Gynecomastia

Gynecomastia is the development of enlarged male breast tissue — a condition affecting roughly one in three adult men at some point. Surgical correction removes the excess glandular tissue and surrounding fat, producing a flat, masculine chest contour that diet and exercise alone cannot achieve once the gland has developed.

The operation is short, the recovery is fast, and the impact on the patient's quality of life — posture, confidence, willingness to be shirtless — is almost always dramatic.

True gynecomastia vs. pseudogynecomastia

Not every man with chest fullness has gynecomastia in the clinical sense. The distinction matters because it changes the operation.

True gynecomastia

Enlarged glandular breast tissue, firm to the touch, typically centred under the areola. Caused by hormonal influence — adolescence, anabolic steroid use, certain medications, or idiopathic. Surgical excision of the gland is required; liposuction alone will not address it.

Pseudogynecomastia

Chest fullness from fat accumulation alone, no enlarged gland. Common in overweight men. Responds well to liposuction alone, or to weight loss. Surgical excision is unnecessary.

Mixed

Most common presentation. Both gland and fat contribute. Treatment combines glandular excision with liposuction.

Who is a good candidate?

• Adult men with confirmed gynecomastia (we examine and, when indicated, order hormonal bloods).
• Stable weight close to target BMI.
• Non-smoking at time of surgery.
• Not actively using anabolic steroids — the gland will re-grow if steroid use continues.
• Realistic expectations about scarring around the areola edge.

The procedure, step by step

Performed under general anaesthesia, typically one to two hours. One night in hospital.

A small incision is made at the lower border of the areola. The glandular tissue is excised through this incision. Surrounding fat is addressed through liposuction via tiny additional ports. The contour is checked meticulously at the end — symmetry between the two sides is the critical aesthetic outcome.

Recovery timeline

First 1–2 weeks

Compression vest worn twenty-four hours a day for three to four weeks. Soreness is mild to moderate. Office work typically resumes in five to seven days.

Weeks 2–4

Bruising resolved. Swelling improving steadily. No heavy chest exercise.

Months 1–3

Final flat contour emerges as swelling fully settles. Scar around the areola edge matures over twelve months to a fine line that is virtually invisible.

Risks and realistic expectations

Honest risks: under- or over-resection producing a crater or residual fullness, asymmetry between sides, temporary or permanent nipple sensation changes, and — rarely — seroma needing drainage. Continued anabolic steroid use is the single biggest cause of recurrence.

Why Istanbul

One of the most-requested male procedures in our practice. Our surgeons perform gynecomastia surgery weekly; precision and consistent symmetry come from that kind of volume.