Male Breast Reduction Los Angeles

Male breast reduction, or gynecomastia surgery, is a transformative procedure for men in the Santa Monica and Los Angeles areas who feel self-conscious about their chest. This surgery removes excess fat and glandular tissue to create a more masculine and defined chest contour. Dr. Teitelbaum helps patients achieve a confident, natural-looking appearance through personalized male breast reduction in Los Angeles at his practice located in Santa Monica.

Gynecomastia or Male Breast Reduction Overview

What is Gynecomastia

Gynecomastia, or enlarged male breasts, is a common condition, yet it can be a source of significant embarrassment and self-consciousness. Many men are hesitant to discuss it, often seeking information privately online to find an expert to perform gynecomastia in Los Angeles. Board-certified plastic surgeon Dr. Teitelbaum understands these concerns and offers a compassionate approach to help countless men in Santa Monica and the greater Los Angeles area achieve a more masculine and defined chest contour. For those wondering how male breast reduction relates to female breast reduction, you can learn more on our female breast reduction surgery page.

What Causes Gynecomastia?

There are several causes of gynecomastia resulting in overdeveloped male breasts.

When the body produces too much estrogen or too little testosterone, the glandular tissue of the breast swells. Genetics, steroids and drugs are the most common causes. Gynecomastia does not discriminate by age and occurs in babies, teen boys, and older men.

Puberty

Many of our gynecomastia patients are men who never lost the extra bit of puffiness they had on their chest during puberty. They may be fit or work out, but no matter what they do, they cannot see the outline of their pecs.

Steroids

Others may have taken steroids for weight lifting, and these steroids can cause a rapid growth of the breast tissue. In the case of weight lifting, usually there is a very firm marble or walnut that they can feel.

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Gynecomastia Preoperative Assessment

An important part of gynecomastia surgery is the preoperative assessment. For some men the problem is predominantly excess fat; for some it is firm glandular tissue, and for other men it is a combination of both. Dr. Teitelbaum will assess what is going on with your body and will help to guide your treatment.

But in the past few years, the treatment of gynecomastia has finally become mainstream. It is not just the weightlifters and teenagers with the really bad cases seeking male chest reduction; it is the men in their 20s and 30s with just enough extra tissue in their chest for them not to look as good as they should. Male breast reduction in Los Angeles is now one of the most common operations performed by Dr. Teitelbaum. Why the sudden change? Quite simply, the answer is the Internet.

Unlike women who talk to one another about their breast augmentation, breast reduction or liposuction, men do not talk to one another about gynecomastia. They hide it under their clothes, and so even their best friends are often totally unaware. Once fixed with surgery, they go forward with their lives as if they never had it. But thanks to the Internet, men can now privately research embarrassing topics such as gynecomastia, male breast reduction, man boobs, moobs, male chest reduction, etc., and learn that there is a very effective solution.

Before & After Photos: Male Breast Reduction in Los Angeles

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What are the Benefits of Gynecomastia Surgery?

Gynecomastia is a physical concern, but it can also deeply affect your state of mind and confidence. Gynecomastia treatment in Los Angeles will eliminates the feminine appearance of your chest and gives you back your confidence again. No more worrying about taking your shirt off or trying to hide your chest.

Gynecomastia surgery completely reduces excess breast tissue and leaves the male chest more masculine--flatter, firmer, and better proportioned with the other male features. Gynecomastia surgery has a number of benefits:

Boosts confidence and self-esteem
Makes physical activity and exercise easier
Provides a more masculine figure
Improves posture
Short procedure time
Assists in weight loss efforts and makes maintaining a healthy weight easier

Who are the Best Candidates for Gynecomastia Surgery in Los Angeles?

Men who are dealing with an overly large or feminine breast appearance may be good candidates for gynecomastia treatment in Los Angeles. If you’re a man who is lacking confidence due to concerns about your chest area, you may also be a positive candidate for this surgery. Ideal candidates for this procedure should also meet the following requirements:

Are in good overall physical and mental health.
Have maintained a stable weight and have tried to reduce the size of their chest through diet and exercise.
Are non-smokers or are willing to quit prior to and after surgery.
Have realistic expectations about the surgical results.

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What can I expect During Male Breast Reduction Surgery?

A patient can be put to sleep, given IV sedation, or be given just local anesthesia. It depends on patient preference and the nature of their problem. One or two ¼ inch incisions are made in each side of the chest. A long acting anesthetic is placed. After waiting for it to distribute and take effect, small tubes are placed through those incisions and fat is removed and the shape of the chest contoured. Those incisions are closed with just several small sutures that are removed after about five days.

When Multiple Procedures are Needed

Some gynecomastia patients just need one procedure (excision or liposuction) and some need a combination of the two. There are two types of tissue that can be responsible for the enlargement of male chests. In true gynecomastia, the cause of the chest enlargement is purely glandular tissue. This is a very firm and rubbery tissue, and it cannot be removed by liposuction; it must be excised.

Liposuction for Male Breast Reduction

On the other extreme there can be just a localized excess of fat. Fat is easily removed with liposuction and thus liposuction is the choice. Some patients have a combination of both. Men that are very thin will rarely have fat and thus won't need liposuction. Men that are overweight will invariably need liposuction. Steroid use causes the development of firm tissue that requires excision.

Excision: Cutting out the Breast Tissue

Excision means cutting out tissue. This can be done with general anesthesia, IV sedation, or local anesthesia. That decision will be based upon a patient's particular anatomy and preference. A small incision is made from about 5-8 O'Clock on the areola and the excess tissue is removed. Stitches are placed that will dissolve.

Finding the Right Amount of Fat to Remove

Whether fat or gland, the goal of good male breast reduction surgery is the restoration or creation of a nice contour to the chest. While there is often the desire by both the patient and surgeon to remove as much as possible, in actuality it is normal for there to be some glandular tissue beneath the areola and some fat throughout the chest. The goal should be to create just a normal configuration, which means removal of the bulge and creation of a smooth contour. A complicating issue is that the chest looks different when the arms are at the sides than when they are raised above the head. Just try raising your arms now and you will look a lot flatter. Sometimes when the chest is made to look flat with the arms at the side there can be a bit of a depression deep to the areola when the arms are raised above the head.

Are the Results of Gynecomastia Surgery Permanent?

Gynecomastia patients are warned about the possibility of it coming back. But after performing a great number of gynecomastia cases, the only cases Dr. Teitelbaum has seen reoccur were in men who went onto anabolic steroids after surgery. There have been cases in which a decision was made to just do liposuction and not excision in which the patient later wished that excision would have been done. That is why a careful preoperative assessment and discussion with the patient are so important.

It is always possible to redo male breast reduction surgery, if the problem is to remove more. But if the problem is a depression or an irregularity then that is a much more difficult problem to deal with. It is a problem that is best avoided.

You are generally in good health and physical condition
The condition of your overly large breast area cannot be corrected with weight loss or other medical treatments
You’re at a stable weight you feel you can maintain
You do not smoke or take drugs
You have realistic expectations about what gynecomastia surgery can do for you

Does Insurance Cover Surgery for the Treatment of Gynecomastia?

Unfortunately in most cases they will not cover the treatment of gynecomastia.

Insurance companies change their rules daily, with little regard for logic. But if there is any trend, it is for them to pay for this less and less often. It has been a long time since I have had an insurance company pay for this. In one case, it was an adolescent who had it so severe his chest looked like a woman's breast, and the other was a man with a firm mass in which we were concerned about cancer. The insurer paid for the biopsy, but that was but a small amount of the total cost for the procedure.

Why is Dr. Teitelbaum the Best Choice for Male Breast Reduction Surgery in the Los Angeles area?

Dr. Teitelbaum has been performing plastic surgery on men since the early 1990s. He is one of the leading gynecomastia surgeons in the United States and has seen a substantial number of male patients for plastic surgery. Gynecomastia patients often ask for additional procedures to be done, contributing over the years to Dr. Teitelbaum's broad and deep experience with male plastic surgery.

Ultrasonic Liposuction Machine

As the first plastic surgeon in Southern California to acquire an ultrasonic liposuction machine back in 1998, many men sought his expertise because this machine has some advantages in removing the dense fat deposits characteristic to men. At that time, he was also starting to use a novel neck lift technique that is excellent for men.

Ideal Scar Placement

With the success of both techniques, and others, Dr. Teitelbaum has seen this portion of his practice continue to grow substantially. He has devoted considerable thought to the ideal placement of scars in men. He has always followed his patients closely over time, and has learned from all the follow-up which scars fade into obscurity after surgery.

Dr. Teitelbaum is very conscious of keeping, and enhancing, the masculinity of the patient and he considers this goal to be a core component of achieving the best possible results for men. He and his staff perform male breast reduction surgery in Los Angeles with such regularity that you will feel safe, comfortable and well cared for by an OR team very experienced with gynecomastia.

Ready for a Consultation for Male Breast Reduction Surgery?

For more information about gynecomastia in Los Angeles, Dr. Steven Teitelbaum can help. Call 310.315.1121 or click here to contact us.

Male Breast Reduction FAQ

Who is a good candidate for male breast reduction surgery?

The ideal candidates for male breast reduction are men who are in good overall health, have stable body weight, and have realistic expectations about their results. It is most effective for those who have not achieved their desired chest contour through diet and exercise alone.

What is the typical recovery period after gynecomastia surgery?

Most patients can return to non-strenuous work within a few days to a week after surgery. Strenuous exercise and heavy lifting should be avoided for approximately 3 to 4 weeks. You will be provided with specific post-operative care instructions to ensure a smooth recovery.

Will I have visible scars after the procedure?

Dr. Teitelbaum places incisions strategically to minimize their visibility. Depending on the technique required, incisions may be located discreetly around the areola or within the natural creases of the chest. Scars will fade over time with proper care.

How long until I see the final results of my surgery?

You will notice an immediate improvement in your chest contour after surgery. However, final results become more apparent as swelling fully subsides over the next few months. Your new, more masculine chest shape will continue to refine during this time.

What are the potential risks and complications of male breast reduction?

As with any surgical procedure, there are potential risks such as bleeding, infection, and adverse reactions to anesthesia. Specific risks for this procedure can include temporary numbness, asymmetry, or changes in nipple sensation. Dr. Teitelbaum will discuss these risks and how they are mitigated during your consultation.

What is the cost of male breast reduction in Los Angeles?

The cost of gynecomastia surgery is highly individualized and depends on the specific surgical techniques used, anesthesia fees, and facility costs. A detailed, personalized estimate will be provided after your consultation with Dr. Teitelbaum, during which your treatment plan is created.