Excellence in Gynecomastia Surgery (Male Breast Reduction)

Newport Beach plastic surgeon Dr. Joseph T. Cruise specializes in male breast reduction to correct gynecomastia, the physical condition where a man’s chest becomes rounded and female-shaped to some degree due to excess breast or fat tissue. Dr. Cruise and his Orange County staff have developed this resource for men looking for information about gynecomastia and cosmetic surgery that can correct the condition, giving them the ideal male chest they want. Additionally, Dr. Cruise provides men with breasts with a wealth of before and after gynecomastia pictures, so they can see the results of surgery for themselves.

Please see below topics related to gynecomastia correction:

Many potential patients share the same concerns, so Dr. Cruise has provided web pages answering some of the most frequently asked questions, such as:

• What are the different types of gynecomastia?
  Learn about classic gynecomastia, fatty gynecomastia, puffy nipples, and saggy gynecomastia.

• What causes gynecomastia?
  Some factors include steroids, medications, pro hormones, and excess weight.

• What type of gynecomastia surgery is best?
  Will liposuction alone work or do I need to have breast tissue removed?

• What about compression garments?
  What works, what doesn’t, and why

• What are some potential complications, risks, recovery, and safety concerns?
  What about infection? What is after-surgery care like?

• What is the cost of Gynecomastia surgery?
  Find out about how to make male breast reduction affordable with available financing

Dr. Cruise wants to ensure that you have all the information you need in order to make a decision that will achieve your goals and eliminate your concerns. In addition to numerous testimonials and before and after pictures of his male breast reduction results, he has provided a helpful animation of how he routinely performs gynecomastia surgery and an easy-to-understand classification system of the condition that he hopes will help you identify your concerns with your own body.

Overview of Gynecomastia Surgery

Gynecomastia (a.k.a gyne, gyno, or “man boobs”) is the condition where male breasts become enlarged, either because of excess breast tissue or excess fat. Ideally, male breasts have toned muscles and are well defined, with nipples that point forward and follow a line from the shoulder to the waist which helps create the image of an ideal masculine triangular upper body. When the male breast becomes fatty and begins to sag, it will develop a crease underneath with a fold of tissue over it, nipples that point downward, and excess chest volume – all of which are more similar to the female breast shape than the ideal male chest.

 

Ideal Chest	Classic Gynecomastia

Puffy Nipples	Fatty Gynecomastia

Causes of Gynecomastia

Often, the exact cause of a person’s gynecomastia can remain unknown. The causes of this problem range from intake of medications, to genetic predisposition, to hormonal changes. In fact, it is not uncommon for healthy teenage boys, usually around 14 years old, to have this problem for 1 to 2 years while going through puberty.

While certain diseases and medications may be the cause, men with breasts  should discuss this possibility, and perhaps undergo a physical exam, with their family doctor before considering cosmetic surgery to correct their concerns.

Some of medications and chemicals known to cause gynecomastia are: estrogens, digitalis, clomiphene, ketoconazole, metronidazole, cisplatin, spironolactone, cimetidine, isoniazid, methyldopa, tricyclic antidepressants, valium, heroin, and marijuana.

If you have taken any of these medications, you may want to discuss your condition and your prescription with your physician.

Excess weight can cause detrimental hormonal imbalances, so you may consider a weight-loss treatment course to reduce the size of your chest and improve your health. You may also want to find out about the possibility of liver problems, as they can contribute to male breast enlargement as well.

If the cause of your gynecomastia cannot be determined and you are ready to undergo plastic surgery to correct the issue, Newport Beach-based board-certified plastic surgeon Dr. Joseph T. Cruise and his professional staff are experienced and prepared to handle male breast reduction. They can help you achieve your desired results to achieve the look you want.

Surgical treatment depends on the underlying cause of the problem. In his Orange County office, Dr. Cruise individually consults with each male breast reduction patient to determine the particulars of his situation – his history, his concerns for his body, and his desired outcomes. Then, Dr. Cruise can develop an individualized plan to reverse the components of gynecomastia:

1. excess fat
2. excess breast tissue
3. excess skin

Excess Fat

Male Patient with Excess Breast Fat

Nearly every gynecomastia patient has excess breast fat, usually centered around the nipple and areola but involving the entire chest. Typically, Dr. Cruise can remove excess fat with liposuction, and if excess fat is the only cause for the enlarged breast, the skin will generally shrink back as well, leaving the patient satisfied with a natural, more masculine chest.

Excess Breast Tissue

31 year old man who had liposuction and breast tissue removal.

All men have breast tissue. It is the same tissue as women, but typically in lesser amounts. Men afflicted by gynecomastia have breast tissue that grows considerably, typically under the nipple and areola. Breast tissue is harder to the touch than breast fat, and is described as being both firm and squishy, rather than flabby like breast fat.

If a man’s breast tissue has grown so dramatically that it causes gynecomastia, liposuction alone will not adequately remove it. These men will need to have the excess breast tissue removed, from a small incision just below the areola. Understanding that men don’t want people to see that they have plastic surgery scars or to look “operated on,” Newport Beach cosmetic surgeon Dr. Cruise has developed a superior incision technique that leaves minimal scarring. He leaves only a temporary mark that fades away very discreetly. 

In the provided before and after male breast reduction pictures, you can see how little scarring Dr. Cruise’s gynecomastia reduction patients show due to his surgical skill and experience.

Excess Skin

26 year old with severe gynecomastia treated with liposuction, breast tissue removal, and skin excision.

Excess body mass means more skin to cover it, and if a patient’s skin does not shrink down to meet the smaller body size after liposuction or breast tissue removal, the patient may need to consider having excess skin removed as well.

Other patients who have not undergone plastic surgery may be interested in removal of excess skin as well. With time, some men’s skin loses elasticity as they age, and stretches due to gravity and loss of supporting connective tissues.

Orange County male breast reduction surgeon, Dr. Joseph T. Cruise, can typically remove excess male breast skin with only a small incision around the areola, which is well-hidden in the interface between the skin and areola and keeps the visual evidence of plastic surgery to a minimum. 

No man needs to suffer with gynecomastia and enlarged male breasts. Dr. Cruise and the experienced staff in his Newport Beach office can provide you with all the information that is important in your situation. They can guide you through your options and help you arrive at the right cosmetic surgery solution to meet your needs.

 

Causes of Gynecomastia ››