Author Topic: Gland Removal with Vaser Lipo?  (Read 19245 times)

Offline certified fresh

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Please Forgive me if this question has been asked/answered in a previous post. A Lil background. I have lived with gynecomastia for as long as I can remember. I am currently 28, 6'5, 195 lbs. This like many of you I'm sure, has effected my life in a drastic way. I live in Las Vegas where it's constantly hot and people are walking around shirtless. Frankly, I'm Sick and tired of wearing loose t-shirts and avoiding pool parties like the plague. Its well past time to do something about it.

 I am very fit and slim. I lift/hoop 4-5 times a week. The hard glandular tissue (gyno) under both my nipples is very evident as I have very little body fat. Without posting pictures (which I will do soon) I would equate the size of the glands to about the size of a womans A cup. (k maybe a bit smaller) Another poster gave a great analogy of cutting a tennis ball in half and sliding them under your nipples. A doctor I saw a while back labeled my gyno as an "extreme case". I'm hard pressed to find anything in a t-shirt that does not show my "man boobs".  Don't ask... I refuse to wear a chest binder. >:( Anyway

My question:

I recently heard of Vaser lipo. Is this the best way to remove the large glands? Or should I go with the more traditional method of gyno removal? The majority of Vaser lipo videos and pictures I come across show overweight males and no gland removal at all. Just fat. Will the Vaser procedure be as good as the traditional way for gland removal? Is there any other procedure I should look into?

If anyone has any info, it would be greatly appreciated. Thank you in advance!
« Last Edit: January 17, 2010, 07:38:29 AM by certified fresh »

Offline Dr. Elliot Jacobs

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There are lots of different machines out there that can perform lipo -- Vaser, Smart Lipo (uses a laser as part of the process), PAL, UAL, etc, etc.  ALL OF THEM REMOVE FAT ONLY!!!  None of them remove gland.

If you are searching for a surgeon, make sure he is ready to perform anything that is required -- at one operation -- to achieve the best result.  That is, lipo or gland excision or both.  Anything less than that preparedness may achieve a less than optimal result.

Good luck!

Dr Jacobs
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Fellow: American College of Surgeons
Practice sub-specialty in Gynecomastia Surgery
4800 North Federal Highway
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Email:  dr.j@elliotjacobsmd.com
Website:  http://www.gynecomastiasurgery.com
Website:  http://www.gynecomastianewyork.c

Offline Tedaltman

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VASER does remove gland material and is a permanent solution. While its use for gynecomastia is relatively new and just a few surgeons have adopted it for this use, it nevertheless is being successfully adopted. I suggest you take a look at this video. Dr. John Millard is a world renowned surgeon who works out of Denver. Just Google him to find out for yourself. But click on this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8TRu9h565_I

VASER's also being used well for breast augmentations/reductions, by the way.



« Last Edit: January 17, 2010, 06:53:26 PM by Tedaltman »

Offline headheldhigh01

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i'd stick with dr jacobs' advice on the subject.  all the lipo marketers say it'll get everything, but gland by its nature does not want to come out.  look at that cannula -- ultrasonic or no ultrasonic, i guarantee you he's leaving lots of gland behind, AND those techniques are almost certain to make for more scar tissue.  lots of people have tried it and been unhappy with what was left behind further down the road.  if your ps doesn't guarantee to leave his excision options open, he's probably not completely informed in technique, which will leave you with little recourse when you realize it came out better but less than ideal.  

on that video the dr specifically says it removes "SOME" of the gland.  definitely not good enough, and for a denser case like mine, it'd be a complete waste of time, it simply would not work.  any large soft tissue case can improve "significantly" with something like this -- but "significantly" is unfortunately still not the most thorough and BEST fix for the problem.  

the lipo only guys are never completely satisfied and almost never knew their alternatives.    
« Last Edit: January 18, 2010, 02:46:05 AM by headheldhigh01 »
* a man is more than a body will ever tell
* if it screws up your life the same, is there really any such thing as "mild" gyne?

DrBermant

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Please Forgive me if this question has been asked/answered in a previous post. A Lil background. I have lived with gynecomastia for as long as I can remember. I am currently 28, 6'5, 195 lbs. This like many of you I'm sure, has effected my life in a drastic way. I live in Las Vegas where it's constantly hot and people are walking around shirtless. Frankly, I'm Sick and tired of wearing loose t-shirts and avoiding pool parties like the plague. Its well past time to do something about it.

 I am very fit and slim. I lift/hoop 4-5 times a week. The hard glandular tissue (gyno) under both my nipples is very evident as I have very little body fat. Without posting pictures (which I will do soon) I would equate the size of the glands to about the size of a womans A cup. (k maybe a bit smaller) Another poster gave a great analogy of cutting a tennis ball in half and sliding them under your nipples. A doctor I saw a while back labeled my gyno as an "extreme case". I'm hard pressed to find anything in a t-shirt that does not show my "man boobs".  Don't ask... I refuse to wear a chest binder. >:( Anyway

My question:

I recently heard of Vaser lipo. Is this the best way to remove the large glands? Or should I go with the more traditional method of gyno removal? The majority of Vaser lipo videos and pictures I come across show overweight males and no gland removal at all. Just fat. Will the Vaser procedure be as good as the traditional way for gland removal? Is there any other procedure I should look into?

If anyone has any info, it would be greatly appreciated. Thank you in advance!


Liposuction Is Great for Sculpting Fat

Various types of ultrasonic, laser, vaser, and power assisted liposuction (UAL and PAL) have been around for quite some time.  Each surgeon uses the tools and techniques he / she prefers.  There is a lot of hype that is just very poorly proven by the advocates of these methods. These instruments are more expensive, but can help surgeons get through a case faster. More cases, more money, but not a good choice if the results are not equal or better.

There are studies claiming that ultrasonic liposuction does not break down gland cells, these were done to justify the safety in female liposuction breast reduction surgery.  Ultrasonic energy cannot be both ways, good for gland breakdown and safe not harming gland unless there is a difference between male and female breast gland tissue which has not been proven to my knowledge.

The ultrasonic, pulsed ultrasonic (Vaser), laser ("Smart"), and lipodisolve (injections that destroy fat cells) all have in common the explosion / destruction of the fat cell membrane releasing the fat material inside the body. Subsequent liposuction only removes a portion of the released fat. The remaining debris must be managed by the body with a subsequent tissue reaction of swelling, bruising, and prolonged healing.  Yet, many doctors and instrument companies hype these "advances" with claims that I have yet to see well documented.  Try to find early after surgery pictures or movies after such liquification fat cell technology.  Better yet try to find any other technique that can show After Gynecomastia Bruising and Swelling anything close to what I have evolved over the years. Less swelling, less bruising, and better technique lead to more rapid Healing and Recovery after Gynecomastia Surgery.

Liposuction such as ultrasonic, VASER, power assisted, and sharp cutting cannula preferentially remove fat over gland.  Gland tends to exist under the nipple areola region.  When fingers of fat extend between fingers of gland, breast reduction can come from removing the fat and leaving gland behind.  On animation such as flexing the pectoral muscles or putting the arms over head, gland does not compress or move like fat. Gland has the density of connective tissue, dermis (layer under the skin), and fascia (layer covering the muscle). Crank up the energy of the device to supposedly "liquefy" gland, and these supporting structures will be injured also. You should see the mess I find on patients unhappy with other doctors attempts to remove gland that way. The scar / residual gland often extend from the skin, through the condensed remaining gland, and attach firmly to the fascia. This can result in horrible animation deformities. The fat is needed as a lubrication layer. With the fat gone, the resulting tissues just do not move normally. Also try to find movies of how patients move after these techniques. What may look good in a single view photograph, just can look like a disgusting mess as the chest moves.

When gynecomastia is from fat, liposuction works very well for contouring the chest.  I have seen many patients from other doctors who tried to use liposuction alone techniques that left gland behind that the patients just did not like for Revision Gynecomastia Chest Sculpture.

Here is an example of Revision Surgery after Liposuction alone.   

Here is another revision after liposuction alone.

I have seen just too many unhappy patients with puffy nipples remaining after axilla or armpit attempts alone using sharp cutting cannula or other such instruments by other doctors.  Check out this drawing of Puffy Nipple Anatomy after Remote Gland Removal Drawing.

Here is another patient unhappy with Residual Puffy Nipples After Gynecomastia Surgery by another doctor.  Check out the  movies before and after this revision surgery and listen to the patient describe his experiences.

The problem is picking the right method for what actually is that patient's problem.  That is why I prefer my Dynamic Technique that permits what I find during surgery to guide my sculpture.  The incision at the edge of the areola  opens up my entire spectrum of artist's pallet of tools for my sculpture.  A remote incision robs me of many options and just does not looks as nice.  I prefer to avoid this unnecessary additional scar.  One small scar for each side, in my opinion is better than 2 or more, others not hidden by the natural color change of the areola. Keeping the arms down to hide the lateral scars may look good on limited pictures for posting on a website, article, or office presentation, but my patients want to look good in a pool or playing shirtless.

I have also seen patients with channel problems between remote access sites and the areola / nipple.  Scars, adhesion, and depression can look terrible.  Check out the lateral (side views) and posterior oblique (side from the back views with and without muscle flexion here to see what I mean.

As any artist, I take my cannula selection very seriously and have evolved what permits me to achieve my results.  I have considered and evaluated many, many technologies.  The many different types of cannula I use have their own advantages and qualities.  I pick a subset of these cannula that varies for the many different types of gynecomastia male chest sculpture that I see.

Gland removal by any technique can still leave a depression when  a major part of the problem is from gland.  For gland removal, I prefer the greater precision of removal under direct visualization and feel.  This also give me access to many more elements for my artistic palette of my Dynamic Technique to sculpt the remaining tissues.

This approach permits me to maximize the removal of the firm gland and sculpt the remaining fat.  How tissues move is important.  The human body is beautiful in animation.  That is why I show pictures of the chest with arms up, down, and with muscles tight / relaxed in addition to the results from multiple views.  Such analysis of the results as well as how tissues evolve, the possible need for drains, comfort level after surgery, are important factors in picking your doctor.  It is like an artist selecting a paint brush.  The results are what matters, not with what tool they sculpt.

Hope this helps,

Michael Bermant, MD
Learn More aboutGynecomastia and Chest Sculpture

Offline Dr. Cruise

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The most important piece of information I can recommend about new gynecomastia technology is to beware. As board certified plastic surgeons we see so many new technologies come and go. The vast majority come heavily tauted as the next break through by the media only to fade away as gimmicks.

VASER is not a gimmick but it is not useful for gynecomastia caused by excess breast tissue. It is useful for gynecomastia caused by excess fat. It is crucial to have a surgeon who can treat both. In fact, if you have gynecomastia caused by excess breast tissue and have only fat removed you may end up with a significant form of puffy nipple.

Example of patient who needed fat and tissue removal but the surgeon remove fat only.


Hope this helps,

Dr. Cruise
« Last Edit: January 21, 2010, 08:57:58 PM by Dr. Cruise »
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DrBermant

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Thank you all for taking the time to reply to my post and others. I am (we are) so much more informed. Now that I know what to ask for. The search begins!

-God Bless

I have posted here in this forum something on How to Pick a Gynecomastia Surgeon. Good luck on your searching.

Hope this helps,

Michael Bermant, MD
Learn More About Gynecomastia and Male Breast Reduction

Offline Dano86

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What about scar tissue? A year ago remove both glands but my right side carries scar tissue i can say is not residual gland as it feels like gel stuck to my chest

Offline HairyKnockers

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Wow, could you have found an older thread to revive?


 

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