Gynecomastia is a major plastic surgery procedure, and recovery is an important element of this process. The surgeon will discuss various aspects of the male breast reduction with the patient at the time of the pre-operative consultation process. They will also inform the patient about the approximate recovery time after this procedure.
The patient should follow the surgeon’s recovery guidelines in a diligent manner to accomplish safe and predictable results and possibly reduce their recovery duration.
Board certified plastic surgeons at the Aesthetic Center for Plastic Surgery (ACPS) provide male breast reduction to patients in Houston, Texas, TX, and surrounding locations.
Instructions for Post-Op Care
The patient and his attendant will be given in-depth post-operative care guidelines for the gynecomastia surgery recovery period. These instructions will include the following information:
- Managing the temporary drain tubes, if these tubes have been placed.
- Normal side-effects that a patient may experience after gynecomastia surgery.
- Any potential signs of complications indicating that the patient should contact the surgeon’s office.
- Discontinue smoking, taking blood thinners, or other meds.
- Wearing a compression garment all the time for a specified duration.
- Visiting the surgeon’s office for the initial follow-up appointment after the procedure.
Immediate Post-Operative Stage
The patient will need to take extra precautions during the initial few days after the male breast reduction cosmetic surgery.
The patient should stay at home and take plenty of rest in the initial week. However, he can perform short walks within the home or light activities for after one day to improve the blood supply in the treated sites. He should avoid undertaking shoulder movements in the first few days after the surgery. In addition, the patient should not move their arms vertically.
The patient may suffer from mild pain and discomfort during the first three or four days after the surgery. But if the pain is persistent and severe, he should reach out to the surgeon. There will initially be mild bruising and swelling. The use of ice therapy can eliminate this swelling in the first two days. However, the swelling will only subside gradually over several weeks.
Overall Recovery Stage
The recovery period will vary depending on the extent of the breast tissue removed as well as if the procedure included breast gland tissue eliminated or fatty tissue or both. Patients, on an average, will need to stay at home for nearly one week before they can return to their routine or resume work.
The recovery can be faster if the patient takes the pain medications and antibiotics (if prescribed), wears compression garments, manages the drains, and avoids any pressure on the incision in the first week after the procedure.
Most patients will have their initial post-op appointment with the surgeon in nearly a week. The sutures and drains are usually removed during this visit.
The patient can initial low impact exercise in almost two to three weeks. But, he should not perform upper extremity progressive resistance exercises for three to four weeks following the surgery.
Cosmetic surgeons at the ACPS receive patients from Houston, Texas, TX, and nearby areas for male breast reduction.
For more information about The Aesthetic Center for Plastic Surgery (ACPS) physicians and the cosmetic surgery treatments and procedures they perform please click here or call us at 713.799.9999. We have offices in and around Houston, Texas.
Click here to see our pricing list.