Male Breast Reduction (Gynecomastia Surgery), Arm Lift, and More – Minneapolis / St. Paul, Minnesota
Minneapolis Plastic Surgery, LTD. offers several procedures besides abdominoplasty, liposuction, and body contouring that can improve the appearance of the body’s problem areas. Cosmetic surgery can correct gynecomastia (overdeveloped male breasts) and remove excess fat and skin from the arms and thighs. Gynecomastia correction and arm lift surgery can be performed at our Minneapolis, Minnesota on-site surgical center. For men who find it difficult to build muscle in their chests and calf areas, pec (pectoral) and calf implants are available.
- Male Breast Reduction (Gynecomastia Correction)
- Arm Lift
- Thigh Lift
- Pec Implants
- Calf Implants
- Non-Genital Transgender Procedures
Male Breast Reduction (Gynecomastia Correction)
Gynecomastia is the medical term for male breast enlargement.. This condition is not uncommon, affecting as many as 40 percent of men as they enter puberty. In most cases the breast enlargement resolves on its own, but in some cases it persists, and may be worse if a man is overweight. Gynecomastia may affect only one or both of the breasts, and can be mild or severe. The majority of the cases have no known cause, while others may be related to the use of drugs or medical conditions. Use of marijuana or anabolic steroids can also cause gynecomastia. Gynecomastia can consist of predominantly firm glandular breast tissue, softer fatty tissue, or a combination of both. For men who feel self-conscious about their oversized breasts, gynecomastia surgery can help restore self-confidence and a more masculine chest contour.
The best candidates for gynecomastia correction are healthy, emotionally stable men of any age who have firm, elastic skin that will reshape well after surgery. In most cases, depending on the amount of tissue to be removed, as well as the tone and elasticity of the skin, gynecomastia surgery can be done through an inconspicuous incision just at the edge of the areola (the dark skin around the nipple). In cases where there is excessive skin or larger breasts with poor skin tone, additional incisions will be necessary. Obese or overweight men may be able to correct their breast enlargement with diet and exercise; otherwise, surgery will be necessary. Gynecomastia surgery is usually performed as an outpatient procedure. Your doctor may use local or general anesthesia depending on the extent of your surgery. A drain may be necessary in some cases, and patients will need to wear a compression vest or bandage until tissues heal and reconfigure to their new sculpted shape. Exercise or strenuous activities should not be done for at least two weeks to avoid bleeding, irregularity in chest smoothness, or other complication. To learn more about the cost of this procedure and determine whether or not it can help you, please schedule a gynecomastia surgery consultation at Minneapolis Plastic Surgery, LTD., serving the Minneapolis / St. Paul, Minnesota area and beyond.
Arm Lift
Upper arm lift surgery (brachioplasty) is used to remove and tighten loose or sagging skin of the upper arm areas, which is commonly caused by weight loss. The fold of hanging skin is sometimes called a “bat wing deformity” and must be dealt with via surgical excision in an outpatient general anesthetic operation. Many patients are hopeful that the excess tissue can be removed via liposuction, but the actual amount of fat present in patients with this problem is minimal, and liposuction only empties out the skin more. Of course, if you have good skin tone and only experience loss of definition because of modest excess fatty tissue in the upper arms, ultrasonic liposuction may be able to firm, contour, and produce slimmer, more well-defined upper arms for you.
For patients with a mild amount of loose skin, the scar caused by arm lift surgery may be a poor tradeoff for a tighter upper arm. This is because the thinness and healing characteristics of the upper arm area in some individuals leave them with thick, wide, hypertrophic scars that are ugly and visible when any kind of short-sleeve clothing is worn. The scar can be placed as inconspicuously as possible on the inner part of the upper arm so that it is hidden when the arm is at your side, but when the arm is raised, the scar will be visible.
Many patients with a larger amount of excess upper arm skin refuse to wear clothing that reveals the arm at all, but if a visible scar causes the same hesitancy, this surgery may not be for you. Conversely, if you cannot fit into certain kinds of sleeves or clothing because of the hanging skin and can accept the possibility of a visible and often unsightly upper arm scar, arm lift surgery can give you a slim and shapely upper arm that can fit comfortably in whatever clothing choices you prefer.
While not every patient ends up with a thick or ugly scar, as many as half of patients do develop bad scars despite the plastic surgeon’s skill and diligence in suture technique, and this must be taken into account when considering this operation. Although scar-reducing remedies such as Mederma™, ScarGuard™, scar pads, and some laser techniques exist to help improve the appearance of troublesome scars such as these, arm lift scars are indeed permanent, and no surgeon or surgical technique in existence can remove or eliminate them completely.
Brachioplasty takes about three hours in the operating room. Arm lift surgery can be performed as an outpatient operation at our Minneapolis, Minnesota surgical center. After surgery, patients are fitted with a snug upper body garment that provides gentle compression to assist in reabsorption of any surgical swelling. A surgical drain may be placed beneath each incision to reduce the accumulation of fluid under the skin flaps and assist in healing; each one is usually removed in several days when drainage is less than an ounce per 24 hours. Arm movement is encouraged immediately; exercise and lifting can be resumed in two to three weeks.
Complications are few and minimal, but the scars can take months to mature and may be more visible than anticipated. Still, for those individuals with the desire and willingness to accept the scars in order to achieve a sleeker and more defined upper arm shape, arm lift is the only procedure of choice.
Thigh Lift
Thigh lifts are typically performed on people who have lost a significant amount of weight, resulting in loose or sagging skin in the inner thigh, outer thigh, and buttock area. Lateral thigh lift and buttock lift is part of a lower body lift, but it can be completed on its own (completion belt lift, buttock lift, or posterior lift) for patients who have previously undergone abdominoplasty (tummy tuck) , and wish to remove excess skin and fatty tissue localized in these remaining areas.. For some inner thigh lift patients, incisions can be hidden at the top of the inner thigh in the groin crease, making the scars from this surgery very discreet. Larger amounts of loose skin may require the addition of vertical scars along the inside of the upper legs.
There are several methods and types of incisions used in different types of thigh lifting, and it is advisable to speak with our plastic surgeons about the aesthetic issue you hope to address through plastic surgery. We will strive to help you learn more about how thigh lift procedures can be tailored to your individual needs. After surgery, it is common for patients to experience some bruising and swelling or a tight feeling in the thigh area. Drains may be used, and are usually left in place until drainage is less than an ounce of fluid per 24 hours. Compression garments or elastic/Velcro binders are worn to assist in the healing process. It may take up to two weeks until patients are able to return to work after surgery.
Pec (Pectoral) Implants
The traditional exercises intended to build the pectoral muscles produce their desired results in some men, but in others, strong, athletic-looking pectoral muscles are more elusive. Special solid silicone pectoral implants have been developed specifically for men to simulate the appearance and feel of these muscles. Pec implants can be surgically implanted by the Minneapolis Plastic Surgery, LTD. plastic surgeons at our private surgical center. An upper body compression vest or elastic bandage is used until the tissues heal around the implants. Incisions are usually concealed in the armpit area, but individual anatomic concerns may require other options. Specialized implants can also help patients with contour irregularities in the sternal (breastbone) area. It is important to keep in mind that post-surgery chest exercise must be delayed for up to two months, depending on how quickly each patient heals.
Calf Implants
Strong and muscular calves make legs look shapely and attractive, or muscular and sculpted. Some men and women are able to achieve improved lower leg contour easily through exercise, but others are unable to do so, regardless of how much they exercise and strengthen these muscles. Some patients have loss of one leg’s calf contour due to injury or disease, such as polio.
Calf implants can be placed in order to rectify these problems and create the appearance of defined, sculpted legs. Special solid-silicone calf implants are designed specifically for this purpose, and nicely replicate or enhance the normal calf anatomy — to do this properly, usually two implants are used per leg. In the calf implant procedure, incisions are made behind each knee. The silicone implants are surgically placed into the correct locations and the incisions are closed. Elastic wraps and compression stockings are used to maintain the implants in position for several weeks until healed, and help to avoid fluid accumulation or swelling. Normal healing after surgery will create a scar capsule around the calf implants that securely hold them in place.
Non-Genital Transgender Procedures
Our surgeons and staff have worked with both female-to-male and male-to-female transgender patients for many years, performing such procedures as breast augmentation, mastectomy (top surgery), brow reduction, tracheal shave, rhinoplasty, and other facial or body plastic surgery. Other services offered by our Carillon Clinic, such as laser hair removal, are also helpful to many of our patients. We do not perform transgender genital procedures at this time.
Schedule a Gynecomastia Correction, Arm Lift, or Other Body Procedure Consultation at Minneapolis Plastic Surgery, LTD., serving Minneapolis / St. Paul and all of Minnesota
Our practice offers multiple body procedures, including arm lift surgery and gynecomastia correction. These procedures can be performed at our Minneapolis, Minnesota surgical center on an outpatient basis. Contact our staff to schedule your consultation with our doctors and learn more about how your chosen procedure may help you.
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To learn more about gynecomastia surgery, arm lift surgery, or another body procedure, contact our Minneapolis, Minnesota surgical center.
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Minneapolis Plastic Surgery, LTD.
4825 Olson Memorial Highway (Hwy 55) Suite 200
Minneapolis, Minnesota 55422
Phone: (763) 545-0443
Fax: (763) 545-2784