Gynecomastia

Gynecomastia is a condition of overdeveloped or enlarged breasts in men.  This can happen at any age and may relate to a variety of factors including hormonal changes, heredity, obesity or the use of certain drugs.  

We can perform a reduction mammaplasty to reduce breast tissue and improve the contour of the chest.  One of the challenges of this procedure is the positioning of surgical scars, which Dr. Holcombe will discuss in detail during your consultation. 

If you are experiencing gynecomastia, it is important to discuss the condition with your primary care physician and likely also an endocrinologist so that the root cause can be determined.  

If the condition cannot be corrected through alternative medical treatments and it is determined that you are a good candidate for surgery, Dr. Holcombe can meet with you to discuss the procedure.  

You should be physically healthy, at a relatively healthy and stable weight, and you should not be smoking or using drugs to make this surgery as safe as possible.  

We most often operate at St. Joseph Outpatient Surgery Center with you going home the same day.  If you have high risk medical conditions, St. Joseph Hospital is another location where we operate.  We will let you know the location of your surgery on the day of your consultation. 

Please be prepared to check into the surgery location at least one hour before your scheduled surgery time.  

You will need to be fasting for at least 8 hours prior to the surgery, and some medications may require you to fast up to 12 hours prior to surgery.  You will receive specific instructions prior to your procedure date.

Please provide us with a complete list of your medications during your initial consultation, and please let us know if you have any changes to your medication prior to surgery.  This will allow us to give you the best instructions to prepare for surgery and recovery. 

You will wake up from surgery in an ACE wrap, and we will ask you to continue using that compression dressing for the first week following your operation.  If Dr. Holcombe decides that you will need surgical drains then we will give you detailed instructions for caring for the drains and we will see you regularly until the drains can be removed.  You will need to avoid strenuous activities, including exercise and heavy lifting, for the first month after surgery.