Gynecomastia — the development of excess breast tissue in men — affects an estimated 40 to 65 percent of men at some point in their lives. Despite how common it is, most men who have it are reluctant to discuss it even with their physicians, managing the condition through clothing choices and behavioral adaptations rather than pursuing treatment. For men who do reach the decision point, the procedure that addresses it is well-understood, predictably effective, and produces permanent results.
Simply Males is a Beverly Hills practice dedicated to aesthetic care specifically for men — bringing the surgical expertise of Dr. David N. Sayah to the specific presentations and preferences of the male patient population. Gynecomastia surgery is among the core procedures performed at the practice.
What Gynecomastia Actually Is
The clinical diagnosis of gynecomastia distinguishes true gynecomastia — involving actual breast glandular tissue — from pseudogynecomastia, which involves primarily fatty tissue without glandular proliferation.
True gynecomastia typically presents as a firm, button-like area of tissue directly behind the nipple-areolar complex. This glandular tissue is hormonally responsive — it developed in response to an estrogen-to-testosterone imbalance, whether from puberty, medications, certain health conditions, or idiopathic causes — and it does not respond to liposuction. Removing glandular tissue requires direct excision through a small periareolar incision.
Pseudogynecomastia involves excess adipose (fat) tissue of the chest without significant glandular proliferation. This presentation responds to liposuction and, in appropriate candidates, to body contouring techniques.
Mixed presentations — the most common clinical picture — involve both glandular tissue and excess fat, requiring a combination of liposuction and glandular excision for complete correction.
This distinction explains why men who have had liposuction of the chest elsewhere and found the result incomplete often still have the firm, palpable tissue behind the nipple — because that tissue is glandular, not fatty, and liposuction doesn’t address it.
What the Procedure Involves
Gynecomastia surgery at Simply Males is performed under anesthesia in an outpatient setting. The procedure typically takes 90 minutes to two hours. For the most common mixed presentation, the surgical approach combines:
- Liposuction of the peripheral chest and lateral chest using a tumescent technique that minimizes bleeding and allows precise contouring
- Direct excision of glandular tissue through a small periareolar incision — placed at the lower arc of the areola, where it heals within the natural color transition and becomes minimally visible
The result is a flat, natural-appearing chest contour that eliminates the visual evidence of the condition.
Recovery and Return to Activity
Recovery from gynecomastia surgery is manageable and predictable. A compression garment is worn for approximately four weeks — continuously for the first week, then transitioning to daytime use. Most men return to desk work within one week. Exercise and upper body activity resume at four to six weeks.
The swelling that’s present in the first few weeks does not represent the final result. The final chest contour — with all swelling resolved and the tissue fully settled — is typically apparent at the two-to-three-month mark.
Why Results Are Permanent
The glandular tissue removed during excision does not regenerate. The fat cells removed by liposuction are permanently gone. For men who maintain a stable weight after gynecomastia surgery, the result is a lasting correction that doesn’t require retreatment.
Significant weight gain following the procedure can cause the fatty component to increase — but the glandular architecture that was excised remains absent. For most men who maintain reasonable lifestyle stability, the surgical outcome at three to six months is the outcome they live with indefinitely.
Schedule Your Consultation at Simply Males
Simply Males is located at 436 North Bedford Drive, Suite 202, in Beverly Hills. Consultations with Dr. Sayah are confidential, and the practice is designed specifically for the male patient experience. To schedule a consultation, call (310) 928-0920 or visit simplymales.com. The condition that has been managed around for years is surgically addressable — and the result is permanent.
This blog is educational. Gynecomastia surgery involves individual risks that should be discussed during a comprehensive consultation with a board-certified plastic surgeon.
The Candidacy Evaluation
The evaluation for gynecomastia surgery begins with the clinical assessment of what’s actually present — distinguishing glandular from fatty tissue, determining the degree and distribution of excess tissue, evaluating the skin quality and elasticity, and assessing whether the condition has an underlying hormonal or medication-related cause that should be addressed before surgery.
For some patients, gynecomastia has a reversible cause — the cessation of a causative medication, the correction of a hormonal imbalance, or weight loss in cases where the presentation is primarily pseudogynecomastia. The thorough evaluation identifies these patients before a surgical plan is made.
For patients whose gynecomastia is idiopathic, hormone-related and stable, or associated with a cause that has already been addressed, the surgical evaluation proceeds to planning — which includes a specific discussion of the approach, the expected contour outcome, the incision placement, and the recovery timeline relevant to each patient’s specific anatomy.
Simply Males is a practice specifically designed for male patients — the confidential environment, the clinical protocols, and the entire patient experience reflect the specific preferences and concerns of men pursuing aesthetic care. This specificity produces a consultation experience that feels appropriate rather than clinical, and a surgical outcome that reflects the male aesthetic goals that differ from what female-focused practices optimize for. Call (310) 928-0920 to schedule a confidential consultation.
For men throughout the greater Los Angeles area — Beverly Hills, West Hollywood, Santa Monica, Bel Air, the San Fernando Valley — and for patients traveling to Beverly Hills specifically for the concentrated expertise that Simply Males offers, the practice’s location at 436 North Bedford Drive, Suite 202, is a destination rather than a convenience. The decision to finally address gynecomastia doesn’t have to be made on a compressed timeline; it just has to be made. Call (310) 928-0920 to schedule your confidential consultation.
The years of wardrobe management, posture adjustment, and avoidance of poolside situations that gynecomastia has produced for most patients are years that don’t need to continue. The surgical correction that addresses the condition permanently is one consultation away — and that consultation is available at Simply Males, the Beverly Hills practice specifically built for male aesthetic concerns.
Medically reviewed by David N. Sayah, MD, MD, FACS on
Posted on behalf of
436 North Bedford Drive Suite 202
Beverly Hills, CA 90210
Phone: (310) 928-0920
