Male breast reduction (gynecomastia). General surgeon or plastic surgeon?

Question

I'm looking for advice in choosing a plastic surgeon for gynecomastia. Would I be better off going to a general surgeon who performs many different plastic surgery procedures and who has performed some male breast reduction, or would it make sense to go to a plastic surgeon who performs regular breast reductions in women?I l know I need one who is board certified, but I'm most concerned with finding a plastic surgeon best suited for my procedure. Thank you for the advice.

Larry S. Nichter, MD, MS, FACS · Answer

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.

Jessica Belz, MD · Answer

Thank you for your question.  I commend you for doing your homework and investigating your options.  I would recommend seeing a board-certified plastic surgeon with expertise in treating gynecomastia.   Best of luck!

Sam Speron, MD, FACS · Answer

It is very common for men to want a chest/breast reduction. 
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.

Jonathan Amspacher, MD · Answer

In general plastic surgeons will spend much more time paying attention to the details that give you the best result. For example when I do most gynecomastia patients I start with 3 stage SAFE liposuction then, I surgically release the  fold at the bottom of the breast and then I excise the remaining glandular tissue and finally I come back and fat graft the IMF and port site. Very few general surgeons will take the time to do all the steps to get the best chance at an excellent outcome because they don’t regularly use all of these tools and weren’t trained in a program devoted to plastic surgery. Best of luck on your journey. 
Sincerely,
Jonathan Amspacher, MD
Director of Plastic Surgery Mosaic Life Care

Scott W. Vann, MD, FACS · Answer

I would go to a plastic surgeon who does a lot of gynecomastia. Liposuction and gland resection are both important parts of gynecomastia treatment, general surgeons usually do not do liposuction. I have had to fix several patients who had their gynecomastia resected by a general surgeon, but were unhappy with unevenness of final result. Good luck.

Miguel Delgado, MD · Answer

This is a really good question and it sounds like you are doing your homework! Yes you definitely want a Board Certified Plastic Surgeon, but beyond that you want one who specializes in gynecomastia. There are many qualified surgeons out there, and there are many who do not do  a lot male breast reduction surgeries. For true gynecomastia you want a surgeon who does gland excision and liposuction. There are many surgeons who attempt to reduce the male breast by liposuction only, I know because many of these patients come to me for revision surgery. Check out gynecomastia.org for great information on gynecomastia as well as a directory for many gynecomastia specialists throughout the United States. Good luck.

Larry Lickstein, MD · Answer

Many plastic surgeons, myself included, did full general surgery training and achieved Board Certification in Surgery, before pursuing fellowship training in plastic surgery.  With that perspective, I can tell you that the mindsets are totally different.  General surgeons are interested in treating pathology and that is the measuring stick by which they judge their results.  Plastic surgeons have dual priorities, treating pathology and helping to restore confidence and comfort in their patients by improving a physical and aesthetic liability.  Find a plastic surgeon with considerable experience treating gynecomastia, one who is facile with a number of techniques to produce excellent results no matter the distribution and volume of gland, fat, and skin.   Good luck.

Marcus Davis, MBBS, MRM, FRCSEd (Plast) · Answer

Dear Jake,
many thanks of your question. 
I can only give my perspective based on practice in the U.K., but I would imagine that things are pretty similar, if not identical, in the U.S.A.
I would advise you seek the opinion and treatment from a board certified Plastic Surgeon that has experience in Gynaecomastia surgery of all kinds.
There are some men that will only require a small amount of liposuction, some that require excision of the glandular tissue, but the vast majority need a combination of the two.
I personally employ a technique via a small stab incision on the axilla (armpit) so as to leave no scars on the chest - a male chest is after all exposed routinely when at the pool or the beach, and scars on the chest or around the nipple are stigmata of surgery that most are keen to avoid.
I wish you luck with your journey and advise you continue to do your homework to find the right surgeon for you.
Best wishes,
Marcus

Anup Dhir, MD · Answer

Thank you for your query. You most definitely need a board certified cosmetic surgeon.Good luck.

Frederic H. Corbin, MD (license restricted) · Answer

Thank you for the question and I would seek a board certified plastic surgeon who is an expert in the desired procedure Dr Corbin

Male breast reduction (gynecomastia). General surgeon or plastic surgeon?

Answers (11)

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