What Are The Dos And Don’ts After Gynecomastia Surgery
- After gynecomastia surgery, the patient wears a gynecomastia corset that surrounds the breasts and applies a controlled pressure. This corset prevents blood or fluid accumulation in the surgical area.
- The patient starts consuming food orally 2 hours after the operation, and stands up and walks 4 hours later.
- He lies in a semi-sitting position on the bed. Lying in this position both reduces the pressure on the chest and enables the patent to breath more comfortably.
- The first postoperative night is spent in the hospital. Antibiotics and pain relievers are administered intravenously.
- Surgical drains (if any) are removed 1-2 days after the operation. A drain is not used if the liposuction procedure has been performed.
- The sutures (if any) are removed 4 to 5 days after the operation. The breasts are still swollen and have yet to take their final form aesthetically.
- The patient can return to work 5 to 7 days after the operation, provided that he wears a gynecomastia corset and does not overstrain his arms.
- A corset is worn for a period of 4-6 weeks to enable the breast skin to shrink and adhere better to the underlying tissues. Within weeks, the swelling and edema in the breasts subside, the loose skin starts tightening and the final aesthetic result appears. It takes 6 to 24 months for the surgical area to take its final form at the cellular level.
- The color of the areola darkens as its diameter decreases in proportion to the decrease in breast size.
- Heavy sports that overstrain the arms should be avoided for a period of 6 weeks.
- If an intervention on the surgical site is required for any reason, at least 6 months or even a year should be waited.
Does Gynecomastia Surgery Cause Postoperative Pain and Bruising?
No serious pain or bruising is experienced after gynecomastia surgery. During the operation, both local anesthetic agents are injected into the operation area and painkillers are administered intravenously. As a result, the patient spends the postoperative hours quite comfortably. In most cases, the patient does not need painkillers after the second day. If you feel severe pain, you should inform your physician because it may be a sign of complications such as blood accumulation in the breast.
Can Gynecomastia Recur?
It is not expected that the breast will grow back to reach its previous volumes in people older than 18 years of age, who had a gynecomastia of unknown cause before the surgical operation that has been performed with liposuction or surgical excision. However, some breast enlargement may be observed in cases of excessive weight gain, drug or supplemental food intake, or disease that may cause enlargement of the mammary glands.
If liposuction is performed in the operation, the number of fat cells in the surgical area is permanently reduced, so even if the person regains weight, the breasts do not return to their previous dimensions because the excess fat is then collected in other parts of the body rather than the breasts.
Wearing a Corset after Gynecomastia Surgery
After gynecomastia surgery, a gynecomastia corset with adjustable tightness should be worn for a period of 4 to 6 weeks. Wearing a corset enables the breast skin to shrink faster and more evenly, adhere to the underlying tissues, and adapt to the new condition. While doing daily activities, the corset should be adjusted more tightly when using the arms and it should be adjusted to be looser when resting.
While the needs such as bathing are met, the corset can be removed for a short time, but the instructions for wearing the corset should be followed more carefully, especially in the first one or two postoperative weeks, in order to prevent blood and fluid accumulation under the breast skin. The patient can wear the corset directly on his bare body, or he can wear an undershirt and then wrap the corset over the top of this undershirt. In everyday life, the corset can be concealed under clothes such as shirts or sweaters, and it does not cause problems during daily activities.
When Does The New Appearance Become Noticeable After Gynecomastia Surgery?
When the first dressing after gynecomastia surgery is removed, the difference in breast sizes is noticeable in comparison with that observed in the preoperative period. However, the postoperative edema and swelling have not yet fully subsided. The breast skin, which has been enlarged for years, has yet to fully adapt to the new condition. After 4-6 weeks of postoperative corset use, the new appearance becomes clearer.
The final shape of the surgical area and the surgical scars appear after 6 to 24 months, depending on the wound healing characteristics of the individuals. If the surgical procedure performed in the operation was liposuction, people looking at the breasts after the healing process cannot see a surgical scar, or they cannot notice that the patient had a surgical operation when they touch the breast.
If a surgical procedure involving the removal of excess breast skin is used, it leaves some scar due to the skin incisions. The healing quality of surgical scars after gynecomastia surgery is largely determined by the patient’s wound healing characteristics. Smokers tend to have more noticeable surgical scars.
References
When will the new appearance be noticeable after gynecomastia surgery?
Even in the first few days after breast reduction surgery, there is a difference in breast sizes compared to the previous size, but the final result cannot be seen due to postoperative edema swelling that has yet to subside. As a result of wearing a corset for a period of 3 to 6 weeks after surgery, edema largely subsides, the shrinkage of the breast skin becomes more obvious, and an appearance close to the final result begins to manifest itself.
However, it is necessary to wait at least 6 months for the skin and nipple to recover from mild sensory changes, for the hardness to soften, and for the wound healing to mature at the cellular level. If any revision is necessary according to the results, it would be appropriate to plan the revision surgery at least a year after the primary (first) surgery.
How Many Days Should The Gynecomastia Corset Be Worn?
What should be done to eliminate edema after gynecomastia?
It is also unfavorable to restrict fluid intake with intent to prevent the development of edema. The necessary daily water and fluid intake should be ensured in order for the drugs taken to be easily discharged from the body. Urine should be light in color, so if your urine is dark yellow, it means that you are not getting enough fluids.
