I am very scared about how im healing after Gynecomastia

Question

I am 5 weeks post op and am very scared. I had my Gynecomastia surgery on August 8th 2011 and am very scared my wounds arent healing correctly. I am not going to lie the first week of post op I did not take it very easy. I had sexual intercourse and drove my car which wasnt very smart. I am so scare because I feel that my PS did not wait long enough to take my stitches out. at 5 weeks I still have open wounds, scabs on the outer parts of the nipples, my nipples are still so swollen and numb and fluid leaks. Last week (4 weeks post op) on the weekend my left nipple and the incision undr it started leaking a urine colored seroma fluid. It leaked all day and unfortunetly it was the weekend so I couldnt see my doctor so in the shower i put some pressure on the outer part of my chest. a fatty blister type thing rose from the open wound under my left nipple and popped discharging a lot of liquid from it. (the black hole on the pic under the nipple is where the blister/bubble arose from) My PS looked at my wounds this week and said nothing is wrong and its just healing but based on my pics and the pics I see on this website from post op, my pics look a lot worse. Is this normal for 5 weeks post op to look like this? and is it normal to have these many open wounds and leakage? The pics arent great the look worse in person than in the pics. When a little bit of pressure is put on the surrounding area of the nipple a tumor like blister that feels like a fat ball arised from the hole under the nipple and if more pressure is put the blister like thing shoots urine colored liquid. what is this tumor like blister that keeps arising to the surface? Thank you

John Nguyen, MD, FACS · Answer

Aside from the small spot at the "T" junction, you seem to be healing well.  Give it more time.  Communicate any concerns with your surgeon.  Good luck and be safe.John T.
Nguyen, MD, FACS, FICSDouble Board
Certified Plastic Surgeon

Jed H. Horowitz, MD, FACS · Answer

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.

Miguel Delgado, MD · Answer

It sounds like you have a seroma and it is draining from the small hole that you explain. The fluid is at least coming out and not collecting inside. When you press on the nipple area it is most likely normal tissue and not a tumor. Poor healing with scabs ect., is normal for the type of surgery that you have had. The seroma needs to be addressed. Your plastic surgeon will monitor this, it often closes on its own but sometimes not. I would explain you concerns to your ps and ask for a plan.

Ronald Schuster, MD · Answer

It sounds like you have a seroma, though I'm not sure why it is taking so long for it to stop, especially with the open wound. Also, it looks like you didn't have any surgery on your left breast. If you didn't, than that's a little out of the ordinary. Most surgeons would operate on both at the same time. If this is true than I would be concerned about your surgeon not having enough experience. If I am wrong you still need to return to your surgeon to find out why the seroma continues. Good luck.

Babak Dadvand, MD · Answer

Hi mr_335i,Than you for the post and the photo. There are several issues that need to be addressed. It sounds like you have a seroma, or fluid collection, which is draining. this needs to be confirmed and treated since it is actively leaking through the skin. This is done with serial drainage which will help decrease tension on the incisions and reduce your chance of infection. The other issue I have is the other breast in the photo. It appears that it has similar incisions but the contour is still very full. Either you have a seroma on that side or you will need more to be removed. In any case, you need to keep in close communication with your plastic surgeon. Sincerely,Dr. Dadvand

I am very scared about how im healing after Gynecomastia

Answers (5)