Gynecomastia surgery removes glandular breast tissue and excess fat and skin from the male chest. For many men, male breast reduction can be life-changing — offering a new-found confidence, a greater sense of masculinity, and freedom from chronic soreness and discomfort.
However, in rare cases, patients may undergo a gynecomastia surgery gone wrong. Severe scarring, a buildup of scar tissue, crater deformities, and other problems may occur. Let’s take a look at what specific problems can arise from botched male breast reduction surgery and outline what you can do to avoid such an outcome.
What Can Go Wrong With Surgery for Gynecomastia?
Aside from the most common potential risks related to surgery (which include excessive bleeding, infection, fluid buildup, etc.), these are the additional potential complications to be aware of when undergoing surgery for gynecomastia:
- Loss of nipple skin
- Loss of sensation in the nipples and areolae
- Excess breast skin
- Asymmetries
- Contour irregularities
- Visible scarring
- Inverted nipples
- Crater deformities
What Is a Crater Deformity?
A crater deformity botched surgery results when the glandular tissue directly beneath the nipple is removed, but the skin around the nipple remains fatty. This can create a donut-shaped look to each breast with indented or inverted nipples. The nipples and areolae will appear indented inward (toward the spine), and this will create a “crater” effect.
Naturally, this result is not good for the patient, nor is it correct in terms of technical skill on the part of the plastic surgeon.
Often, a crater deformity after surgery for male breast reduction will result from the plastic surgeon not paying attention to several key factors, which absolutely must be assessed during the preoperative assessment.
Correcting Botched Gynecomastia Surgery
The good news is, however, that most patients who’ve had a botched male breast reduction can get the surgery corrected so that they have the chest they want after their second surgical procedure. Many patients also have questions about how to get gynecomastia surgery covered by insurance.
Bilateral breast fat grafting (a fat transfer procedure), a body contouring procedure, or even skin tightening can be used to counter skin redundancy and correct a breast deformity created with poor surgery.
Avoid Botched Gynecomastia With These Tips
#1 – Do your research.
Many patients make the mistake of putting their entire health and well-being into the hands of medical professionals — instead of taking control of their own health.
And while most plastic surgeons — when well-educated, trained, and experienced — can do outstanding things for their patients, it’s always up to the patient to be in charge of their own medical decisions. This means that any patient with gynecomastia should do their own research on this health condition. It also means that patients should do their own research when looking for a board-certified plastic surgeon and should make sure to peruse their gynecomastia surgery before and after pictures online.
And finally, it means that each patient should know their own body and medical history well. That is, know where you felt lumps within your breasts and where the fatty tissue is that you’d like to have removed. Know your own fat and muscle anatomy, and know about your skin laxity, including the overall quality of your skin prior to your in person consultation.
Having all of this information well organized (ideally, before you attend your consultation appointment) can result in far better results from your surgery.
#2 – Seek a board-certified plastic surgeon.
Board-certified plastic surgeons are far and away the best plastic surgeons.
Being board-certified means they’ve had extensive training in both body and facial procedures. They’ve also been well-trained to handle emergency situations that could potentially arise during surgery and have an extensive arsenal of aesthetic skill and technical abilities.
#3 – Ensure your surgeon has adequate experience performing gynecomastia surgery.
In addition to being board-certified, you want your plastic surgeon to have specific experience performing surgery for gynecomastia. You can ask your surgeon directly about this experience, but you can also look at the patients who’ve undergone gynecomastia surgery with them and how their outcomes look. If it looks like they’ve created great results for their patients — results that you would be happy with yourself — they may be a perfect fit for you.
Questions and Answers
Can gynecomastia surgery go wrong?
Research shows that gynecomastia surgery carries an average complication rate of about 15.5%. Grade I patients have the highest rate, at 21.6%.
What can go wrong with gynecomastia surgery?
When it comes to gynecomastia surgery bad results are not common, but they important to keep an eye out for and important to consider before surgery. Breast contour and shape irregularities, alterations in nipple or breast sensation may be temporary or permanent. Damage to deeper structures, including nerves, blood vessels, muscles, and lungs, can happen, leading to temporary or permanent issues. Complications like deep vein thrombosis, cardiac, and pulmonary issues may also arise.
How do you fix botched gynecomastia surgery?
Occasionally, unsatisfactory outcomes from prior gynecomastia surgery necessitate revision procedures. Given its complexity, gynecomastia surgery demands considerable surgical expertise. Inexperienced surgeons may yield less optimal results.
What is a crater deformity after gynecomastia surgery?
Crater deformity after gynecomastia surgery is caused by the over-resection of tissue or improper healing after the procedure. Over-resection of tissue occurs when too much tissue is removed during the surgery, leaving a depression or hollow area in the chest.
Schedule a Consultation to Discuss Your Gynecomastia
If you have gynecomastia — or suspect you do — call today to schedule a consultation with Dr. Smita Ramanadham. Gynecomastia can cause chronic anxiety and daily struggles for those who suffer from it. Stop letting gynecomastia hold you back from pursuing the life you want. Correct breast deformity created by previous surgery, and get the ideal male chest appearance you’ve always wanted.
You can correct breast deformity problems and fix prior body contouring mistakes — even when extensive skin redundancy or scarring is an issue. Call today to book your one-on-one consultation appointment with Dr. Ramanadham.