Is There a Certain Weight That You Have to Be in Order to Have Gynecomastia Surgery?

Three options exist for surgery. Smaller procedures can actually be done in the office with light oral sedation. Adolescents frequently do better with a light general #anaesthetic.Twilight or IV sedation are another great choice. All procedures are outpatient either in the office or a certified outpatients surgery facility.

The most important decision to be made before performing any surgical procedure is determining whether you are an ideal #candidate. Weight, and more specifically body mass index (BMI), need to be considered when deciding. For instance, studies have shown that patients with BMI > 30kg/m sq (placing them in the obese category) have a higher complication rate. Therefore, it is important for patients to be as close as possible to their normal body weight prior to surgery. Not only will this decrease risks of complications, but will also enhance the aesthetic results. Further, normal body weight is different from one patient to another.

All surgical procedures carry some degree of #risk. Always discuss your issues and concerns with the Plastic Surgeon during and following your consultation. Information that you read online may not apply to your personal situation.It is imperative you select a plastic surgeon who is #board-certified and has a great deal of experience with male breast #reduction. Plastic surgeons who have specialized in breast surgery and cosmetic surgery are suitable to perform your procedure. Aside from checking board-certification, it is suggested that you look at before and after photos of the surgeons actual patients, and read patient reviews. Gathering all of this information will help you make a well-informed decision.

The optimal time for cosmetic surgery is when a patient loses their desired weight and remains at that weight for 6 months or more.  At your weight, I would like to see you see if you can shed some pounds before surgery.  While easier said than done, you will ultimately have a much better result with more definition to the chest wall (and probably even motivation to keep shedding).

Being within a normal BMI range would be ideal, as this makes the surgery safer and the results better. You should try to lose some weight before considering surgery, as this may help improve your gynecomastia.

Gynecomastia surgery technique selection mainly depends on the anatomy of your breasts.  For example, if you have significant excess skin and sagging of the breasts, you will need a more extensive surgery to remove the excess skin and contour the chest.  Good luck
and be safe.John T.
Nguyen, MD, FACS, FICSDouble Board
Certified Plastic Surgeon

AT 69" and 232lbs your BMI is calculated to be 34.3 which is considered obese. Your ideal body weight (IBW) would be closer to 160lbs. Therefore you should preferably lose a minimum of 50 lbs in order to come within 15% of your IBW. However, if you intend on regaining the weight after surgery, it is not generally advised.

In general, the closer you are to your goal weight the better results you will get.  As you lose the weight, you will probably lose some of the fullness on your chest as well, which will allow it to contract down a bit better after your procedure.  Ultimately this decision is between you and your surgeon, but I think we would all agree at least some weight loss would be a good idea.

Hi 5633anon,Thanks for the post. There is no specific weight that one must be prior to gynecomastia surgery. The main criterion is that your weight be stable.  Losing 30 lbs prior to surgery only to regain it afterwards could affect the results. Also, going strictly by BMI is not a good practice. I have treated bodybuilders and football players who are your height and weight and are clearly not overweight or obese. Every patient must be treated individually.Sincerely,Dr. Dadvand

It is certainly possible that, with weight loss, the gynecomastia will improve such that you might avoid surgery so I would encourage you to reach and remain at your ideal weight for six months before having surgery. If you had the surgery first and then lost a significant amount of weight, you could have skin sagging.

Thank you for the question.

In general, I think would be your best interest to undergo  correction of gynecomastia surgery when you are as close to a “stable” weight as possible. I have found that gynecomastia is often best treated with  partial excision of the prominent glandular tissue  as well as liposuction surgery of the peripheral chest area. On the other hand, if the prominence of the chest wall is caused by adipose tissue, then liposculpture surgery alone may suffice.

Either way,  being closer to your ideal weight will allow the surgeon to treat any adipose tissue that is diet and exercise resistant in a more accurate fashion;  therefore, you will be more likely to achieve the best result possible.

Please make sure you're working with a well experienced board-certified plastic surgeon.

Best wishes.

 Like all body surgery weight loss is definitely recommended, but is it essential before gynecomastia surgery? No. Overall body proportion will be better after weight loss. From the other point of view, once a patient will see an aesthetically improved chest, it is more likely that he will lose weight to improve the rest of his body. So the answer is up to the patient and it is different for every man. For more information you can go to wikipedia.