Gynecomastia is a medical term used to describe abnormal enlargement of the male breast. It is a fairly common condition that affects about half of all men during adolescence, and can occur on one or both sides of the chest.
Dr. Victor Urzola is a board-certified plastic surgeon who offers an unmatched level of experience and research-based expertise with elegant, natural-looking results. To schedule an appointment for a consultation go to the contact page. In addition to serving patients from Costa Rica, Mexico and the United States, we welcome patients from all over the world. Dr. Urzola speaks Italian, Spanish, English and French.
Men with gynecomastia, who are in good health and of relatively normal weight, may consider breast reduction surgery as an option - although a complete medical checkup is necessary to rule out any medical cause of breast enlargement. Surgical correction of gynecomastia is best performed on men whose condition cannot be corrected through alternative medical treatments.
There are several techniques that can be used to treat gynecomastia, depending on the size and shape of the breasts. Dr. Urzola will discuss these techniques in detail during the initial consultation.
In general, the procedure consists of making an incision in the lower edge of the areola to remove the gland. In cases where gynecomastia is at the expense of fat, laser liposuction is used to remove excess localized fat deposits. In some cases it is necessary to combine both procedures to remove the glandular tissue, fat and excess skin.
You will need to wear a vest for one to two weeks to compress the skin and aid in the healing process.
Drains (if necessary after surgery) can be removed after one or two days. Sometimes it is possible to see small crusted areas along the incision line, which should be kept clean. These should not be touched and will fall off on their own after about 10 days.
Recovery is rapid, but it is important to limit physical activity for optimal recovery. Any heavy exercise, lifting, pushing or pulling heavy weights should be avoided for four to six weeks. Heavy exercise can hinder the healing process of the incisions and lead to complications such as delayed healing or prominent scarring. Direct exposure to direct sunlight should be avoided for about six months.
Complications of gynecomastia treatment are rare and generally minor, although no surgical procedure is without risk. Possible risks include bleeding, infection, temporary or permanent loss of sensation, visible skin irregularities, asymmetry and fluid accumulation under the skin, which may need to be drained by aspiration or other surgical procedure.
You are a unique person and we treat your procedure as such, the cost of gynecomastia may vary from patient to patient, fill out the form below for more information.
