1

GYNECOMASTIA

Welcome to Cosmetic Surgery Specialists

Compassionate Care you Can Trust

Our primary mission is to educate potential patients

who are considering aesthetic plastic surgery to

enhance their appearance. We provide this in a

warm, caring and compassionate manner while

keeping individual, physical and emotional, interests

and needs in mind.

At Cosmetic Surgery Specialists, we are guided by

an artistic vision that emphasizes the natural and is

repelled by the artificial. Our goal is to enhance or

restore the intrinsic beauty, which is present in each

individual, rather than create a result that appears

“surgical”.

It is our ongoing commitment to provide an

environment of comfort and safety, and to treat each

patient with respect, dignity and compassion.

Patients who undergo plastic surgery may look

forward to gaining self confidence and a sense of

well-being from looking, feeling and functioning at

their best. Thus, we provide you with clear and

accurate information in order that informed decisions

can be made in relation to cosmetic procedures and

treatments. We want you to look and feel great.

Introduction

We understand that patients have questions about

their surgery throughout the process and no matter

how much detail we include in this brochure, it will

not compare to the level of advice you can receive

from a private consultation with a specialist cosmetic

surgeon. This brochure is simply a guide; we would

always advise you to take advantage of the

opportunity to sit down with a specialist surgeon and

discuss what you would like to achieve through

gynecomastia (male breast reduction) surgery, along

with any associated benefits or risks.

About Gynecomastia

Gynecomastia is the most common form of breast

problem in men. It is generally considered to be of

one of three types:-

• Just made up of fatty tissue

• Just made up of breast gland tissue

• Made up of a combination of both fatty and

glandular tissue

The most common form of gynecomastia is a simple

accumulation of fatty tissue, often related to overall

obesity. Most are men in their twenties to mid-fifties,

who are simply embarrassed about the size of their

chests. As long as there is little or no excess

redundant skin over the breast all that is required in

these circumstances is liposuction.

www.cosmeticsurgeryspecialists.co.uk Phone: 020-7580-8001

2

Cosmetic Surgery Specialists

Compassion . Experience . Trust

In a few cases:

• There is significant glandular tissue present (this

may require surgical excision)

• Or there is significant skin excess over the chest

(a form of breast uplift is necessary)

True glandular gynecomastia is a medical condition

and must first be investigated to find its cause.

Suffice to say, in true gynecomastia, there is an

imbalance between the normal male and female

hormones that circulate in all men, which may occur:-

• Normally at certain times of life (new-born,

puberty, with ageing ) – ‘physiological’, or

• Abnormally due to a wide range of causes

(idiopathic, diseases of the hormone system,

drugs, alcohol) – ‘pathological gynecomastia’

Whatever the cause, medical treatment aimed at the

originating condition relatively rarely results in full

reduction in breast size. For these patients, surgery is

the only option.

In the great majority of patients with glandular

gynecomastia, it is possible to remove the gland

through an incision placed around the lower half of

the areola.

Technical Consideration

• The operation is performed under general

anaesthetic

• It takes between sixty to ninety minutes

• Patients stay in hospital for one night

• An adhesive dressing and a Lycra vest are worn

for about one week.

• Any sutures are removed after ten to fourteen

days

• If your work is not physical, expect to return to

work after one to two weeks

• Expect to be back to normal physical exercise

within six to eight weeks

• Unless the operation is performed at a young

age, it is very unlikely that your breasts will re-

grow. Excessive weight gain will alter the breast

shape as in any other men. Further with age your

breasts are likely to sag as normal.

www.cosmeticsurgeryspecialists.co.uk Phone: 020-7580-8001

3

GYNECOMASTIA

Considering Gynecomastia - What Next?

Initial consultation

The first step is to simply take advantage of a

completely free initial consultation with one of our

nurse counsellors. She will become your primary

contact at the Cosmetic Surgery Specialists and your

liaison between you and your surgeon. Your nurse

counsellor is responsible for ensuring that you

receive the very best care and attention.

The initial consultation is designed to be warm and

informative, and you are very welcome to bring a

friend, partner, or relative along with you. Your nurse

counsellor will be able to answer many of the

questions you may have, and will offer you objective

advice and guidance.

The initial consultation is simply designed to give you

more information (specific to you), and allow you to

think more about what it is you would like to achieve

through your surgery. It is also very valuable because

it helps you to think of questions you may wish to ask

your surgeon – should you decide to progress to the

next stage. At no point are you under any obligation

to progress any further.

Specialist Consultation

Should you decide that you would like to progress

further we would arrange for you to meet with a

specialist cosmetic surgeon. All surgeons associated

with Cosmetic Surgery Specialists are on the GMC

Specialist Register for Plastic Surgery. Should you

wish to check your surgeon’s registration, the

telephone number for the GMC is 020 7915 3630.

At your consultation with the surgeon, you will have

the opportunity to discuss your procedure in order

that he/she can ascertain your expectations as to

what can realistically be achieved. It also gives you

the opportunity to ask any final questions and get to

know the surgeon and the experience that they have

with patients undergoing similar procedures.

In addition the surgeon will:

- Discuss your and your family’s medical history and

any pre-operative tests that will need to be

conducted.

- Make a detailed and thorough physical examination

of your area of concern.

- Explain the surgical options available and which

would be most suited to you.

- Talk you through in details all aspects of the

procedure such as where and how each incision will

be made, an overview of the procedure and what’s

involved, likely complications and possible

conditions, recovery and healing times and stages,

dressing and after care, pain and where it is likely to

be felt and specific care details

www.cosmeticsurgeryspecialists.co.uk Phone: 020-7580-8001

4

Cosmetic Surgery Specialists

Compassion . Experience . Trust

- Assess your feelings and expectations, providing a

realistic account of the likely results and what can be

achieved.

- Confirm how long the procedure will take from

surgery to recovery and establish if any post-

operative treatments are necessary.

Following this consultation it is possible that the

surgeon may decide that surgery is not in your best

interest and might recommend not processing any

further.

The surgeon you see at your consultation will be the

surgeon who will carry out your procedure. Please

note that you are under absolutely no obligation to

take this consultation any further.

Informed Consent

Patients have a fundamental legal and ethical right to

determine what happens to their own bodies. Valid

consent to treatment is therefore absolutely central

Prior to any cosmetic treatment or surgical operation

being performed. Seeking consent is also a matter of

common courtesy between health professionals and

patients.

Age Limit

The minimum age for any consultation or surgical

procedure is 18 years.

Time for Reflection

All aesthetic cosmetic procedures are elective

operations. Following your consultation we

recommend that you take a period of fourteen days

to consider all the benefits and risks of the

procedures, and seek more information if necessary,

before you decide.

Your Procedure

Should you decide that a procedure is right for you,

your nurse counsellor will arrange a date with you for

your procedure. Your nurse counsellor will support

and guide you throughout the entire process, and will

be your point of contact through out your journey with

us.

We at Cosmetic Surgery Specialists are

delighted to be able to offer you compassionate

care you can trust.

www.cosmeticsurgeryspecialists.co.uk Phone: 020-7580-8001

5

Notes

_______________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________

www.cosmeticsurgeryspecialists.co.uk Phone: 020-7580-8001