar tissue.  This requires one or two injections, and the nipple becomes flat.  It is also possible that your areola itself had excess skin, and the gland removal will allow the skin to retract but it can take up to a year or more to get complete contraction.  It would be appropriate at this point to get a consultation with your personal plastic surgeon and ask him or her their feelings about what may be going on. 

Looks like you still have some swelling.  Hard to tell if the areola was reduced at the time of your gynecomastia surgery.  

Your concerns, after gynecomastia surgery are understandable. The "puffy" appearance may be due to residual areola skin, ongoing swelling, the presence of underlying scar tissue that has yet to mature, and/or residual breast tissue. My best suggestion: ongoing patience and close follow-up with your plastic surgeon. It is very likely that you will note improvement of the appearance and feel of the area over the course of the next several months ( up to one year and beyond).  Best wishes for an outcome that you will be very pleased with.

At 4 months you may still be a bit swollen. This can take 6 months or longer to settle completely.  Best to follow with your surgeon.

Thank you for the question but without an examination and k owing exactly what was done, it is hard to give an accurate assessment other then to follow up with your surgeonDr Corbin