Who is the best candidate?

It is important to be realistic in your expectations. You should be emotionally stable and have a full understanding of the procedure and anticipated results prior to proceeding. A positive outlook often results in a speedy and uncomplicated recovery.
The best candidates for this surgery are fit, healthy men with emotional stability. It is ideal to have firm, elastic skin that will reshape to the new body contour with ease. If you are a smoker, the elasticity in your skin may be reduced and the healing process is usually slower, so if you are considering this surgery, you should try to quit or cut down on your cigarette intake at least one month prior to surgery.
Surgery may be deferred for obese men until attempts have been made at weight loss. Certain drugs, such as Anabolic Steroids may cause Gynaecomastia. If you are taking these or similar substances, please discuss this with your Surgeon at your initial consultation.

WHAT TO EXPECT

You will require a referral from your General Practitioner.

If performed for medical reasons, Gynaecomastic can attract Medicare rebates and a percentage of your Surgeon’s, Anaesthetist’s and Hospital fees may be claimed from both Medicare and your private health fund, if you have private health cover. 
At your initial consultation, your Surgeon will assess your individual needs based on your expectations and your particular anatomy and concerns. During this consultation, your Surgeon will also examine your breast tissue and check for the underlying cause of the condition.

Following your consultation, you can consult further with our Cosmetic Consultants who are very experienced in the cosmetic field and discuss any issues with them.

SURGERY

Subcutaneous Mastectomy can be performed as Day surgery under General Anaesthetic in a hospital. The surgery takes approximately one and a half hours to complete if both sides are to be operated on.
If excess glandular tissue is the primary cause of breast enlargement, it will be excised with a scalpel. This is usually performed through a small incision near the edge of the areola. It may be necessary to use Liposuction to the area to remove the excess fat and this is performed using the same incision line. If your Gynaecomastia is caused primarily through excessive fatty deposits, it is likely that Liposuction alone will be used to complete the surgery. In most cases, there is a combination of tissue excision and Liposuction.

RISK

All surgery carries some risk and uncertainty. It is impossible to predict every outcome because everyone is different. Subcutaneous Mastectomy is normally a safe procedure provided the clients have been carefully selected and the Surgeon is adequately trained in the procedure, as well as having training in general surgery.
Complications in the short term include infection, which is treated with antibiotics and dressings; and haematoma (a collection of fluid under the skin) which may need drainage.
Your Surgeon will make every effort to make your surgical scars as inconspicuous as possible, however it is important to remember that subcutaneous mastectomy scars are permanent. They can remain red and lumpy for months before eventually fading to thin white lines.

AFTER SURGERY – recovery

Gynaecomastia surgery is invasive surgery and has a significant recovery timeframe and limitations and aftercare requirements. You will have an opportunity to discuss recovery expectations with your Surgeon at your Consultation and will receive detailed information prior to surgery in your Informed Consent paperwork.

You will need to organise a responsible adult carer to take care of you in the first one to two days following your Surgery. This person will need to take you home from the Hospital and assist you in traveling to and from your nursing appointments, as well as assist in your general care at home.

Follow-up care and wound checks are performed by our nursing staff at our rooms on a regular basis in the post-operative stage. You will have dressings, bandages and drains on which will need to be kept in place and assessed by our team and removed when appropriate. 

Pain may vary from mild to severe and will be managed by your Surgeon with pain relief. Swelling (which can be helped with application of ice packs), bruising and nausea is also likely. You may have trouble sleeping, which your Surgeon can provide medication for.

You can begin walking around on the day of your surgery and can return to work when you feel well enough, provided your occupation does not involve any heavy lifting or similar. A gradual return to upper limb exercise is advised, with no heavy lifting for at least four weeks. It is advisable to get clearance from your Surgeon prior to resuming any significant exercise programme, including weight training. Contact sports should be avoided until the swelling has settled, or approximately four weeks. Swimming is possible once your suture lines are well healed and you are given clearance for this activity from our staff.