Dr. Michelle Spring and Dr. Michael Hromadka are both board-certified, highly trained, and experienced plastic surgeons. Kristy Ehrmantraut PA-C, Surgical Physician Assistant for the practice, assists the surgeons in the OR and follows post-operative patient care in the office, allowing for better patient service and continuity of care. They provide personalized care that is tailored to the unique concerns of each patient, and use their expertise to create results that look natural. Our providers believe taking the time to truly understand their patients' goals is the key to not only meeting, but exceeding their expectations.
Mountain West Plastic Surgery
60 Four Mile Drive #11
Kalispell, MT 59901
Phone: (406) 609-0210
Monday–Friday: 8 a.m.–5 p.m.
Male Breast Reduction
Men from Missoula, Whitefish, Bozeman, and surrounding areas who feel self-conscious about enlarged breasts and/or nipples visit Mountain West Plastic Surgery for male breast reduction surgery in Kalispell. Also called gynecomastia surgery, the procedure removes fat and or glandular tissue from the breasts, and in extreme cases removes excess skin, resulting in a chest that is flatter, firmer, and better contoured.
What Is Gynecomastia?
Gynecomastia is a medical term that comes from the Greek words for woman-like breasts. Though this oddly named condition is rarely talked about, it’s actually quite common. Gynecomastia affects an estimated 40 to 60% of men. It may affect only one breast or both. Though certain drugs and medical problems have been linked with male breast over-development, there is no known cause in the vast majority of cases.
Candidates for Male Breast Reduction
Board-certified plastic surgeons Dr. Michael Hromadka and Dr. Michelle Spring can perform surgery to correct gynecomastia on healthy, emotionally stable men of any age. The best candidates for surgery have firm, elastic skin that will reshape to the body’s new contours.
Surgery may be discouraged for obese men or for overweight men who have not first attempted to correct the problem with exercise or weight loss. Also, individuals who drink alcoholic beverages in excess or smoke marijuana are usually not considered good candidates for surgery. These drugs, along with anabolic steroids, may cause gynecomastia. Therefore, patients are first directed to stop the use of these drugs to see if the breast fullness will diminish before surgery is considered an option.
All Surgery Carries Some Uncertainty and Risk
When male breast reduction surgery is performed by a qualified plastic surgeon, complications are infrequent and usually minor. Nevertheless, as with any surgery, there are risks. These include infection, skin injury, excessive bleeding, adverse reaction to anesthesia, and excessive fluid loss or accumulation. The procedure may also result in noticeable scars, permanent pigment changes in the breast area, or slightly mismatched breasts or nipples. If asymmetry is significant, a second procedure may be performed to remove additional tissue.
The temporary effects of breast reduction include loss of breast sensation or numbness, which may last up to a year.
Planning Your Gynecomastia Surgery
The initial consultation with your surgeon is very important. Your surgeon will need a complete medical history, so check your own records ahead of time and be ready to provide this information. First, your surgeon will examine your breasts and check for causes of the gynecomastia, such as impaired liver function, use of estrogen-containing medications, or anabolic steroids. If a medical problem is the suspected cause, you’ll be referred to an appropriate specialist.
Your plastic surgeon may, in extreme cases, also recommend a mammogram, or breast x-ray. This will not only rule out the very small possibility of breast cancer, but will reveal the breast’s composition. Once your surgeon knows how much fat and glandular tissue is contained within the breasts, he or she can choose a surgical approach to best suit your needs.
Don’t hesitate to ask your surgeon any questions you may have during the initial consultation- including your concerns about the recommended treatment or the costs involved. Treatment of gynecomastia may be covered by medical insurance–but policies vary greatly. Check your policy or call your carrier to be sure. If you are covered, make certain you get written pre-authorization for the treatment recommended by your surgeon.
Preparing for Male Breast Reduction Surgery
Your surgeon will give you specific instructions on how to prepare for surgery, including guidelines on eating, drinking, and taking certain vitamins and medications.
Smokers should plan to stop smoking for a minimum of 1 or 2 weeks before surgery and during recovery. Smoking decreases circulation and interferes with proper healing. Therefore, it is essential to follow all of your surgeon’s instructions.
Male Breast Reduction Procedure
Our plastics surgeons typically perform male breast reduction as an outpatient procedure using either general anesthesia or local anesthesia plus sedation. The surgery itself usually takes about an hour and a half to complete. However, more extensive procedures may take longer.
Correcting Excess Glandular Tissue
If excess glandular tissue is the primary cause of the breast enlargement, it will be surgically removed with a scalpel. The procedure may be performed alone or in conjunction with liposuction. In a typical procedure, an incision is made in an inconspicuous location–either on the edge of the areola or in the underarm area. Working through the incision, the surgeon removes excess glandular tissue, fat, and skin from around the areola and from the sides and bottom of the breast. Major reductions that involve the removal of a significant amount of tissue and skin may require larger incisions that result in more conspicuous scars. If liposuction is used to remove excess fat, the cannula is usually inserted through the existing incisions.
Correcting Excess Fatty Tissue
If your gynecomastia consists primarily of excessive fatty tissue, your surgeon will likely use liposuction to remove the excess fat. A small incision, less than a half-inch in length, is made around the edge of the areola–the dark skin that surrounds the nipple. Or, the incision may be placed in the underarm area. A slim hollow tube, called a cannula, attached to a vacuum pump is then inserted into the incision. Using strong, deliberate strokes, the surgeon moves the cannula through the layers beneath the skin, breaking up the fat and suctioning it out. Patients may feel a vibration or some friction during the procedure, but generally no pain.
In extreme cases where large amounts of fat or glandular tissue have been removed, the skin may not adjust well to the new smaller breast contour. In these cases, excess skin may have to be removed to allow the remaining skin to firmly re-adjust to the new breast contour.
Sometimes, a small drain is inserted through a separate incision to draw off excess fluids. Once closed, the incisions are usually covered with a dressing. The chest may be wrapped to keep the skin firmly in place.
After Male Breast Reduction Surgery
Whether you’ve had excision with a scalpel or liposuction, you will feel some discomfort for a few days after surgery. However, discomfort can be controlled with medications prescribed by your surgeon. In any case, you should arrange to have someone drive you home after surgery and to help you out for a day or 2 if needed.
You’ll be swollen and bruised for a while–in fact, you may wonder if there’s been any improvement at all. To help reduce swelling, you’ll probably be instructed to wear an elastic pressure garment continuously for a week or 2, and for a few weeks longer at night. Although the worst of your swelling will dissipate in the first few weeks, it may take 3 months or more before the final results of your surgery are apparent.
In the meantime, it is important to begin getting back to normal. You’ll be encouraged to begin walking around on the day of surgery, and can return to work when you feel well enough–which could be as early as a day or two after surgery. Any stitches will generally be removed about 1 to 2 weeks following the procedure.
Your surgeon may advise you to avoid sexual activity for a week or 2, and heavy exercise for about 3 weeks. You’ll be told to stay away from any sport or job that risks a blow to the chest area for at least 4 weeks. In general, it will take about a month before you’re back to all of your normal activities.
You should also avoid exposing the resulting scars to the sun for at least 6 months. Sunlight can permanently affect the skin’s pigmentation, causing the scar to turn dark. If sun exposure is unavoidable, use a strong sunblock.
Results From Gynecomastia Surgery
Gynecomastia surgery can enhance your appearance and self-confidence, but it won’t necessarily change your looks to match your ideal. Before you decide to have surgery, think carefully about your expectations and discuss them frankly with your plastic surgeon.
The results of the procedure are significant and permanent. If your expectations are realistic, chances are good that you’ll be very satisfied with your new look.
Request a consultation using our online form or call our office at (406) 609-0210 for more information about male breast reduction surgery. Mountain West Plastic Surgery is located in Northwest Montana, convenient to Whitefish, Bigfork, Flathead Lake, Columbia Falls, Lakeside, and Polson.