overweight?

[want2go2beach]

I have a few consult appts. coming up.  One of them is with Dr. Bermant.  The last thing I want to do is drive all the way up there, and be told that I need to lose some weight before surgery.  I may have a few extra pounds, but nothing major at all.  I'm 5'9" 170lbs, and I'm not sure what my body fat is.  I do know that my legs and arms are skinny.  I have a minor gut, and of course some fat on my chest, but mostly gland.  How overweight do you have to be to get told "lose some pounds before I will operate on you?"

[DrBermant]

I have a few consult appts. coming up.  One of them is with Dr. Bermant.  The last thing I want to do is drive all the way up there, and be told that I need to lose some weight before surgery.  I may have a few extra pounds, but nothing major at all.  I'm 5'9" 170lbs, and I'm not sure what my body fat is.  I do know that my legs and arms are skinny.  I have a minor gut, and of course some fat on my chest, but mostly gland.  How overweight do you have to be to get told "lose some pounds before I will operate on you?"

It can be difficult to determine on clinical examination just what is fat or gland.  Fat tends to be soft, gland tends to be firm.  Fingers of gland often dissect between fingers of fat.  Look at this drawing and move your mouse over the arrows.  However, gland can be soft and fat firm confusing the picture.  Gland tends to be located under the nipple and pinching pressure can sometimes tether to the nipple pulling it in.

I suggest that my patients get to a weight they want before surgery. For patients unhappy with their weight, plastic surgery is typically better after weight loss than before.  You cannot pick where the fat comes from when losing weight.  Men typically put on weight first on the belly and chest extending around the body.  We take off weight last from the chest and belly.  Having surgery first, then losing weight may leave you with remaining fat that just does not look good.  Losing weight is a coarse body shaping tool. As an artist, I prefer using a coarse tool before the refinement tool.  Plastic surgery is better used for refinement.  Some patients prefer to gamble, do the surgery and then see what happens. 

Others find they are content with their obesity.  The problem is that breasts are a component of being overweight.  Have you ever seen a Sumo Wrestler who did not have enlarged breasts?.  I do operate on overweight men who tell me they are content with with their fat.  I consider this compromise surgery and there are examples on my website.  They look better after surgery than before, but they are still overweight and look overweight.  Plastic surgery is not an adequate replacement for losing weight.

Wearing the extra fat is not healthy.  Check out your risks with a BMI Calculator (Body Mass Index)

Body Fat Analyzers and Scales can help with approximate fat estimates.  They are not very accurate, but are a starting point for showing what percent of the body is fat vs. muscle and bone. 

Hope this helps,

Michael Bermant, MD
Learn More About Gynecomastia and Chest Sculpture

[want2go2beach]

Thank you Dr. Bermant.  Look forward to seeing you in a few weeks.

[Chodel]

i am about your height and weight and like you i have a 'gut'...nothign major.  my face looks 'normal' weight as does rest of me.  once i am over the post op stage (2 weeks post op) and back to fighting form i intend to start going down the gym, or at the very least start cycling.

i couldn't face going down a gym with my gyne...so hopefully that won't hold me back now.  i don't want  a six pack...i just want to lose the gut.