What do you guys think?

[OverSoon]

Well, after years of torment, I'm finally getting the surgery done. Brief backround. I'm 30, 6'2" and about 195 lbs. I have always been what you'd call skinny-fat, but most people always comment on how skinny I am and that I need to "eat more". Ha! They should see me with my shirt off. Anyway, I'm FINALLY getting the surgery done in two weeks.

The only thing that's giving me pause is my doctor says that I wont require Lipo--just excision. I got this doc's name from a guy I work with who was hapy with the results (he up and one day told me "Yup, I had male breast reduction surgery" (!) it was like a gift from the gods for me). He was happy witht he results and the guy seems on the straight and narrow. Anyway, here are my pics......would some lipo be beneficial? Thanks guys...this forum has been great

[Raider Fan]

Welcome to gyne.org, OverSoon.

I've heard of doctors who do lipo only and a combination of lipo and excision, but an "excision only" surgeon would likely be in the minority.  I've read from some gyne surgeons here that it's rather silly for a surgeon to say they are going to limit themselves to only one technique before they even see for sure what they are up against.  I can fully appreciate what they are saying.  A surgeon should be ready and willing to do anything the specific surgical situation calls for in order to do the best job.  If a surgeon pronounces that they're NOT going to do lipo before they even start, that wouldn't make much sense at all to me.  

Does this surgeon have a lot of experience at gyne surgery?  Does he/she perform many of them each year?  Did you request and see a lot of before/after pics from the surgeon?  If not, you really need to do that, in my opinion.  You want to see a LOT of good results from the pics, and you need more to go on than just your co-worker's report.  Did you even see his results?  You need to know, with certainty, whether this surgeon does a good job, and the only way you can be sure is to see some pictures, preferably some where the patient had gyne similar to yours    

I congratulate you on your decision to get your gyne problem taken care of, but all surgeons are NOT created equal.  These boards are full of guys who are VERY unhappy with the results of their surgery, and you don't want to be one of them.  Better to ask questions and be picky now than to suffer less than adequate results later.  

[OverSoon]

Hi Raiderfan. Thank you for the welcome, and a million thanks for the long and detailed response!

In all honesty, I haven't actually seen the results from my co-worker. He just told me about it years ago out of the blue, and said how happy he was. After doing research online, when I was finally ready to speak to a surgeon, I saw this gentleman first. He seemed very knowledgeable, and down to earth. He had mentioned "crater deformties" and said that some surgeons remove too much tissue to give a "flat" chest in response to the patient demanding it. He said that he will not do this, and will only remove as much as he is comfortable doing; to keep it "natural looking"

While he said that he doesn't "specialize" in Gyne surgery, per se, id say that he still had about or so different patients that he showed me pics of. The results looked consistent with what I would consider to be a "good" result from other surgeons. I will follow up more with him about his "excision only" stance. He had originally told me that what I had on my chest was "mainly fibrous gland", and if another PS suggested lipo, or lipo only, they were only trying to up-sell me. We'll see.

I have to go to the hospital tomorrow for some pre-op blood work. My surgery is scheduled for friday, the 19th of July. I'll definitely kkeep everyone up to date. Thanks again for everything. Again, this site has brought me great comfort over the years

[Raider Fan]

Good to know you've seen some pics of former patients and they met your expectations.  If the doctor has good experience at correcting gyne, that's definitely one less thing to worry about.  

My only real concern from your report was that he limits his gyne surgery to excision only.  It raises a red flag for me.  Absolutely NO lipo....never....ever?  That just doesn't sound right.

It would be nice to hear from some of the doctors here to know what they think about it.

[Dr. Elliot Jacobs]

As I have stated repeatedly on this forum, a surgeon should go into surgery ready to use any and all methods to achieve the best result.

While excision may be a starting point for your chosen surgeon, suppose he removes too much?  If no lipo is done to "feather" the surrounding tissues and if he is unfamiliar with fat flaps, then you may be a candidate for a crater deformity.  And unfortunately, once you begin seeking revision surgery, it is darned difficult to find a surgeon willing to undertake that problem.

Dr Jacobs

[George Pope, M.D.]

You refer to your surgeon as a surgeon, not a plastic surgeon.  Is he trained in plastic surgery?  Is he certified by The American Board of Plastic Surgery?  All plastic surgeons use liposuction as a tool every day.  It is fair to ask if your surgeon has hospital privileges for liposuction.  Going out on a limb here, but if your surgery is going to be performed in a hospital setting by a surgeon who does not have hospital privileges to do liposuction (due to no training in that), then that would explain his stance.  Bottom line is, be sure to learn your surgeon's educational/surgical training background.

Good luck-

Dr. Pope, MD

[OverSoon]

Doctors,

I thank you for your time and expertise. My doctor "member of the American Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons, Robert Ivy Society of Plastic Surgeons, and the Pennsylvania Medical Society". He also has "trained at the world renowned Cleveland Clinic".

I should probably seek a clarification from him. I remember him saying "Liposuction is not the answer for you--your tissue is hard and fibrous and will require excision." I don't specifically remember him saying that he would not be doing ANY lipo, just that if other doctors said I was a candidate for lipo only, or would need "additional lipo" that they would just be trying to "upsell me".

Do any of his credentials seem, for lack of a better word, "impressive"? I'll seek clarification from his office shortly; I am scheduled for surgery in less than two weeks and have already paid in full. Bailing out now would cost me half of my deposit. Gulp!

Again, the before and afters I saw seemed nice, but werent as extensive as a lot of the catologues of other doctors that I've seen online.

I hope I haven't made a mistake. Thanks again for your time, everyone!

[jojo82]

Doctors,

I thank you for your time and expertise. My doctor "member of the American Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons, Robert Ivy Society of Plastic Surgeons, and the Pennsylvania Medical Society". He also has "trained at the world renowned Cleveland Clinic".

I should probably seek a clarification from him. I remember him saying "Liposuction is not the answer for you--your tissue is hard and fibrous and will require excision." I don't specifically remember him saying that he would not be doing ANY lipo, just that if other doctors said I was a candidate for lipo only, or would need "additional lipo" that they would just be trying to "upsell me".

Do any of his credentials seem, for lack of a better word, "impressive"? I'll seek clarification from his office shortly; I am scheduled for surgery in less than two weeks and have already paid in full. Bailing out now would cost me half of my deposit. Gulp!

Again, the before and afters I saw seemed nice, but werent as extensive as a lot of the catologues of other doctors that I've seen online.

I hope I haven't made a mistake. Thanks again for your time, everyone!

The only certification that means anything in this field is membership to the American Board of Plastic Surgery. Beyond that, a surgeon's most impressive credential will be his results and reputation among his patients. Do in-depth research on this doctor's reputation & talk to as many of his patients if that's possible. Sites to avoid in doing this research: any site that has a star rating (e.g. google, yelp, etc) because they are easily gamed by marketing firms some surgeons hire and any resources that require that surgeons pay a fee to participate. Places to get good advice: your primary care physician or any other doctor that you personally trust. And as always, get more than one opinion (try to get at least 3 if that's possible).

[Dr. Elliot Jacobs]

Just for clarification:  If a doctor is a member of ASAPS (The American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery), then he MUST be a diplomate of the American Board of Plastic Surgery.  Having ABPS diplomate status is a prerequisite for joining ASAPS.

ASAPS is perhaps the pinnacle organization for aesthetic surgery --  it is the creme de la creme of aesthetic plastic surgeons.  And I am proud to be a member as well.

Dr Jacobs

[George Pope, M.D.]

Oversoon,

You've found a plastic surgeon certified by The American Board of Plastic Surgery.  As Dr. Jacobs said, that is a prerequisite for membership in ASAPS.   You should be in good hands. 

Dr. Pope, MD

[OverSoon]

Doctors Jacobs and Pope:

Thank you for the information. I appreciate the reassurance and expertise that you have both provided.

Thanks again to everyone on this board. I will update with my results, good or bad!

[OverSoon]

Hey everyone!

I just wanted to stop by and give a quick update. I had my surgery last Tuesday, July 19Th, and things have been progressing nicely. The only real negative for me as far as the surgery went was the anesthesia; when I awoke, I was EXTREMELY nauseous, and was throwing up uncontrollably. Actually, there wasn't anything in my stomach to throw up per se, but I was going through the motions. This happens with certain people, and I reacted the same way the other time I was placed under general (wisdom tooth removal).

Anyway, it's still VERY early, but I think things are going well. I still cant believe I look down and they're....gone! It's a very odd to say the least, but man does it feel good!

I have my compression vest on all the time save for showers. While I'm showering, I usually throw the thing threw the wash. Today, it was still in the dryer when I was done in the shower, so I put on a t shirt and walked out to my car to grab something while waiting. Having just the cotton shirt on...in the breeze..no worries, no embarrassment. The feeling was just incredible!!

Guys, if you have the means, do it. I'm 30. My ONLY regret is not getting this done 10 years ago. I missed out on a LOT. Thanks again to everyone here.

[DeeDubStyle619]

Glad you are happy with the results. Can you please explain the surgery itself?

[whatupnigs123]

I'm going to be honest, as a sufferer of gyno myself (worst than yours if I might add), before you spend any money on surgery, try going to the gym for a couple of months, focusing on working out your chest area and losing some weight. Your gyno seems like it can be corrected or almost undetectable after hard months of work at the gym.

[OverSoon]

While I appreciate your candor, I'm gonna have to Inform you  are wrong. Admittedly, I am in the worst shape of my life, but this was not always the case. FWIW, when I was in the Army 10 years ago, I was about 165 lbs, cut all over my entire body, and still was routinely mocked for my moobs.

During my surgery followup, my surgeon showed me a pic of the glands removed and placed back over my chest. They were both easily the size of a jumbo egg. No amount of exercise would have corrected it, and it was money very well spent.

Good luck.