How Long Does It Take To Recover From Male Breast Reduction?

At Northstate Plastic Surgery Associates in Chico, CA, we understand how frustrating gynecomastia is. We firmly believe that everyone should feel confident in their skin, and you shouldn’t settle for keeping your shirt on because you feel self-conscious about your chest. Today, we’re taking a closer look at male breast reduction, including what you can expect during the recovery process and who qualifies to help you determine if it’s right for you.

How Long Does It Take To Recover From Male Breast Reduction? 

You can generally expect the first phase of male breast reduction recovery to take around a week or two to complete. During this time, you should not go to work. Rather, you should stay home and focus on your recovery. Once you’ve spent a significant amount of time resting and focusing on your recovery, you can go back to work, but some of your usual routine will still be restricted.

For example, it is imperative that you do not exert yourself too much during the first six to eight weeks post-op. Therefore, you won’t be able to lift or push anything that weighs around 10 pounds or more, and you won’t be able to incorporate vigorous cardio or anaerobic exercise into your workout routine. Exercise during the recovery period is important, but you should stick with moderate aerobic exercise, like walking or spinning at an easy pace and resistance.

How Long Will the Results of My Procedure Last? 

Several factors affect how long the results of this procedure will last. For example, you may need a follow-up procedure in the future if your gynecomastia is caused by a hormonal imbalance that you don’t seek treatment for. As another example, the longevity of your results can be affected by the medications you take.

If your gynecomastia developed after you started taking corticosteroids or an anti-androgen for the treatment of prostate cancer or an enlarged prostate, talk to your doctor about discontinuing the use of the medication. If you don’t, future breast gland growth may occur. It is worth noting, however, that some of your results will be permanent. For example, you don’t have to worry about any skin or fat cells removed during surgery growing back.

Am I a Good Candidate for This Procedure? 

You can feel pretty confident that you’ll qualify for male breast reduction if you suffer from gynecomastia. This is a medical condition that causes men to develop an excessive amount of breast tissue. If you’re a smoker, you may qualify, but it is highly advisable that you quit smoking before surgery. To prepare for your operation, you will need to stop smoking for two weeks, and you will also need to go without smoking during the first two weeks post-op.

Who Is a Poor Candidate for This Procedure?  

You will be considered a poor candidate for this procedure if you are not in good general health. For instance, you will be disqualified from surgery if you suffer from certain heart problems, cancer, diabetes, or another serious chronic medical condition. You also will not be able to get surgery if you are suffering from an acute condition, like a cold or sunburn, that can affect your procedure or recovery.

It is also important to understand that you may not qualify for this procedure depending on the nature of your concerns. For example, you may suffer from pseudogynecomastia rather than gynecomastia. Pseudogynecomastia is a condition that affects the appearance of the male chest, but the unwanted contour changes are caused by excess fat rather than excess breast gland tissue.

Can I Exercise My Gynecomastia Away? 

Gynecomastia is a condition that results in the development of excess breast gland tissue. Unfortunately, you can’t exercise away gland tissue. In fact, it is highly advisable to avoid chest and upper back exercises if you suffer from gynecomastia.

You should avoid chest exercises if you suffer from this condition because building your pectoral muscles can make your chest look worse due to the excessive amount of volume already in the area. The reason you should avoid upper back exercises if you suffer from this condition is that you need to work both pulling and pushing muscles when getting anaerobic exercise. This mitigates the risk of an injury caused by muscle imbalance.

What If I Have Pseudogynecomastia? 

You have a couple of options if you suffer from pseudogynecomastia. If your aesthetic problems are caused by an excessive amount of fat tissue in your chest, you can treat your condition with a reasonable diet and regular aerobic exercise. Alternatively, liposuction, an FDA-approved fat removal procedure, may be a good fit for you.

Schedule Your Initial Consultation Today

Male breast reduction recovery, for the most part, can be completed in just a week or two. After the initial recovery phase is over, you can go back to work. However, you will need to go another four to seven weeks without lifting anything over 10 pounds or engaging in vigorous physical activity. Contact us today at Northstate Plastic Surgery Associates in Chico, CA if you’d like to learn more about gynecomastia treatment, including whether you’re a good candidate.