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How Bad are Gynaecomastia Surgery Scars?
The results of the surgery in around 50% of the patients are cosmetically unsatisfactory through the traditional procedure. As many men have experienced permanent scarring and shared negative reviews regarding the invasiveness of the treatment, others who need to undergo surgery feel discouraged.
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But that’s not the case anymore. The minimally invasive technologies have made it possible for men to undergo surgery without worrying about the scars. That’s why both patients and doctors prefer using male breast reduction surgery, also known as gynecomastia surgery to cure enlarged breasts.
Still, most men do worry about the scars that will be left behind after having gynecomastia surgery. Today, you will get to know how to set your expectations from the procedure and what to do to ensure that the surgery scars disappear as soon as possible.
Table of Contents
How big or small are the scars from gynecomastia surgery?
In the best-case scenario, whether you’ve had minimally invasive male breast reduction surgery, you can expect a scar as tiny as 4mm. As compared to this, in traditional surgery, the scar will be longer.
You should know that if you take care of the wound properly, the scar may heal completely and you may not be able to find it easily.
The worst-case scenario would be that a long scar forms across your chest which is thick and rises above the skin surface. You should also know that this is a very rare phenomenon.
And even if a long incision is made to exercise the breast tissues, in most cases, a flat, thin, and light pink line will appear as it heals.
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What are the factors that affect scarring?
Being worried about the size of scars and their visibility is natural. Every male who is seeking treatment for gynecomastia hesitates to proceed with the surgery due to scars, especially if they have grade IV breast tissues. While females can hide surgery scars smartly with clothes, men are less fortunate in this scenario.
It is important that prior to having surgery, you understand the factors that will determine the severity of the post-surgery scars. These factors include:
- How the wound is created:
Gynecomastia surgery is most commonly performed due to cosmetic reasons. Therefore, it is carried out by experienced plastic surgeons who ensure that the incision is made in the correct location and is of the correct size so that it can be closed easily.
A clean surgical incision is the one that will heal the best. For example, if you get cut during an accident, the wound will take longer to heal due to factors, like dirt, bacteria, etc. Therefore, the tissues are traumatized which will leave an ugly scar.
Unlike this, the surgery performed in a controlled environment (in Operation Theater) is much safer and free from contaminants like dirt and bacteria. Therefore, the skin tissues that are cut won’t get traumatized and result in minimal scarring.
- How the wound is closed:
Whether the wound will disappear completely or not majorly also depends on how it is closed.
In some cases, the incisions are big and require stitches whereas in other cases, there is no need for stitches. When stitches are used to close the wound, it often leaves a deeper scar. There are also different types of stitches, which further impact the scarring. If the surgeon uses dissolvable stitches, they will disappear as the skin heals and the scarring will be minimal.
If no stitches are used to close the wound and it is left to heal on its own, there are 50-50% chances that the scarring will be visible or may disappear without leaving a mark behind.
- Post-surgery Scar Management:
The next thing that will affect gynecomastia surgery scarring is how well you take care of your body. Following the post-surgery instructions and care tips is essential to make sure that you don’t put excessive pressure on the chest region that can cause the sutures to break down. Along with this, the surgeon will also advise you to do scar massage or use silicone gel or sheets so that the scars fade away as soon as possible.
- Genetics:
This is a factor that you may not be able to control under any circumstances. Some people’s skin genetically tends to form bad scars due to their skin texture. Due to this, the scars become thick and ropy and start rising above the skin surface.
All these factors combinedly determine whether the scars will fade over time or not. Once the surgery is done, the doctor will enlist everything that you should expect during the recovery phase. The doctor will also provide a care guide to make sure that the wound heals properly and leaves no mark.
Tips to Ensure That Scars Disappear Completely
While it is the skills and expertise of the surgeon that will determine whether you will have a minor or a major scar, there are other modifiable factors that can affect the results. Unfortunately, you can’t do anything about genetics. But there are certain things that you can do to make the scars disappear completely.
- Avoid putting stress on the surgery site until the wound has healed properly. Pressure across the line of the incision will result in more collagen production in the area due to which the resulting scar will be thick and elevated. That’s why it is better that you don’t indulge in exercise or perform strenuous activities for at least 6 to 8 weeks.
- Proper nutrition is also important for faster healing. Without proper nutrients, the body won’t be able to heal and the scars will widen.
- Avoid smoking completely as it reduces the fresh blood supply. As a result, oxygen doesn’t reach the affected tissues and the healing is again delayed. Hence, again you will risk widening the scars.
- Use a scar mitigating agent, such as silicone gel or sheeting to make the scar fade away as quickly as possible.
- Reduce your sun exposure as it can lead to hyperpigmentation and make the scars clearly visible. You will have to avoid the sun for at least six to nine months entirely.
Adhere to the doctor’s advice closely and take care of the wound until it heals. Only then you’ll be able to obtain the best possible results from gynecomastia surgery with minimal scarring.
Also Read: Precautions To Be Taken After Gynecomastia Surgery: Know The Do’s and Don’ts To Follow
The Bottom Line
If you are worried about scarring after having gynecomastia surgery, you should also understand that the scars are most certainly worth it. The doctor will inform you how big the scars will be and how you can make them heal faster so that they disappear completely and you can get rid of enlarged breasts.
With all the information you get from your discussion with the plastic surgeon, you’ll have a brief idea of how you can make the scar go away without leaving a visible mark.
You can consult with Pristyn Care’s best plastic surgeons and learn all about what gynaecomastia surgery entails.
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