When you have a personal problem, you want to find the most effective solution. Enlarged male breasts can cause embarrassment and discomfort, but they do not need to define a man.

If your chest is larger than you want it to be, Dr. Kimberly Short is your best resource. Dr. Short is a board-certified plastic surgeon who has been selected as a speaker at the National Plastic Surgery Meeting to highlight her unparalleled breast reduction expertise.

To benefit from Dr. Short’s experience and dedication, please contact The Gillian Institute. With two convenient locations in Downtown and Northside, we serve the greater Indianapolis community with pride. We also offer virtual consultations for those who are unable to visit us in person. No matter where you log on, we want to connect with you.

What Is Gynecomastia?

Gynecomastia is a condition characterized by enlarged male breasts. Breast reduction surgery can remove unwanted fat, glandular tissue, and excess skin.[1] Dr. Short is an industry leader in the best ways to approach the persistence of gynecomastia. Her SPAIR (short scar periareolar inferior pedicle reduction) method is a vast improvement to previous, older breast reduction techniques.[2]

Dr. Short’s approach minimizes scarring while thoroughly addressing enlarged breasts in a subtle, yet comprehensive, manner.

Dr. Kimberly Short is a premier breast surgeon and her most recent presentation was entitled Incorporating the SPAIR Mammoplasty into Your Practice. Dr. Short was able to personally train with the inventor & founder of the SPAIR technique in Grand Rapids, Michigan. As a female plastic surgeon, Dr. Short understands the importance of achieving the optimal correction of breast fullness to the male anatomy.

To learn how Dr. Short can help you achieve masculine, flat chest contours, contact The Gillian Institute at your earliest convenience.

Benefits of Breast Reduction

  • Empowers patients to guide their own aesthetic journey
  • Removes excess tissue and reshapes the chest accordingly
  • Bolsters confidence
  • Makes clothes fit more naturally and comfortably

Eligible Candidates

Boys experience many bodily fluctuations during their adolescent years. Puberty triggers a change in hormone levels. Androgen is the hormone associated with male traits while estrogen is linked to female characteristics. During adolescence, both girls and boys may witness a surge in estrogen. This can enlarge male breasts during a boy’s teenage years, but the condition often subsides as he enters adulthood.

If the persistence of enlarged breasts lingers beyond puberty, then it qualifies as a reason for gynecomastia surgery. Eligible patients exhibit fat deposits accumulated behind the areolas (the dark skin around the nipples). Enlarged chest dimensions can decrease a man’s self-confidence and desire to be intimate with others.

To determine your candidacy for male breast reduction, please contact The Gillian Institute.

Private Consultation in Indianapolis 

Every great achievement begins with a simple conversation. Dr. Short is eager to hear from you so she can strategize the best path forward. During your consultation, be prepared to share your medical history and future goals.

As part of our continued effort to communicate with the Indianapolis community, we regularly update our blog. Feel free to peruse our posts and bring any questions that may arise with you to the consultation. To schedule an appointment with Dr. Short, call (317) 913-3260 for our Northside office or (317) 787-3260 to reach us in Downtown Indianapolis.

 

Preparation

The Gillian Institute team will provide you with detailed instructions to prepare you for gynecomastia surgery. Patients are required to stop smoking well in advance of a reduction procedure involving a direct excision of the breast tissue. Dr. Short wants to lower the risk of complications related to decreased blood flow to the incisions after surgery. Smoking has been shown to reduce the blood flow to incisions by at least 30%, significantly contributing to complications.

If you have any questions regarding the protocols for a healthy surgery and ensuing recovery, please do not hesitate to contact us.

Procedure

Dr. Short specializes in two distinct male breast reduction techniques. The most common approach is using her revolutionary ultrasound-assisted liposuction (UAL) technique for reduction in male breast glandular and fatty tissue. The second approach would be a direct excision of the breast tissue through an incision confined to the areolar border (pigmented circular border around the nipple).

SCARLESS BREAST REDUCTION: LIPOSUCTION OF THE BREASTS

Dr. Short can perform a liposuction-only breast reduction – often called the scarless breast reduction – through two small 1.0 cm incisions at the areolar border and chest crease. Because the breast tissue is composed primarily of fatty tissue, liposuction can be used to remove this fatty tissue component and promote skin contraction after surgery. This is an ideal option for most male patients to provide reduction of the breast tissue, to promote skin contraction post-operative, and to minimize the incisions.

On average, Dr. Short is able to remove 500-1000 CCs (cubic centimeters) from each breast. Liposuction typically does not interfere with nipple sensation. The patients are required to wear a compression garment for 6 weeks following surgery. Patients are also advised to receive external ultrasound massage to the breasts following surgery to decrease the areas of firmness and to reduce the swelling. The recovery period is 7-10 days with restrictions to minimize lifting and arm movements for 2 weeks.

MALE BREAST REDUCTION: EXCISION OF TISSUE

For male patients, it may be recommended to combine the liposuction technique above with direct excision of any residual fibrous breast tissue through an incision confined to the areola. In patients with significant weight loss, this approach is required to address the excess skin and stretch marks to the chest area as well as reduction of the breast tissue. This technique allows Dr. Short to remove fibrous breast tissue that may not be amenable to liposuction. She is also able to tighten the skin envelope for an improved contour. The areolar complex can be decreased in size and re-positioned to a more central position on the chest.

Dr. Short can utilize a suture around the areola, called a purse-string suture, to maintain the diameter long-term. Breast reduction surgery is able to preserve nipple sensation. The procedure is performed on an outpatient basis under general anesthesia. The breast reduction procedure takes approximately 90 minutes to 3.5 hours, depending on the approach or combination of approaches.

Healthy Recovery

You will go home with light dressings over the incision sites. Your medical team will outfit you with TopiFoam pads under a compression chest vest. Please wear the compression gear for 2 weeks, 24 hours a day. You may shower after 72 hours or 3 days if no drains are placed. If drains are placed, then you are not able to shower until the drains are removed in the office. Typically, drains are removed after 5-7 days. Skin glue adhesive or steri-strips are applied to the incisions. Scar treatment options are available at your two week follow-up appointment.

If Dr. Short opts for the direct excision approach, she will recommend extensive taping to the breast incisions for the first 6-8 weeks of recovery to reduce scarring. The scars will fade over time. Light activities can be resumed after 2 weeks and all activities are resumed at 6 weeks. Dr. Short advises patients to wear the compression male vest for 6 weeks.

The recovery period is 1-2 weeks with lifting restrictions and arm movements less than 10 lbs for the first 2 weeks. You will need someone to take care of you for the first 24-48 hours following surgery. You are required to have a driver for the first week post-operative.

Anticipated Results

Dr. Short is an artist and a scientist. She will apply her considerable medical prowess to providing the contours that reflect your best self. Gynecomastia surgery is tailored to each patient’s needs, but typically achieves a certain subset of fantastic results.

  • Restores a masculine contour to the male chest.
  • Reduction of breast tissue; flat contour in proportion with the male anatomy.
  • Improvement in psychological and social well being.

To get a glimpse of your future satisfaction, take a look at our rave reviews. The Gillian Institute is proud to provide 5-star service to our Indianapolis friends and neighbors.

IS MALE BREAST REDUCTION PERMANENT?

Nothing in life is permanent, but gynecomastia surgery provides long-lasting results. The fat cells removed during the procedure are gone for good, but that does not prevent you from increasing size in your remaining fat stores. It is advisable to maintain a stable weight to extend the benefits of breast reduction surgery for years and even decades to come! Please contact The Gillian Institute to learn how gynecomastia treatment can help you.

References

  1. Teimourian, B. & Perlman, R. (1983). Surgery for gynecomastia. Aesthetic Plastic Surgery. 7, 155–157. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01571338
  2. Hammond, D. C. (2004). The Short Scar Periareolar Inferior Pedicle Reduction (SPAIR) Mammaplasty. Seminars in plastic surgery, 18(3), 231–243. https://doi.org/10.1055/s-2004-831910