Scars from gynecomastia surgery are often simply a part of gynecomastia surgery. In order to remove the excess glandular tissue, fat, and/or excess and saggy skin skin, incisions frequently need to be made, and this results in scarring once the incisions have healed.
Most patients have very mild gynecomastia surgery scars. They are frequently hidden within the outer edges of the areolae or in the breast fold, or they are small enough that they can hardly be seen.
However, if you do have gynecomastia scars that you would like to lessen the appearance of — or if you are about to undergo surgery and are concerned about potential scarring — read on. In this article, we’ll go over our top ways to minimize the appearance of scars from gynecomastia surgery.
Does Gynecomastia Surgery Leave Scars?
Yes. No matter the exact method of male breast reduction surgery being performed, this procedure requires incisions.
In other words, not every gynecomastia patient requires glandular tissue removal. However, anyone who is undergoing a gynecomastia procedure will need to have their skin cut to some extent.
Your could review gynecomastia before and after photos to see exactly the placement and type of scars that are possible.
Why Do Our Bodies Develop Scars?
Why Do Our Bodies Develop Scars?Scarring is the body’s natural response to trauma. So, whether you get an incision on your chest during surgery, cut your finger with a knife, or scrape your knee in a fall, scars will be the natural result. There’s really no way to completely avoid scars or get rid of them completely after they form.
Scars are made up of fibrous tissue that is sent to the wounded area of the skin to repair damage or replace lost skin and tissue. To be exact, the making of a scar involves your body pushing collagen toward the area that has been damaged.
This collagen builds up to create the new surface level scar tissue that you see on the outer layer of your skin. You’ll notice that it tends to be dryer, stiffer, and less pliable and flexible than your former skin.
Over time, your body sends more collagen to the area, and this can create underlying scar tissue that is not visible but that may be palpable beneath your surface level scar.
What Do Gynecomastia Scars Look Like?
For some men, the scars required for gynecomastia surgery are going to be extremely small. This usually occurs when just excess fat needs to be removed because for fat removal only, liposuction is generally all that is needed. Liposuction scars are extremely small.
If only skin excision and/or excess breast tissue removal are required (whether in addition to or separate from liposuction), the incisions needed will be slightly larger in most cases. Fortunately, they can often still be placed on the outer edges of the areolae and well-hidden there.
In some situations, you may need incisions in the breast fold (breast crease below the breast). These tend to be well-hidden as they heal as well.
At first, right after surgical treatment, your scars may be red and raised. You should see them naturally flatten out on their own and turn more the color of the surrounding skin as the months and years go by.
Tips for Minimizing Gynecomastia Scars After Surgery
After undergoing male breast reduction surgery, consider the following steps to minimize scarring:
Use silicone sheets or try silicone gel.
Silicone has been known for many years to reduce the appearance of scars faster than leaving scars completely alone to heal on their own. Silicone keeps scars hydrated, and it also helps to limit collagen production, which keeps scars, flatter and less obvious.
Talk to your surgeon about scar massage.
After a few weeks of gynecomastia surgery recovery, if you notice underlying scar tissue forming beneath your surface level surgery scars, it may be time to implement some self massage. Some plastic surgeons will have you start gynecomastia scar massage as soon as possible.
You’ll need to learn the exact massage technique from your plastic surgeon. But in general, you’ll be using firm, even pressure to try to break up the collagen-based scar tissue and flatten the area, making it more pliable.
Consider scar revision surgery if necessary.
Rarely, surgery for enlarged breast tissue leads to the development of substantial scar tissue that won’t budge with massage or topical treatments like scar gels. In this case, you may need a revision surgical procedure for your gynecomastia surgery scar.
FAQ: Gynecomastia Scars
Can you hide gynecomastia surgery?
What we’re really talking about here is can the scars be hidden enough so that they are basically undetectable after some time has passed.
This depends on the extent of surgery required, the necessary incisions, and how well the patient heals. In the majority of cases, incisions can be well-hidden in the breast fold and/or around the areola.
The pigmentation of the areolae and chest hair should help to hide the dark scar tissue. Furthermore, the scars should flatten out and fade naturally over time.
Is gyno surgery worth it?
This, of course, depends on the individual.
Men who undergo gynecomastia surgery are unhappy with the excess skin, fat, and/or tissue on their breasts. They want a flatter, more masculine looking chest they will feel comfortable with. For men with this goal, in the vast majority of cases, gynecomastia surgery will be worth it.
Contact Us Today to Book a Consultation Appointment
No one wants visible scarring after surgery, especially on a place as visible as the chest. Fortunately, excess scarring should not be a major problem after gynecomastia surgery. Most post surgery scar management protocols will take care of these marks, and once the healing process is over, you should notice substantial improvement.
If you are looking to improve your male physique with gynecomastia surgery, contact us today to set up a consultation appointment with board certified plastic surgeon Dr. Matthew Schulman. Dr. Schulman performs this and other plastic surgery procedures with minimal scarring and a very high rate of satisfaction among his patients.
Call today to arrange for your consultation appointment.
