Gynecomastia or male chest enlargement is a prevalent condition we see and operate these days. So I will be explaining in this video, what is gynecomastia, why it happens, is it a serious problem? treatment options available, surgery for gynecomastia, the recovery period after surgery, and the treatment cost.
Hi everyone. I am dr prince, a plastic surgeon from Thrissur and I am practicing at the sushrutha institute of plastic surgery, elite hospital. So, gynecomastia is a condition in which the male chest enlarges out of proportion. A few people have a doubt that whether it’s just chest fat or gynecomastia? So it’s simple. If you were feeling embarrassed of this chest enlargement and discouraged to remove your shirt in a pool or public, u have gynecomastia. The only thing to differentiate is whether it’s true gynecomastia or pseudo gynecomastia. A true one has both fat and breast gland component, while pseudo gyno has predominantly fat. This can be identified by a clinical examination by a doctor. Gynecomastia usually starts at the age of 13 or 14 years and In most cases, it disappears on its own in 2 to 3 years. But if it doesn’t, then it’s very unlikely to resolve. Gynecomastia is caused due to hormonal changes in the body, a disturbance in the male hormone testosterone, and female counterpart estrogen. In a few cases, it can be caused by certain medicines and other medical conditions.
Most of the time gynecomastia is not a serious problem, except for the psychological issues or the embarrassment it causes among individuals.
So what are the treatment options for gynecomastia? If it’s not resolved within 2 to 3 years of its development, it’s very unlikely to resolve. Gynecomastia is highly resistant to exercise and dieting, but definitely, u can give it a try.
Surgery is the recommended treatment for gynecomastia. Also known as gynecomastia reduction surgery. What we follow is keyhole gynecomastia surgery, which is a minimal access surgery using special instruments and modified techniques of Liposuction.
Excess fat on the chest is removed by liposuction. The remaining tough glandular tissue is then removed through a small incision over the nipple. The scars are small. not easily visible in most cases. This method is better for Indian skin which is prone to have prominent scars.. A custom-made compression vest is put on immediately after surgery to reduce swelling and fluid collection. Since the surgery is done under general anesthesia, we admit the patients one day before surgery and will discharge them one day after surgery. Will be kept in ICU monitoring for 4 hours after surgery. This helps the patient to get absolute control over pain and perfect monitoring for any expected complications. After 4 hours of surgery, the patient will be shifted to a room.
Now let’s talk on Recovery after surgery. . Minor discomfort and soreness can be expected in the initial 3,4 days but Patient will be able to walk from next day of surgery. Office work can be started after 3 days but Gym exercise and heavy weight lifting should be started after 2 months only. The cost of gynecomastia surgery in Kerala can vary depending on the grade of gynecomastia but an average cost will be 50k to 90k.
