A question for the doctors!

[DCBR78]

I keep getting mixed reviews. I asked my PS if there was any way to help with loose skin to encourage it to tighten after my surgery (April 9) he told me that the only thing that is rumoured to mabe work is laser tightening. He wouldn't endorse it, as it hasn't really been proven in his eyes. Can any of you say if there has been any degree of success?

I realize that working out etc is a plus (to a degree)
I know the creams don't do anything other than make your skin healthy.

So what about laser? Any other ideas to help it along? I don't have the stretch marks so my Doc thinks that I have excellent chances of it tightening well on it's own.

[DrBermant]

I keep getting mixed reviews. I asked my PS if there was any way to help with loose skin to encourage it to tighten after my surgery (April 9) he told me that the only thing that is rumoured to mabe work is laser tightening. He wouldn't endorse it, as it hasn't really been proven in his eyes. Can any of you say if there has been any degree of success?

I realize that working out etc is a plus (to a degree)
I know the creams don't do anything other than make your skin healthy.

So what about laser? Any other ideas to help it along? I don't have the stretch marks so my Doc thinks that I have excellent chances of it tightening well on it's own.

Laser injury of tissues can scar, and scars are firmer than uninjured tissues.  In my opinion, such injury techniques just do not look natural, do not move naturally, nor do they work effectively. 

Loose tissue is a compromise. Options include leaving it alone, tightening deeper SFS (superficial fascial suspension) tissues but leaving the excess skin behind, tightening skin alone, tightening both, or filling the empty envelope with more tissue like muscle. 

Some put on fat to tighten skin.  This is not healthy nor does it look good.  After Major Weight Loss, Loose Skin is an Issue and Plastic Surgery can help.

Filling the loose tissues with muscles is an option, but it can take a good deal of muscle to deal with some problems.  Eventually the extra muscle mass goes down, and sagging returns.  Male chest implants look horrible and move terribly.

You can learn about the various compromises for Loose Skin and the Male Chest here.

Options depend on the original problem, what was done, skin elasticity, scars, and other factors best explored during a consultation.  I have evolved Standard Pictures to evalute loose and drooping skin of the male chest.

Hope this helps,

Michael Bermant, MD
Learn More About Gynecomastia of Male Chest Ptosis - Sagging and Male Mastopexy Chest Lift Sculpture

[George Pope, M.D.]

How well your skin tightens or contracts after surgery has to do with a number factors, such as your age, your size, and the amount of excess skin you have.  Younger people on average have a better ability for skin contracture than older people.  If you are overweight, your surgeon will probably leave some fatty tissue, in order for you to look balanced, if you will.  In the event that you lose excess weight after surgery, your chest will decrease in size as the rest of your trunk does.  If you are lean, and you are young, your skin will probably contract nicely.  I would not depend on a skin tightening LASER to help with that.  LASERS used in skin tightening typically work on much thinner skin, such as neck skin.

I usually wait 6 months after gynecomastia surgery, to allow the skin plenty of time to contract.  If excess skin persists, it may need to be surgically removed.  It can usually be removed by incising around the nipple/areola area, thereby minimizing the scars.

I hope this helps.  If your surgery is THIS April 9 and not last year, Good Luck!

George H Pope, MD, FACS