Don't think surgery was done properly

[Liam9997]

So at the age of 26 I developed what I think is gynaecomastia, after my estrogen levels dramatically rose from drinking 1 litre of soya milk per day for 5 months, which was confirmed to be the cause by an endocrinologist. However, it appears to have slowly continued to grow over the years despite having normal estrogen levels and causing excruciating pain behind both nipples. After being ignored by doctors for several years I used 10 years worth of saving out of desperation to have surgery. Immediately after having the surgery it looked exactly the same with huge puffy nipples, also there are only 2 incisions each below both pecs. After contacting the surgeon he claims this is scar tissue and has said he has removed everything, is there any chance this could be the case and that the puffiness and lump like appearance will go away?

[Liam9997]

Well it looks like I'm going down the self-surgery route. I don't have another 10 years to save up for an operation. I also can't spend everyday in excruciating pain, with no help from my doctors.

[Dr. Elliot Jacobs]

Scar tissue does not occur immediately after surgery -- it begins at 6-10 weeks usually.

What is important is whether your nipples were flat immediately after surgery.  If they began to puff out again after a time, then it could be due to scar tissue.  If they were never flat after surgery, then more than likely an insufficient amount of tissue was removed and you should contact your surgeon for consideration of a possible revision -- at no charge!

Dr Jacobs

[Liam9997]

They were puffy immediately after surgery, unfortunately I travelled abroad to Poland to have the surgery and the surgeon is still adamant the gland tissue was removed. To me it looks like they just done liposuction which wasn't necessary in the first place because I'm already underweight and did ask for excision only.

[Miguel Delgado MD]

Liam,
I agree with Dr. Jacobs.