What is the purpose of having drains for gynecomastia surgery? Is it highly recommended to have drains for the surgery?

Drains are used in surgery to evacuate blood and serum from the surgical space where tissue was removed, which helps protect the incision from pressure arising from underneath, as well as aids in smooth adherence of the tissues to heal the space closed in a predictable and smooth manner.  Drains are not always necessary, but they help prevent he need for multiple trips to the doctor to drain seromas that may accumulate and prolong recovery, or even become infected.  Many surgeons use drains for moderate or larger gynecomastia procedures. I have never seen a significant  problem arising from use of a drain in gynecomastia, but have seen many problems that could have been prevented by using a drain.  Therefore, I tend to use drains in most significant gynecomastia procedures.

Thank you for sharing your excellent question.  For most patients drains are not needed after glandular removal or liposuction.  Some patients require skin excision and tissue rearrangement that may necessitate drain placement to limit the chance of fluid collections developing.  Hope this helps.