Eterna Cosmetic Surgery

How long is the recovery after a Male Breast Reduction?

Conveniently located to serve San Antonio, Eagle Pass and the surrounding area.

June 30, 2022

Male breast reduction can transform your appearance, giving you a flatter, more masculine chest. Guys who may have felt less than confident in the past can finally feel proud to take off their shirt and show off their physique. But how long will it be before you can do that? Recovery time depends on the type of procedure you choose.

Options to Achieve the Results You Envision

At Eterna Cosmetic Surgery, Dr. Elizabeth Hernandez offers both male breast reduction surgery (mastectomy) and Renuvion and VASERlipo treatments to contour the chest. She says the majority of men that desire breast reduction can achieve that with a combination of Renuvion to tighten the skin and VASERlipo to eliminate the excess fat.

Some men with gynecomastia (enlarged breasts) undergo excision of the breast tissue gland (via a small incision along the bottom edge of the areolas) as well as Renuvion to tighten the skin and VASERlipo to remove the excess fat. Dr. Hernandez can accomplish all in one session.

As a male breast reduction patient, you may also be interested in reducing excess fat and firming the skin on the sides of your chest or on your abdomen. Dr. Hernandez can use Renuvion and VASERlipo to contour all these areas, sometimes all in one session. There will be more discomfort in the recovery period when more areas are treated.

For patients who also want to remove stretch marks often related to weight gain, Dr. Hernandez recommends adding Morpheus8 treatment. Renuvion firms the skin by tightening the fibroseptal network under the skin. Morpheus8 radiofrequency microneedling causes controlled micro injuries in the skin from the needles to stimulate a cascade of events that lead to collagen and elastin production in the skin. With Morpheus8, radiofrequency is delivered through the needles to all the layers of the skin and into the fatty layer just underneath the skin. This produces a smoother surface texture as well as tightening.

Once You’re Back Home, Then What?

No matter which procedure(s) Dr. Hernandez used to achieve your desired results, most patients have a similar recovery period involving 2 days of downtime and no strenuous exercise for 4 to 6 weeks.

The most important thing you can do for a faster, more comfortable recovery is to follow her orders for at-home care. It may be tempting to take shortcuts, and wearing compression garments isn’t the most comfortable thing, but it’s short-term “pain” for long-term gain. We know you want the best possible results!

You’ll need to wear a compression vest for 4-6 weeks. This is crucial to avoid seroma formation (build-up of fluid). Compression helps minimize bruising as well as the swelling reaction immediately after the procedure (first 24 hours). Then, it helps continue to minimize swelling for the next 4 to 6 weeks. Compression and massaging the treated areas (front of the chest or sometimes also the sides of the chest) help the lymphatic system remove the excess fluid to prevent the formation of a seroma.

To minimize swelling and aid in the smoothest recovery possible, Dr. Hernandez recommends that patients:

  • Avoid strenuous exercise until the majority of the swelling has resolved, which typically takes 4 to 6 weeks
  • Get plenty of rest, especially for the first 2 days
  • Wear the compression garment for 6 weeks
  • Take Arnica for 5 to 7 days (arnica is an over-the-counter herbal product that can help reduce bruising and inflammation)
  • Avoid alcohol and salty foods
  • Eat healthy foods because good nutrition is all-important for healing and avoiding complications such as seroma formation

Once you undergo male breast reduction, you’ll be just weeks away from a new look and renewed self-confidence. It all starts with a personal consultation.

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