San Francisco, California-Each year the amount of men undergoing gynecomastia surgery has increased according to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS). Men are becoming more comfortable with the idea of corrective surgery for their male breasts as more information is made available through all types of media. ASPS also reports that many elective cosmetic procedures for men are increasing each year, among the most popular are; liposuction, eyelid surgery, facelifts, and rhinoplasty. For non-surgical anti-aging treatment, Botox remains number one for both men and women.
Men seem to be less self-conscious about cosmetic plastic surgery than in the past as statistics show. No longer is self-improvement through surgery mainly for women. As competition grows in the work place, men are looking for whatever means may be at their disposal for them to keep a leading edge over their younger counterpart. Online dating and social media, that post profile pictures, have men taking a critical look at their appearance and pursuing improvements.
This is a 33-year-old, male resident of Sonoma, California who presented to the Novato office in Marin County for evaluation for liposuction. He presented with gynecomastia, male breast enlargement, and excess fat around his waist and abdomen. He is 5 feet 7 inches and weighs 170 pounds. He underwent male breast reduction with gland excision and liposuction of his chest with ultrasonic liposuction of the abdomen and flanks at Marin Cosmetic Surgery Center in Marin County, California. The photographs are taken one year after surgery. Note the slimmer contour of his body and the improved contour of his chest.
With the increase of male breast reduction surgery, it is becoming more common for men to want to add procedures. For men in good health seeking surgery, this is a very acceptable practice, and it makes a lot of sense. Scheduling a surgical procedure means taking time out of one’s daily schedule, there is a pre-operative visit to schedule, blood tests, and prescriptions to fill. In addition to the day of surgery, the patient must plan on some time off to recuperate at home; arrangements need to be made for someone to care for the patient for the first 24 hours, and transportation for at least the first post-operative visit. Healing time will be about the same for the patient that has one procedure versus multiple procedures. The cost for surgery will most likely be somewhat reduced as pre-operative tests and prescriptions will only need to be done once. The surgical time will be somewhat less than if procedures are done separately.
It is very common for the gynecomastia patient to add some liposuction (most commonly the abdomen and love handles), and many request to add such procedures as; rhinoplasty, facelift or eyelid surgery along with his male breast reduction surgery.
Dr. Delgado a gynecomastia surgery specialist, has been treating patients in the greater San Francisco Bay Area since 1988, including San Jose, Sacramento and Los Angeles.
Call or email today at (415) 898-4161 for a consultation or virtual consultation with Dr. Delgado to see what procedures you might want to add to your gynecomastia surgery.
This 23-year-old San Francisco Bay Area man is 5’6”, 150lbs. To correct his gynecomastia, I performed suction-assisted lipectomy along with glandular excision of the chest at Marin Cosmetic Surgery Center.
San Francisco, California-Included in a Board Certified Plastic Surgeon’s training is the correct way to take pre and post-operative photographs. The fact that surgeons have specialized training for this is evidence of the importance of the skill and the documentation.
There are several reasons for having documented photographs. First, it is an excellent tool for surgical planning. In addition, the patient and the surgeon can go back to get an accurate determination of surgical results. Patient’s appreciate this ability because in most cases after a patient has healed from surgery and they grow used to their new look they often forget what they looked like before surgery.
It has been stated many times in these blogs; a man looking for the best top plastic cosmetic surgeon in gynecomastia, needs to seek out a Board Certified Plastic Surgeon that specializes in male breast reduction. There are many surgeons who attempt gynecomastia treatment who have not had specialized training that leave men with less than desirable results. It is difficult for men to make a decision in their choice of a surgeon unless they know what to look for. After researching surgeons, it is advised to see 2 or 3 in consultation so that you can make comparisons. The consultation is a good time to ask a lot of questions such as; how many male breast reduction surgeries do you perform each year? Is the anesthesiologist Board Certified? Where will the surgery take place? Is the facility accredited? If it is not at a hospital, but a private surgery center, ask for a tour and note if it looks clean and well organized. 
Next, a very important question to ask would be, what procedure would you recommend for me? If the surgeon plans on liposuction only (unless you have what is referred to as pseudo-gynecomastia), be very careful. Liposuction alone will not remove the male breast tissue, only the fat, (in which case CoolSculpting may be the solution). Dr. Delgado’s gynecomastia practice is now at 40% due to revision surgeries where liposuction alone was performed at another facility. Removing only the fat by liposuction will leave breast tissue behind which can actually end up looking more prominent. A secondary surgery may be necessary to remove the breast tissue.
One of the best means a patient has in determining a surgeon’s skill is to see pre and post-operative pictures. Most surgeons are proud of their work and will have many photos to share. If you know the guidelines to look for in well documented pictures, it will help you determine the surgeon’s attention to detail.
In looking at the pictures, note if the patient is filling the frame equally and in the same position with arms preferably down at their sides. Three angles are best, showing the front, sides and obliques, anything can be made to look good when only showing one angle. The background needs to be consistent with either a blank wall or a drape of a solid dark color. Also, the color saturation and lighting should be as similar as possible.
Unfortunately, most men with moobs have what is referred to as “true gynecomastia”. True gynecomastia means their man boobs are caused by fat and breast tissue. There are a few lucky ones that have pseudo-gynecomastia, which is fat only; in which case liposuction or CoolSculpting may be the solution, which would bring down the gynecomastia cost.
Now available for Dr. Delgado’s patients is CoolSculpting, a non-surgical solution for removal of fat pockets. This innovative treatment works well on love handles, the abdomen and pseudo-gynecomastia. Schedule a consultation with Dr. Delgado at either his 450 Sutter Street, San Francisco office or 165 Rowland Way, Novato office for an evaluation.
San Francisco, CA-True gynecomastia is male breasts or moobs that are caused by a combination of fat and breast tissue, affecting at least 60% of all males at some point in their life. True gynecomastia must be corrected by surgical excision of the breast tissue and liposuction of the fat. There are many surgeons who attempt to correct man boobs by liposuction alone necessitating a “redo” surgery for removal of the breast tissue. Dr. Delgado’s gynecomastia surgery cases are now at 40% for “redo” surgeries. It is very frustrating for men to go through the surgery only to find they may need to have it done again. Not only do they have to go through surgery and recovery again, they will incur more gynecomastia surgery costs. Unfortunately, it is harder for the surgeon the second time as there is now scar tissue from the first surgery and the elasticity of the skin may have been compromised.
With all this being said, there is a condition whereby liposuction alone may work, and that is if the man has what is referred to as “pseudo-gynecomastia”. Pseudo-gynecomastia is usually due to aging or weight gain; the male breasts are enlarged only by fat and not breast tissue. Liposuction has worked so well for these men it is understandable that some surgeons would try liposuction for “true gynecomastia”. When there is breast tissue in addition to the fat, the breast tissue will not go through the cannula of the liposuction machine, due to the fact it is too dense. It is imperative that men do their homework, they need to select the best top plastic cosmetic surgeon that specializes in gynecomastia, to avoid the necessity of a secondary surgery. In addition to finding a Board Certified Plastic surgeon, check that the surgical facility where the male breast reduction surgery to be done is fully accredited.
CoolSculpting Machine
For the man with “pseudo-gynecomastia”, there is even a less invasive procedure than liposuction now available. CoolSculpting is offered at Dr. Delgado’s “Non-Surgical Center of Excellence”. CoolSculpting is an innovative process that gets rid of small areas of fat that do not respond to diet and exercise. As a non-surgical procedure, patients love the fact that there are not any incisions, needles or scars. For treatment, the patient is to wear comfortable clothing, stretch out on a treatment table; relax, read a book, work on a laptop or even take a nap. The CoolSculpting machine has two cooling panels that an area of fat is placed between, and then intense coldness is applied which kills the fat cells. The treatment lasts about an hour per area. Patients state that it is not painful but feel the coldness from the plates and some pressure. The only side effects noted have been some temporary numbness, redness, and minor bruising. There is no downtime, patients are able to return to normal activities right after treatment.
The fat cells are then gradually shed by the body naturally, with results starting to show in two to three weeks. Patients are thrilled when they notice their clothes feel loose. The final result will be evident in about two to three months. Usually one treatment is all that is needed, but additional treatments can be scheduled to continue with sculpting the body. In addition to treating the male chest, CoolSculpting is used for the abdomen and love handles. It is not meant to be for large areas of fat, which are better treated by liposuction.
Along with CoolSculpting, there are many other procedures offered at Dr. Delgado’s “Non-Surgical Center of Excellence”. Ultherapy, which is a great skin tightening process for the face and neck, has recently been added as a non-surgical procedure, along with fat injections, Botox, facial fillers, laser hair removal and many more. With so many new innovative treatments available, the best way to find out what your particular options are, schedule a consultation with Dr. Delgado at either his 450 Sutter St., San Francisco Office or 165 Rowland Way, Novato.
This is an 18-year-old man who underwent gynecomastia breast gland excision and liposuction, with removal of a 6 x 5 x 3 cm tissue on his right and 6 x 5 x 3 cm tissue on his left. In addition he had a superior incision for a crescent areola lift for superior advancement of the areola tissue. The goal is to eradicate or reduce the lower breast fold.
Â
Â
San Francisco, California-The degree to which a man’s skin shrinks after removal of fat and breast tissue from his chest during male breast reduction surgery varies greatly depending on the condition of the patient’s skin and the amount of excess skin.
Some men may need a minor breast lift to reduce sagging skin below the nipple/areola complex. A minor lift is accomplished by removing a crescent shaped piece of skin just above the areola. The trade off with this procedure is a slightly more visible scar as the incision is above the areola instead of below it.
One of the big advantages of the minor lift is it can all be done in one procedure instead of two stages. It is difficult to give a cost for the additional procedure as each case is unique. In general, the surgeon’s fee can range from $500 to $1500, and the additional operating room time can vary from a half hour to an hour and a quarter, adding to the surgery center fees anywhere from $1,000 to $2750.
In order for men to plan for their male breast reduction surgery, it is understood that it is important to know the costs that will be involved. The best way to get a precise quote would be to see Dr. Delgado for a personal consultation at; 450 Sutter St. Suite 2433, San Francisco or 165 Rowland Way, Suite300, Novato California. For out of town patient’s, we are happy to arrange a phone gynecomastia consultation with Dr. Delgado by calling (415) 898-4161.
San Francisco, California-The variables in gynecomastia surgery are numerous. It is almost like asking how much does a new house cost. For a house you need to factor in the location, the size, the experience of the builder, materials used, are you going to change the plans and add new features?
Male breast reduction surgery is similar in that the location of your surgeon can make a difference. Fees for surgeons in metropolitan areas generally run higher than those from smaller towns and fees for a surgeon with a lot of training and experience, who is Board Certified in Plastic Surgery, is going to have higher fees than the surgeon who is less experienced. Gynecomastia comes in many different forms, from mild to moderate to extreme. Some types of gynecomastia only involve the areola and nipple. Some mild forms of gynecomastia that are caused by fat alone (pseudo-gynecomastia) may be treated with liposuction and not surgical excision. In the situation where the man has an extreme case of enlarged male breasts, it may be necessary to schedule the reduction in stages requiring two or three separate surgical procedures.
Many San Francisco Bay Area men decide to add additional procedures to their male breast reduction surgery. Most commonly added is additional liposuction, usually the “love handles” and abdomen, and sometimes the lower armpit area or back. These additional procedures will add more time to the surgery and will increase the fees.
Determining the actual cost for a patient is highly individual; some men need to know approximately what the surgery will cost so that they know if they can even consider it. Dr. Delgado’s fee for the average gynecomastia surgery is $4500 to $4700, and the average time is 3.5 hours. The cost for the surgery center would be about $2450.00, and the fee for the anesthesiologist would be about $1050. In addition, there is a fee for garments and supplies that run about $300, so ball-park would be about $8500. For out of town patients, Dr. Delgado offers a free consultation on Skype or by phone, simply forward photos via mail or email. This gives a prospective patient a personal consultation with a precise quote prior to traveling.
In the search for a gynecomastia specialist, it is most beneficial to consider the experience and credentials of the surgeon. Too many men have experienced poor results only to find the solution to be a second (revision) surgery. Having revision surgery doubles the cost and recovery time. Currently, 50% of Dr. Delgado’s gynecomastia patients have come to him for revision surgery due to unsatisfactory results from their original surgery and surgeon.
Gynecomastia.org is an excellent website to learn from other men what their experiences have been with male breast reduction surgery.
San Francisco Bay Area men ask why it is necessary to send male breast tissue samples for examination by a pathologist after gynecomastia surgery. Even though, the incidence of breast cancer in men is very low, there is a small percentage of men that get the disease (only 1% of all breast cancers). Breast cancer is rarely found in adolescent boys; the majority of cases are found in men over 60 years of age, but it can develop in men of any age.Â
Dr. Delgado has performed hundreds of breast reduction surgeries on men and women, and breast tissue is always sent out for analysis. Of the women, twice the pathology came back positive for breast cancer, while this is terrible news to have to give a woman, it very well may have saved her life. For all of the male breast reduction cases Dr. Delgado has performed, not any of them came back positive for breast cancer. This is really good news, but that does not mean you are not at risk. Almost everyone knows of at least one man that has or has had breast cancer.
The pathology report is expensive, up to $500, but a small price for something that can save your life. Most insurance companies will cover laboratory tests.
This is a good question as there are several factors that affect the cost of gynecomastia surgery such as the geographical location. For San Francisco Bay Area men, the price range is usually between $6000 to $9000.
Besides the surgeon’s fee, there will be a facility and anesthesiologist costs. There can be a wide range in the cost for the facility depending on if the surgery is performed in a hospital, a private surgery center or a doctor’s suite. A hospital is generally more expensive than a private surgery center, and a doctor’s suite could be the least expensive. This is where you need to proceed carefully. Safety is more important than saving a few dollars. Having surgery in a private surgery center that is fully accredited is generally the safest environment. With only one operating room for staff to focus on, personal attention is the greatest and the likelihood of infection is much less. Also, having a Board Certified Anesthesiologist monitoring the patient frees up the surgeon to focus on the surgery.
Regarding the surgeon’s fee, the procedure itself will determine much of the cost. Gynecomastia surgery is not a one size fits all. Each patient is individual, and the surgery needs to be tailored accordingly. The patient with mild to moderate gynecomastia may have a procedure done completely differently than the man with moderate to severe male breasts.
In searching for a cosmetic plastic surgeon for male breast reduction, it is important to compare apples to apples. You want to compare:
1. Geographical area
2. Surgical facility
3. Credentials of the surgeon (Board Certified in Plastic Surgery)
4. Credentials of the anesthesiologist (Board Certified)
5. How the surgery will be performed, in most cases removal of glandular tissue in combination with liposuction.
Â
Â
In most cases, insurance will not cover male breast reduction. Unfortunately insurance companies do not see gynecomastia breast reduction as medically necessary, but view it as a cosmetic procedure.
Adolescent boys have a higher chance of getting coverage than do men, but it is still an uphill battle. There was a court case in 2007 where a father sued his insurance company for not covering his son’s surgery, it went all the way to the New York Supreme Court and ultimately the insurance company had to pay $5000 of the $7500 fee. This did not however, set a precedent as hoped. 
There is an excellent article on gynecomastia.org called “A Success Story-Start to Finish” written by a Mother about her son and everything they went through to get their insurance to cover his surgery. In the article she explains exactly what they did and how they did it to finally get approval. This is a long and difficult process and you can’t be sure of an outcome in your favor.
Dr. Delgado is always willing to submit a letter to insurance companies on behalf of any of his gynecomastia patients that he feels may have even a slight chance of getting coverage. Even though the surgery itself most likely will not be covered, there are expenses that under most policies will be covered, such as; required blood tests prior to surgery, pathology, and all prescriptions.
