Is gynecomastia surgery/liposuction a "standard" procedure or an art?

[Andgy]

Are experience and number of surgeries performed important when choosing a doctor to perform gynecomastia surgery and liposuction of the abdomen?

I have noted that experienced plastic surgeons tend to charge a lot more than less experienced ones. Although it is obvious why this is so, will the outcome of the surgery be drastically different?

Is there be a higher chance that a less experienced doctor could give less satisfactory results, such as a sunken in areola (too much fats removed), dents/uneven abdomen, botch jobs, etc?

I have often heard that experienced surgeons know how to "sculpt" the chest and abdomen.

So is gynecomastia surgery and liposuction of the abdomen a case of simply removing the fats (any board certified plastic surgeon can get it right?) or is it an "art" which requires years of experience to produce an esthetically pleasing outcome?

[Miguel Delgado MD]

Andgy,
This is truly an art! In addition, as with most other professions, experience is the key to having the highest percentage of success. So, select an experience gynecomastia surgeon, but visit the office and discuss your case.  Evaluate the staff, the facility, and reviews of the practice. You must put in your research up front.  Forty-five percent of my Gynecomastia practice is revision from patients who are unhappy from surgery elsewhere. You do not want to be in that situation.

[Andgy]

Thanks Dr Delgado!

For the revisions that you did, had the patients visited other plastic surgeons or ordinary doctors who were not properly trained in the surgery?

I am wondering....plastic surgeons should be trained in something like gynecomastia surgery. Why will botch surgeries still happen? Are they young and inexperience surgeons?

What's the best way to judge if a surgeon can produce good results? I am almost certain most will say they can do a good job when asked. Should I ask them to show me their patients' Before and After pictures? 

[Dr. Cruise]

Plastic surgery in general can be considered an art. Those who are proficient have extensive training and experience as well as an aesthetic eye for what looks good and the skillset to achieve it. Few plastic surgeons are truly experienced with gynecomastia surgery. It is vital to do your research to find the doctor best suited for you. This can be done by consulting with the doctor, reading reviews, looking at the before/after photos, and even talking to prior patients. You will know right away just by looking at the website and photo gallery if the surgeon is experienced with gynecomastia. 

[Dr. Schuster]

Getting great results in correction of gynecomastia is not "easy". Experience is important but having the right experience is more important. Doing a lot of surgery but getting bad results is not doing you any benefit. Take your time in choosing your surgeon. You want to get it right the first time. And remember that you often get what you pay for.

[Dr. Elliot Jacobs]

Totally agree with my colleagues.  Experience counts a lot!  This is not an easy operation and although there are many well trained plastic surgeons around, one needs the experience gained from hundreds of procedures in order to get it right the first time.  Yes, there may be additional costs for that experience, but consider those costs "insurance" against needing a revision operation.

Dr Jacobs