Gynecomastia Surgery Recovery

Posted by Dr. Dadvand April 10, 2015

As a plastic surgeon specializing in gynecomastia procedures one of the most important questions I get asked during the consultation is the recovery process. The most important thing to know about the recovery process is that it is just that…a process.  In this post I will lay out the general timeline for recovery. The keyword is general as some patients recover faster and some slower.

Day of Surgery: Go home and relax. Walk several times to help with circulation as well as to use the restroom.

Day 1: Walk without restrictions. Diet is unrestricted, with the exception of very salty foods.

Day 3 to 4: Okay to drive if not on pain medications. Okay to return to work if it doesn’t entail physical labor.

Day 6: Sutures come out and compressive dressings come off.  Continue wearing the compression vest.

4 weeks: Follow up to determine when to exercise and stop wearing compression vest (most men exercise between 4-6 weeks and scan stop wearing the compression vest around this time as well).

4 to 6 months: Final result of chest contour. Incisions look good much earlier than this but final incision healing is typically around 1.5 years.

Most men having this procedure go through this type of recovery process. It is important to have this discussion with the patient before surgery so they can plan their life accordingly. Many men spend years contemplating having gynecomastia surgery. It is important to carve out a small period of time to allow your body to heal after surgery.

To learn more about gynecomastia surgery and to see before and after photographs, visit losangelesgynecomastia.org.