Sound Advice Please

[Noseguard]

I am looking for some advice about when to have G surgery?

I have lost 40lbs and feeling good.  I am motivated to lose 30 more and get to my goal.  My question is, does it matter when I get the surgery for my G?

Is it better to wait until i lose all the weigth or have the surgery now.  My G is definately both tissue and fat.

 

[DrBermant]

I am looking for some advice about when to have G surgery?

I have lost 40lbs and feeling good.  I am motivated to lose 30 more and get to my goal.  My question is, does it matter when I get the surgery for my G?

Is it better to wait until i lose all the weigth or have the surgery now.  My G is definately both tissue and fat.

 

Congratulations on the weight loss so far!

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

Plastic surgery is better after weight loss, losing weight is a coarse tool. Plastic surgery is better used for refinement.

Here is an example of the major change in fat after weight loss, residual fat, gland, and skin can still be issues that surgery can help.

Weight Loss, Dealing With Excess Skin of the Chest and Body is also a major emotional issue.

Check out this resource on the emotion of body lift surgery for those after massive weight loss:

Personal experiences and emotions of dealing with weight, loose skin, and body lift surgery.

We have many patients, family members, and parents who have raved how a compression garment can really help while waiting for surgery or until stabilization of a problem.

Body shaping garments are a good temporary contouring solution.  They do not help remove or treat gynecomastia.  When the garment is removed, the gynecomastia is still there.  They can provide an emotional band-aid for the stress of contour issues and bouncing tissues.

There is a theoretical advantage for the person losing weight.  Scars that evolve under pressure do better than scars without pressure.  These garments are designed to help with pressure and scar evolution.  With weight loss, there is the issue of skin shrinkage.  Pressure may help.  However, there are no studies to evaluate such issues.  Trying to desing such a study is difficult if not impossible.

You can see actual examples of Compression Chest Contouring Without Surgery for different types of gynecomastia here:

Compression Contouring After Massive Weight Loss

Body Shaping for Puffy Nipples

Body Shaping Compression Contouring for Overweight Male - This one shows the Black Vest in use.

Body Shaper Compression Garment for Severly Obese Male

Check out the multiple views for each patient. Clink on the links to see other views of the garment and features of this design I prefer.  We have tried many other brands and none seem to come close to what this one offers.

After surgery compression garments do not do well in pool water or sea water.  The salt or chlorine can damage the fabric.  There are Sun Protection Clothing Options designed for water use. 

A wet suit can also help.  Using a thin neoprene like Microprene can flatten the chest in water like a compression garment can help on land.  The after surgery garments do not work well in water, the wet suits do.  Both can be hot to wear, that is why I prefer a very thin garment.

Hope this helps,

Michael Bermant, MD
Learn More About Gynecomastia and Chest Sculpture