Please DO NOT use Dr Benny Herbosa for Gnyo Surgery in Manila

[broken]

Please do not use Dr Benny Herbosa for surgery in Manila. I only say this so that no one else will have to go through what I have gone through.

My gynecomastia problem had been ruining my life for years to the point where I have been suicidal for years. Finally I decided to do something about it. I was in the Philippines at the time and saw some good reviews on Dr Herbosa online and contacted him.

Once he found out I was from the USA he quoted me a price that was more than double what I have since seen on this thread and elsewhere. This is before he has even seen me. When I went to see him I managed to get his price down a little but it was still going to be roughly double the price. It would however have to be done in the clinic instead of the hospital and would be under local anaesthetic only.

With very little consultation he was trying to get me to have the surgery that very afternoon. I agreed to the following morning. At this point he started to talk about more additional costs on top of what we had just agreed. I got up and walked out. At this he followed me out and agreed to do it for the price we had previously agreed on. (still double).

Of course this should have set alarm bells ringing, but I was desperate and had finally got myself to do something about it. After all, the guy is apparently a board certified surgeon.

He recommended some lippo and removing a portion of excess skin on each side. I mentioned that I didn't like the idea of visible scars and he assured me that they would be hidden in my armpit and right on the edge of my hairline.

I was prepped for surgery by simply given a gown. I was still wearing my outdoor shorts and shoes when I went in for surgery. Something I would have questioned if I had known the extent of the surgery. The surgery was painful as he was very sparing with the anaesthetic, but I kept being assured I was in good hands.

When I looked in the mirror after the surgery I was heartbroken. Not only did my chest look exactly the same, but I had a massive scar under each arm that was not only well below the hair line, but extended up until high on my chest and round to my back. So clearly visible when I had my arms down. When I questioned this I was just laughed at and told that it was OK because I was white. Apparently scars on white people become invisible. Considering I have plenty of visible scars still on my body I was obviously not happy. I am aware that the chest will still have a lot of swelling, but this looked no different at all in either the amount of fat or skin.

I left the clinic very worried and arranged to go back for a check up in 3 days. At the check up I mentioned that I was not happy about how my chest still looked the same and how I was unhappy about the scars. He got angry at this and threatened to drop me as a patient if I was not happy with the work. I was scared and obviously didn't want to be stuck in Manila without a doctor post surgery. He arranged for the stitches to be removed in another 4 days time and I left.

On stitch removal day the wounds still seemed wet and I questioned the nurses if they were sure it was time for them to be removed. They looked at me like I was an idiot and proceeded anyway. Again I conveyed my concerns with Dr Herbosa and it ended in an argument. At this point he actually mentioned that I did need more lippo. A complete change in what was said the last time I was in.

The evening I got the stitches out I noticed that the wounds were opening again and that one looked infected. By the next day one had opened up significantly and there was puss oozing out of it. I contacted the clinic and they said they could see me in a couple of days. In the mean time I wanted to get a second opinion.

The second surgeon was shocked. He said that the stitches should never have been taken out so soon and any competent medical professional should be able to see that. The wound was very infected and again this should easily have been noticed as the stitches were being removed. Finally he noted that it was some of the worst incisions an stitching he had ever seen. My wounds had to be restitched by him otherwise they would have looked even worse and I was finally given antibiotics for the infection.

When I mentioned this to Dr Herbosa he told me that by going to another surgeon I had legally severed the liability of care he had with me post surgery and that I was no longer his patient.  

I am now a few months post surgery and my chest still looks the same. The redness of the scars has faded but are still very visible. I look and feel worse than ever.

Now I am left with a chest that looks just as bad, if not worse as it did before and two horrific scars. I paid all that money for nothing but pain, discomfort and to be scarred for life. Now I will be even more self conscious if I have to take my top off in front of people.
I thought I was depressed before, but now I am destroyed. I don't know what to do and I am spiralling further and further down. After all this I honestly don't think I can carry on. To have been completely betrayed by this doctor and to be told it is my fault. I considered this my last chance.

I just hope that no one else has to go through this.

[kokos]

I know exactly how you feel, trust me. I've went through simmiliar situation, started to have suicidal thoughts, and after 3 months of nothing (playing games, not going out of house for 3 MONTHS) i started riding a bike and doing push-ups every day, eventually, i added more skills to my arsenal like dips, and pull ups. My chest are nowhere near perfect, i have puffy nipples and one breast is bigger than another and i have scars around areola BUT it looks much better since im working out (7 months now already) and i feel more confident than ever, my goal is to work out very hard till the beginning of summer and THEN i am going to find a surgeon who is very experienced and hopefully he will be able to correct my chest once for all. 

Do not let something like this destroy your life, WAKE UP!!!

[Jgunzz]

damn this sounds horrific. Don't lose hope, though. I would suggest working out and eating healthy to get your confidence back up. There's always possibility of revision surgery and the results are only getting better over time with new technology. 

Save up and get it re-done by an expert in the US