Why liposuction in gynecomastia treatment?

Liposuction is a part of the treatment of gynecomastia correction in most of our patients. It is relatively uncommon to do a gynecomastia correction without accompanying liposuction. Why so?

Liposuction has many advantages. They include the following:

1. Help avoid step deformity. Liposuction helps extract the fatty tissue as small parcels from a relatively large area. Since the parcels are removed in small increments and over multiple passes there is a gradual transition between the treated and untreated areas. This is smooth transition is difficult to accomplish when the breast tissue is removed without liposuction. Thus liposuction is not associated with an abrupt transition between the treated and untreated areas. This leads to better aesthetic outcomes.
2. Better pain relief in the postoperative period. Liposuction starts with the infiltration of a solution. This infiltrate contains a mixture of various drugs including a local anesthetic agent. Because of this agent, it is also possible to perform liposuction under local anesthesia. The pain relief obtained with the infiltration continues into the postoperative period. Patients usually report less discomfort when the procedure involves liposuction.
3. Makes gland removal easier and faster. The surgery involves liposuction followed by gland excision. The liposuction removes the fat parcels in the form of small tunnels. The gland is left behind because the gland is firmer when compared to fat. The subsequent dissection to excise the gland is facilitated by liposuction. Liposuction opens up multiple surgical planes that help make the surgery faster and more efficient.
4. Less blood loss. The infiltration used before liposuction also contains an agent to temporarily shrink the blood vessels. This leads to very less blood loss during the removal of fat and gland. Less blood loss makes the procedure safer.
5. Ability to contour lateral chest wall. Some individuals may present with excess fat deposits lateral (to the side) of the chest wall. This is not composed of breast tissue. Liposuction helps reduce or debulk this area effectively. This is difficult to achieve without liposuction.
6. Ability to combine with fat grafting in secondary corrections. Some individuals may present for correction of contour abnormalities following a previous gynecomastia correction. These are often corrected in a secondary procedure with liposuction combined with fat grafting. The fat aspirated during liposuction can be injected (grafted) into areas of deficiency.

There are instances when we may not do liposuction during gynecomastia surgery. But these are relatively uncommon. Liposuction is sometimes not done in thin individuals with less breast fat. Such individuals usually present with a gland enlargement confined to the area under the areola. They also have a very thin skin pinch. In such situations, we proceed with a gland excision through an areolar incision after local anesthetic infiltration.

Liposuction has many benefits when done in gynecomastia treatment. It is usually done in almost all cases of gynecomastia surgery in our practice.

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