5 months post op - residual gland and revision?

[James_226]

Hi, I posted in February at the six week stage asking views on my surgery and whether it looked like there was residual gland tissue. Due to swelling i was advised in my initial post that it was difficult to tell but I am now 5 months post op and would be grateful for views.

I had surgery for grade 2 gynecomastia (lipo and excision). My surgeon said he removed 500ml of fat overall and 30g of tissue from each side. It is an improvement (50%ish) but my chest still looks rounded and I feel like I've been left with grade 1 gyno.

I have attached pictures of my chest from pre-op, and 5 month.  Oddly I feel like the result has got worse from the 6 week stage and my puffy nipples have returned.

Grateful for views on whether my gyno is growing back or whether a better result could be achieved through revision surgery. Many thanks in advance.

[Dr. Cruise]

It does appear there is still glandular tissue remaining. The tissue can grow into the areolas, so for those patients who have puffy nipples, this must also be addressed during surgery to ensure an optimal result. Six months post-op is about the earliest timeframe to pursue a revision. I would recommend speaking with your surgeon about your concerns and hopefully, come up with a good solution. 

Best of luck,

Dr. Cruise

[Dr. Elliot Jacobs]

I have to agree with Dr. Cruise -- you do appear to have residual tissue remaining.

What to do?  Return to you surgeon and discuss the issue with him.  Many plastic surgeons will offer free or low-cost revision surgery, plus additional fees for anesthesia and the operating room.  Or, you can seek a second opinion with another gyne specialist -- and you may have to travel to seek that expertise.  Realize though that revision surgery is always more difficult and less predictable than primary surgery due to the presence of scar tissue under the skin.  That is why it always makes more sense to get it done right the first time, oftentimes with a gyne expert.

Good luck!

Dr Jacobs