65% of men in the United States suffer from a condition known as gynecomastia.
Because of it, these men deny themselves simple pleasures like swimming or working out without a shirt on. Many of them bear the emotional scars of being teased when they were younger for having “man boobs.” Some have gone to great lengths to hide them with duct tape or compression shirts that can leave scars.
And women thought they were the only ones who had to suffer in the service of looking good!
In the past few decades, the perception of cosmetic surgery has changed, and we’ve got great news: it’s not just for the ladies anymore. In fact, nearly 28,000 men had breast-reduction surgery in 2016, up 36% from 2000.
We, at Barrett Plastic Surgery, hope these numbers encourage other men to seek solutions for their gynecomastia. In his younger years, Dr. Barrett himself suffered from this embarrassing condition, so he understands the emotional toll it takes on the men who live with it.
Still on the fence? Here are six reasons to book your scarless male breast reduction today.
A More Masculine Figure
Let’s start with the most obvious, shall we?
All men want a torso that tapers down to the hips, with a toned, sculpted chest. Many even have perfectly chiseled back muscles and arms, but still wrestle with bulky pectorals resulting from too much glandular tissue. A breast reduction can enhance your chest definition–and liposuction of the flanks can be added to help you achieve that tapered, masculine look.
If you’ve always chosen shirts that were too large around the waist in order to disguise your chest, you’ll now be able to experience the confidence that comes from wearing clothes that fit properly.
A Quick Procedure
Surgical breast reductions are performed on an outpatient basis and may require twilight or general anesthesia, depending on the complexity of the procedure. Often liposuction is all that is needed, but if excision of tissue is required, this takes a bit more time. In either case, you should feel no discomfort during surgery, and you can go home the same day.
Little to No Scarring
Over the course of his career, Dr. Barrett has developed a proprietary approach that dramatically reduces visible scarring often associated with male breast reduction. His technique is unparalleled among minimal-scar male breast reduction procedures.
Using a combination of liposuction and minimally-invasive endoscopy, Dr. Barrett will gently break down and remove the fat and glandular tissue. The tools are inserted into the chest area through the same tiny incision. Once the tissue is removed, he uses a cautery coagulation technique that tightens the skin and underlying tissues for a smooth, flat result–often without sutures.
A Straightforward Recovery
After your procedure, you may experience discomfort for about 72 hours. Liposuction-only patients can resume normal activity at this point. After more intensive excisions, common complaints include tenderness, temporary numbness, swelling caused by inflammation and possible bruising. A compression garment is typically recommended to help with pain and to speed up the recovery process.
Dr. Barrett will see you once a week for six weeks to monitor your recovery. If you have stitches, these will ultimately be replaced with tapes. After the taping period is over, he will prescribe a silicone scar gel to use for the next three months.
Strenuous exercise, especially heavy lifting, should be avoided for at least two weeks to give the breasts ample time to heal. After that, you’re free to go back to all the activities you previously enjoyed.
Freedom to Live Your Best Life
Having conspicuous breasts as a man can have major emotional ramifications, not least of which is finding the same negative thoughts running through your mind on a constant loop. What can I wear today that will downplay my chest? How can I go on a date looking like this? I’ll leave my jacket on for the presentation so the board members can focus.
No one can get ahead with thoughts like these running the show. Male breast reduction will free you to achieve your grandest goals with confidence. When you feel good about how you look, you can focus on what really matters. And we think that’s the number one reason to call Barrett Plastic Surgery at 310-598-2648 today to see if male breast reduction is right for you.