​Do I have gynecomastia?

'I don't know if I have gynecomastia. Maybe it is fat. So, I came.' 

I hear this often in my practice. Gynecomastia is male breast enlargement. It can be diagnosed easily because of its appearance. But sometimes, the presentation can be a bit confusing. 

The breast tissue is seen under the nipple and areola. The areola is the pigmented skin immediately surrounding the nipple. Depending on the severity of enlargement, gynecomastia can present as puffiness of the nipple and areola, or it can extend towards the sides of the chest. It can affect one side or both sides. Both sides can look different.  In other words, there can be asymmetry. 

The word, ‘gynecomastia’ comes from ‘gyneco’ and 'mastia'. 'Gyneco' means female, and ‘mastia’ means breast. Thus gynecomastia translates into the female-looking breast. This occurs due to an enlargement of the breast tissue. Compared to female breasts, male breasts are positioned more laterally (meaning to the side of the chest). Hence, the deformity of gynecomastia is also especially pronounced when viewed from the side. 

Hypertrophy of the underlying muscle (pectoralis major) looks different from that of the breast. The muscle animates (moves) in certain maneuvers. This means the muscle contracts during certain activities like flexing the arm against resistance. Also, the lower border of the muscle usually stops at the level of the nipple. Any enlargement that significantly extends below the level of the areola is usually due to breast tissue. The lower border of the muscle is straight or flat. This is easily made out in men who perform weight training. The presence of breast tissue tends to make the inferior border curved. The curved lower part of the breast gives it a feminine appearance. 

It is also possible to pinch the breast tissue separately from the underlying tissues. We usually carry this out during a clinical examination of an individual presenting with gynecomastia. Puffiness of the nipple and areola is also associated with enlargement of the breast tissue. It is not associated with hypertrophy of the underlying muscle. 

There is an entity called pseudogynecomastia. ‘Pseudo’ means false. This is due to increased fat deposits in the chest. There is no glandular enlargement in pseudogynecomastia. It is usually seen in the setting of obesity with fat deposits that mimic the appearance of male breast enlargement. Losing weight will lead to an improvement in the deformity associated with pseudogynecomastia. 

It is usually simple to diagnose a case of gynecomastia during a clinical examination. We sometimes request additional investigations to look for any underlying cause for gynecomastia. Imaging can help us to confirm the condition. Most cases of gynecomastia are benign and are self-limiting. Surgery is undertaken when gynecomastia results in significant distress in the affected individual. 

To learn more about gynecomastia, please visit, ​https://www.amicusclinic.in/gynecomastia

Beauty is associated with proportions. A body part that is disproportionate to the rest of the body can impair appearance. An example would be women with arms that are large when compared to the torso. It is a common aesthetic concern in plastic surgery practice.

Arms are tubular structures. They consist of soft tissues around a bone. The soft tissues are made up of structures like fat, muscles, and vessels. It is surrounded by skin. Large arms usually involve a relative excess of fat and skin. The fat occupies the layer deeper to the skin. As the volume of fat increases, the overlying skin stretches to adjust to the increased volume. Hence, a reduction in the size of the arms involves a reduction in the size of the fat and skin excess. We can achieve this through surgical, and non-surgical techniques.  

Why do some individuals get big arms?
The increase in the size of the arms is associated with excess weight. This excess fat gets deposited in various areas of the body. Some of us tend to deposit this fat more in our arms. This intrinsic tendency varies from one individual to another.
Other conditions can be associated with an increased size of the arms, lymphedema, soft tissue swellings, etc.  But they are relatively less common causes of big arms. This article deals with the management of the arms as a result of excess fatty tissue.

What can be done to improve the appearance?  
A reduction in the size of arms has to address the two types of tissues involved, namely fatty tissue and skin.
First, the fat. Fat occupies the area between the muscles and skin. The amount of fatty tissue correlates with the amount that can be rolled between two fingers. Fat is amenable to dietary modifications. A reduction in body weight usually leads to a reduction in the amount of fatty tissue and a resulting in a decrease in the size of arms.
Liposuction is a surgical technique to remove the fatty tissue with the help of small tubes (cannula). It is useful for individuals with fatty tissue that is resistant to dietary modifications. A good candidate for liposuction is someone with close to ideal body weight. Liposuction does not directly address the excess skin.
Next, the skin.  The skin stretches to accommodate the excess fatty tissue. Once there is a reduction in the fatty tissue with diet or liposuction, there is a recoil of this skin. Recoil is the shrinking of the skin to a smaller area. However, this recoil of the skin takes time. It can take as much as a year for the skin to maximally recoil. In cases of massive weight loss, the recoil can be incomplete. This is seen as a persistent loose fold(s) of the skin. It is usually seen on the undersurface of the arms. Skin recoil is also reduced with advancing age and in smoking. Brachioplasty is a surgical procedure to remove excess skin. During brachioplasty, skin is removed as an ellipse from the medial surface (inside) of the arm. This is the part of the skin that abuts the torso. The decision to undertake a brachioplasty is taken after waiting for the skin to maximally recoil. Hence, it is usually not carried out during liposuction. The extent of skin removal is customized depending upon the extent of skin excess. Brachioplasty helps in improving the contour by removing the loose skin folds.  

 What are the advantages of the management of this condition?
It helps in improving the appearance of the arms in individuals with disproportionately large arms. The role of diet and exercise play a very important role in the appearance of the arms. Liposuction and brachioplasty are two surgical procedures that help to further optimize the appearance of arms.  

Gynecomastia is an enlargement of the male breast. It is a common condition. Surgical correction of gynecomastia achieves a reduction in the excess breast tissue. A reduction in the breast tissue helps improve the aesthetics of the male chest. In most cases, surgery involves liposuction and gland excision. Liposuction addresses fat, and direct removal addresses the gland. These two steps are usually adequate for most individuals with gynecomastia.  However, this may be insufficient to restore the aesthetics in those with excess skin. They may require additional treatments. 
The stretched-out skin usually recoils adequately after reduction in most of the individual. The problem relating to excess skin is observed commonly in two subsets of patients. They are, 

1. Gynecomastia when associated with significant weight loss. Obesity leads to widespread excess skin. When such an individual loses weight by dieting or surgery, there is a mismatch between the skin and underlying tissues. The skin recoil may be inadequate in such individuals. 
2. Severe, and longstanding gynecomastia. This is seen in older individuals with untreated gynecomastia. The ability of the skin to recoil reduces with age. 

It is usually possible to estimate the skin excess during a clinical examination. Individuals with excess skin usually present with ptotic (downward displacement) of the nipple and areola. A deflated appearance is also common in individuals with excess skin. 

How do we manage excess skin while treating gynecomastia? 
The treatment approach depends on the presentation. We tend to follow a conservative wait and watch in younger individuals, and those with a less severe presentation. This is because of better skin recoil in younger individuals. Also, the removal of the gland will reduce the effect of the weight on the skin. This helps the skin to recoil better.  It is common practice to wait for more than ten months to assess the full extent of skin recoil. Any secondary corrections are done after this period. 
The conservative approach may not help in older individuals and those with severe forms of excess. In such cases, we may opt to add a  skin removal procedure during the management of gynecomastia. Good candidates for primary correction of the skin would include nonsmokers. They must have a stable weight. Skin removal procedures in those with unstable weight may result in suboptimal outcomes. 
The design of the skin excess is variable. This is based on the extent of skin excess and patient preferences. A circumareolar (around the areola) approach is preferred in milder cases. In individuals with severe excess, we prefer extensile (long) incisions with the grafting of the nipple and areola. Needless to say, individuals with longer incisions have longer scars. 

What is the advantage of staging a skin removal procedure? 
In other words, why wait between a gynecomastia correction and a skin excisional procedure. 
Skin can recoil significantly with time. It may not be able to predict the full extent. Adequately recoiled skin results in acceptable aesthetics. The full extent of skin recoil after gynecomastia correction takes time. Avoiding a skin removal procedure means lesser scars. However, this approach may not be suitable in those with severe forms of skin excess. 

Are there any approaches to prevent this issue with excess skin? 
They would include the following. 
Avoiding excess body weight. The excess skin problem is not common in individuals with normal or ideal body weight. 
Early treatment of gynecomastia. The ability of the skin to recoil reduces with age. 
Smoking is bad for skin recoil. Nonsmokers tend to have better outcomes when compared to smokers. 

What is the advantage of managing the excess skin in individuals with gynecomastia? 
It leads to better aesthetic outcomes. 

For more information about gynecomastia please visit here. 

Liposuction is among the more popular procedures done by a plastic surgeon. Liposuction is carried out as a single procedure or in combination with other surgical procedures. Some individuals refer to it as the 'keyhole' surgery for gynecomastia. 
Liposuction has certain advantages over open or conventional surgery. These include small incisions, faster recovery, and less postoperative discomfort. Liposuction can be carried out both under general or local anesthesia. Doing liposuction under local anesthesia has certain benefits. 


So, what are these benefits?
The important ones include,  

• Safety. When done with adequate precautions liposuction is usually a safe procedure. Thin tubes called cannulas are inserted under the skin into the fatty layer during liposuction. The cannulas help in the removal of fat from the treated areas. One of the risks of liposuction comes from the injury to structures in the adjacent areas. It is easier to detect the presence of a cannula in a different surgical plane in an awake patient (local anesthesia). This is due to the absence of muscle relaxation and sensitivity to pain in areas that are not infiltrated with the anesthetic solution. As a result, the local anesthesia increases the safety margin of the procedure. 
• Recovery. The recovery from general anesthesia may be associated with postoperative nausea or vomiting. There can be variations in systemic parameters like blood pressure and heart rate. These can are avoided when liposuction is carried out in an awake individual. This leads to a more straightforward recovery. 
• Postoperative stay. Due to the faster recovery with local anesthesia alone patients can be discharged soon after the procedure. This makes liposuction under local anesthesia suitable as an outpatient procedure. 

Are there any differences in technique with liposuction under local anesthesia? 
There are a few differences. 
Firstly, the patient is awake, and the monitoring of the patient is simple. When done in an awake patient, it takes longer to complete the procedure. There are a few reasons for this. The initial infiltration of the anesthetic solution in the treatment areas is done in multiple steps and takes longer to complete. Also, we prefer the use of smaller cannulas for infiltration and fat aspiration (suction). We usually use cannulas of sizes 3 mm or below in an awake individual. Due to the smaller cannulas, the aspiration of fat takes more time to complete. Liposuction in the awake individual is more gentle. 


Who is the right candidate for liposuction under local anesthesia? 
Almost all candidates for the procedure under general anesthesia are also good candidates for the procedure to be carried out under local anesthesia. However, if the patient is very anxious or has a fear of needles they may not be a good candidate for local anesthesia alone. Such individuals would be better suited for general anesthesia.


To summarize liposuction, in awake patients has a better safety profile. It has the added benefits of a faster recovery, and this also makes it suitable as an outpatient procedure. 
For more information about liposuction click here. 

Patients with gynecomastia have increased gland in addition to the fat. Fat is found both within the glandular tissue and immediately underneath the skin. Fat in both these places contributes to the deformity. In an overweight individual, the proportion of fat is more than that of a person with ideal body weight. During the surgical correction, fat is removed with the help of liposuction. Small cannulas are introduced under the skin and fat is removed with the help of suction combined with repeated movements of the cannula. Removal of fat leads to an improvement in the contour.

Prolonged and severe gynecomastia is also associated with excess skin. In most individuals removal of the breast tissue leads to the recoil of the skin during the months following surgery. However, in certain individuals, this recoil may not be complete. We may have to perform additional skin excisional procedures to improve the contour in such cases.

Individuals with excess weight should try to reduce weight by non-surgical methods. This involves dietary and lifestyle modifications. There are many advantages to doing so. It leads to better postoperative outcomes with more pleasing results. This is in addition to the other health and psychological benefits. Operating in a near-ideal bodyweight individual also means a simpler and shorter surgery. There is a lesser chance of wound-related adverse events such as infection and prolonged healing. BMI or body mass index is commonly used to assess the weight in comparison to the height of the individual. We usually discourage operations on individuals with a BMI greater than 30.

Being overweight increases the deformity associated with gynecomastia. However, it is possible to give a good outcome with surgical correction in conjunction with the appropriate lifestyle and dietary changes.

Visit here, to learn more about gynecomastia.

A + B = C. So C - B = A. This may apply to simple arithmetic, but things get a bit complex when we are dealing with weight gain and weight loss.

We store our excess energy in the form of fat. Excess calories we may have acquired from our diet. This excess of fat gets stored in our body as fat deposits in different locations. Fat immediately under the skin can be pinched. This layer of fat is found between the skin and muscles. This is also the layer that can be removed with liposuction. Fat also gets stored deep inside our body, close to our internal organs. This is visceral fat. We can neither pinch this fat nor get it removed with plastic surgery.

A proper diet can help us get back to our ideal body weight. In some situations, bariatric surgery achieves the same end. However, a prolonged period of increased fat has effects beyond the fatty tissue. It stretches out the overlying skin. Visceral fat also stretches out the fascial layer. This layer is closely associated with the abdominal muscle layer. When we lose fat, the size of the fatty layer reduces. This may be dramatic in cases of severe weight reduction as with weight loss (bariatric) surgery.

The stretched out skin and fascia may not get back to the dimensions before the weight gain. As a result, individuals end up with loose folds of skin. To improve this appearance, we have to surgically remove the excess folds of skin. These surgeries are together clubbed under body contouring procedures. We usually wait for a year or more for the weight to stabilize and allowing the skin to recoil by itself before attempting any skin correction. The same approach is used for different body parts, arms (brachioplasty), abdomen (abdominoplasty), thighs (thighplasty) and torso (body-lift).

The presence of stretched out skin and fascia is the reason why liposuction may not be the right procedure for abdominal fat. Liposuction can't do much to tackle the laxity of skin and underlying abdominal fascia. With liposuction alone, we may worsen the skin laxity of the abdomen resulting in an increase in loose folds of skin after the procedure. The same line of reasoning is applied to individuals who present for a reduction in the size of arms. We undertake it in two stages, with the first being deflation with diet or liposuction and a second stage with the removal of loose folds of skin.

To conclude, we have to tackle the laxity of skin and deeper fascia in cases of weight loss following periods of excess weight gain. These may have undergone irreversible changes. Treatment of such deformities often requires the management of tissues like skin and fascia with the help of body contouring procedures. Such an approach helps us to optimize aesthetic outcomes.

Visit the following to learn more,
1. Liposuction
2. Brachioplasty
3. Abdominoplasty