Surgeons near Pittsburgh?

[TiredofGyno]

Well, I'm 24 and it took me this long to finally do something about my gyno.  I talked to my mom about it last night, and she is fully supportive of me getting surgery (what a relief!).  I will be paying for most or all of it, but would prefer not to price shop for something as important as this.  I'm ready to be free and clear of it forever.

I know of several plastic surgeons in the Pittsburgh area that advertise for gyno surgery.
Dr. Lori Cherup
Dr. Brian Heil
Dr. James Barber

Has anyone had surgery with any of the above, or know of any feedback regarding them?  My mom has heard good things in general about Dr. Barber, but I don't know how experienced he is with gynecomastia.  She seems to believe that a good plastic surgeon would be able to do a good job, but I'm not sure if that's the case.

I've also been looking into Dr. Jacobs and Dr. Bermant.  Both are about 6.5hrs away, and so aren't nearly as convenient.  I think they will be more expensive than a Pittsburgh area surgeon, but because they are experts in the field are probably worth it.

I would like to get this done as soon as possible, but want to be confident in my decision.  I like that I can get a "remote" review of my case with Dr. Jacobs without paying anything upfront. All I have to do is send my pictures and medical history, etc and he will give me a quote.  I am more than willing to pay for the surgery, but I'd like to get an impression of each surgeon and what they think my case will take before I spend several hundred dollars.

My mom wants me to consider local options, but I'm hesitant to do so.  I would really appreciate any feedback anyone can provide.

[DrBermant]

Well, I'm 24 and it took me this long to finally do something about my gyno.  I talked to my mom about it last night, and she is fully supportive of me getting surgery (what a relief!).  I will be paying for most or all of it, but would prefer not to price shop for something as important as this.  I'm ready to be free and clear of it forever.

I know of several plastic surgeons in the Pittsburgh area that advertise for gyno surgery.
Dr. Lori Cherup
Dr. Brian Heil
Dr. James Barber

Has anyone had surgery with any of the above, or know of any feedback regarding them?  My mom has heard good things in general about Dr. Barber, but I don't know how experienced he is with gynecomastia.  She seems to believe that a good plastic surgeon would be able to do a good job, but I'm not sure if that's the case.

I've also been looking into Dr. Jacobs and Dr. Bermant.  Both are about 6.5hrs away, and so aren't nearly as convenient.  I think they will be more expensive than a Pittsburgh area surgeon, but because they are experts in the field are probably worth it.

I would like to get this done as soon as possible, but want to be confident in my decision.  I like that I can get a "remote" review of my case with Dr. Jacobs without paying anything upfront. All I have to do is send my pictures and medical history, etc and he will give me a quote.  I am more than willing to pay for the surgery, but I'd like to get an impression of each surgeon and what they think my case will take before I spend several hundred dollars.

My mom wants me to consider local options, but I'm hesitant to do so.  I would really appreciate any feedback anyone can provide.

I happen to agree with Dr. Jacobs from a prior post:

Re Free consultations.

Many guys look for this from doctors and unfortunately, some docs do offer a "free consult" as a means of luring a patient into an office.  But please understand what a free consult really is.  You get to spend 5-10 minutes with a nurse (if you are lucky) or a patient coordinator.  No-one takes a medical history to assess your suitability for surgery.  And then you may meet the doctor, who places his hands on your chest (if you are lucky), spends 3 minutes with you, doesn't explain anything and just says "Yes, you have gynecomastia -- schedule your surgery with my assistant."  And then he is gone -- no possibility for questions, etc.

To me, this is not the way to practice medicine.  I personally spend 30 minutes or more with a patient, taking their medical history, examining them, making recommendations, diagramming the proposed operation, explaining everything about the surgery and answering all their questions. Then they will spend another 15-30 minutes with my patient coordinator, looking at photo albums and asking multiple questions.  And then, if surgery is recommended, they have a choice as to proceed or not -- no pressure at all from me or my staff.

For all of this information and care, I charge $150 -- not a lot in today's world.  And I bring to that time spent with the patient, 4 years of medical school education, 7 years of residency education and training, and 30 years of surgical experience during which time I have seen almost everything there is to be seen.

I deserve to be paid for all of this.

Now the bottom line:  if you go to work even for 15 minutes, would you want to work for free or would you want to be paid for your work?  Why would you expect a doctor to provide you with free care and information that he has spent a lifetime in accumulating???

The very bottom line:  You get what you pay for.

Dr Jacobs

In my practice we offer an extraordinary amount of detailed information about gynecomastia, the techniques I use, documentation of before and after from many different angles and flexing muscles with videos, patient experiences, for free on the internet.

We are glad to help patients explore their specific concerns during a consultation. These can take two formats, the in office and the remote. We see many patients from the Pittsburgh region who prefer my techniques. If interested in learning more, Jane is my office manager.  She can normally be reached at our office by phone Monday - Friday 9-5 Eastern Time at (804) 748-7737.

Hope this helps,

Michael Bermant, M.D.
Board Certified
American Board of Plastic Surgery
Member: American Society of Plastic Surgeons and American Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons
Specializing in Gynecomastia and Surgical Sculpture of the Male Chest
(804) 748-7737