Surgical Option #1: Excision
Gynecomastia can be treated with excision. Excision is one of the gynecomastia surgical options when a surgeon cuts out the excess tissue. This is generally done by making a small incision around the areola. Excision works the best when the fat tissues are contained to the breast area. It is not a good idea to have excision if the fat tissues have spread to the entire chest area. Excision is the only treatment that can remove glandular gynecomastia tissue.
Side Effects. Excision can have side effects. While most patients do not have any side effects, it is still possible for one to have severe complications. Most side effects are mild. However, some side effects have severe complications. A patient from an excision surgery can have an infection or bleeding at the site where the surgery was performed. Also, most patients have some sort of scarring following their surgery. Most surgeons take precautions against scarring when considering gynecomastia surgical options. Unfortunately, not all scars can be prevented. Severe scarring can usually be treated by a plastic surgeon.
Surgical Option #2: Liposuction
Liposuction is another one of the gynecomastia surgical options. Liposuction is a way that gynecomastia can be treated. A liposuction is performed by a surgeon. The surgeon will remove the fat with a liposuction instrument. The instrument will remove the fatty tissue buildup though a sucking technique.
Side Effects. There are side effects due to having liposuction as one of the gynecomastia surgical options. These side effects are rare for most patients to experience. Some patients experience irregularities in their skin. This happens most often when the patient has had a lot of liposuction done. Other side effects can include dizziness, nausea and depression. It is always important for a patient to discuss the possible side effects of having liposuction with their surgeon.
This is REAL Surgery
Whether a patient has liposuction or excision as one of the gynecomastia surgical options, they will be placed under anesthesia. In order to be placed under anesthesia, a patient must sign a consent waiver prior to having their surgery. This protects the anesthesiologist and the hospital should any complications arise due to the anesthesia. Most anesthesia side effects are rare but there are a few cases of permanent damage due to having anesthesia. There are a couple different choices for patients having anesthesia. The surgeon will choose between a general anesthesia option, an IV sedation anesthesia option or a local anesthesia option. Most surgeons either opt for an IV sedation anesthesia option or a general anesthesia option. Only cases of slight gynecomastia are eligible for a local anesthesia option. A person can discuss their anesthesia options with their surgeons before having their surgery. It is important that they understand all of the risks involved with the anesthesia for their gynecomastia surgical options.
Recurring Gynecomastia
Most of the time, having the gynecomastia surgical options solves the problem of gynecomastia. There are some cases that have been reported where patients have faced recurring gynecomastia. When this happens, there is usually an underlying cause that is more serious. A surgeon will look over the main underlying causes to determine why a patient is suffering from recurring gynecomastia after having one of the gynecomastia surgical options.
Gynecomastia surgery cost covered by insurance?
Most health insurance plans do not cover the cost of treating gynecomastia through one of the gynecomastia surgical options. Their grounds for denying coverage for gynecomastia are that it is technically a cosmetic treatment. Most gynecomastia is harmless to men and the only benefit to removing it is cosmetic reasoning and mental state of mind. It is very rare that the insurance companies to cover any of the cost. There are instances that they do cover some of the cost of the gynecomastia surgical options. In the rare cases that the insurance companies cover a portion of the cost, the patient will have to provide written documentation from their surgeon that their gynecomastia is harmful to their health. The insurance companies usually only cover a small portion of the final expense, not the total amount of the bill. A patient should discuss all of their payment options with their doctor when considering between the gynecomastia surgical options.