Every gynecomastia procedure is as unique as the individual receiving it. The surgical plan will be designed with your personal goals in mind and with the specific constraints and requirements needed by your body. All your questions can be answered by your surgeon in consultation, however, you will find answers to some general questions on this page.
The primary considerations are ensuring that soft tissues settle in place and that skin retracts smoothly. This means, first and foremost, wearing the compression garment, which should hold these in place. After the first post-operative follow-up with the nursing staff, moving about is okay, but care must be taken to keep the surgical wounds and dressing clean. There will continue to be fluid leakage for roughly a week, so it makes sense to reserve about that much time from work. However, if your job requires physical effort, you should take two weeks off from work. Our guideline is to avoid strenuous efforts for a period of one month.
Patients are advised to wait at least one week before starting any stretching or light weight-bearing exercises. More serious workouts should only begin after a period of at least three weeks, with load and intensity building up slowly over several weeks. Note that the compression vest must be worn under your gym clothes for the first month.
Once the gland tissue has been excised, it is very rare for gynecomastia to return. However, it is possible, and for this reason, it is advised that men avoid any anabolic steroids or body building drugs.
This type of surgery is typically performed under local anaesthetic, and is not considered very painful. That said, it is possible to have the procedure under general anaesthesia. This might be advisable for more severe cases or for other medical reasons. Post-surgical pain is not excessive, and is easily managed with a week’s worth of pain killers provided by your surgeon.
Discuss your goals and find out about outcomes for your personal case of gynecomastia.
