Gynecomastia
Yes, I operate on men too.
I say it first because we hear it often in my office: “I thought the doctor didn’t operate on men.” And many men spend years self-conscious about their chest without knowing it has a name and a solution.
- Gynecomastia is enlargement of the breast gland in men. It’s more common than you think.
- It’s not only cosmetic: it’s also functional and reconstructive.
- The goal is to give your chest back its masculine shape and its definition.
Tell me what you notice in your chest and I'll tell you whether it's gynecomastia.
Dr. Saad or his team will reply. No commitment. In complete confidence.
What it is
Gynecomastia is abnormal enlargement of the breast gland in men. It doesn’t only affect how you look and how you feel: it can also have a functional and medical impact.
That’s why, when I correct it, I don’t treat it as cosmetic surgery only: it’s functional and reconstructive. The goal is to restore the natural anatomy of the male chest and bring back the definition of the pecs.
Almost always, besides the gland, there’s extra fat around it. That’s why the correction has two parts: liposuction to remove the excess fat and removal of the enlarged gland, through an incision along the lower edge of the areola. It leaves a straight scar of about 2.5 cm (1 inch) along that edge.
Where I operate
I see you for consultations in my office in Cali, and I operate in a clinic. I don’t do any procedure in my office, not even a minor one: it’s for consultations, so I can explain everything calmly before you decide.
- I operate in a fourth-level clinic
—the highest level of care in Colombia’s health system— with full medical services: inpatient care, emergency, and intensive care. The operating room is certified by the regional Health Department.
I also operate in Pereira, in a clinic of the same level.
What this surgery doesn't do
I can’t promise you we’ll find the cause. It’s almost never just one thing, and it’s hard to pin down with tests. What I always do, by protocol, is send the tissue I remove for pathology testing.
I don’t remove the whole gland. About 20% always stays under the areola: if I removed it, the areola would lose its blood supply. That’s why, although it’s rare, gynecomastia can come back.
If there’s extra skin, I only remove it if you authorize it beforehand, because it means accepting additional scars and an additional cost.
And what adverse events can occur
All of this is in the consent form you’ll sign. I’m telling you here, calmly and at home, because a decision like this isn’t made with a sheet of paper in your hand ten minutes before going into the operating room.
What’s specific to this surgery
Bleeding and hematoma. Blood can collect under the skin, and it may need to be drained or require another operation.
Blood can collect under the skin, and it may need to be drained or require another operation.
Fluid under the skin. It can collect and need draining.
It can collect and need draining.
The contour. A small dip can remain behind the areola, some irregularity or firmness, or some of the remaining tissue can be noticeable.
A small dip can remain behind the areola, some irregularity or firmness, or some of the remaining tissue can be noticeable. Sometimes it’s corrected with another procedure.
Sensation in the nipple and areola. It can change; it’s almost always temporary and, in rare cases, permanent.
It can change; it’s almost always temporary and, in rare cases, permanent.
The scars. They can end up wider, redder, or thicker than expected and need treatment.
They can end up wider, redder, or thicker than expected and need treatment.
Extra skin. Some extra or loose skin can remain, which may need a second surgery.
Some extra or loose skin can remain, which may need a second surgery.
Swelling and bruising , which can last several weeks, and changes in skin color for a while.
Which can last several weeks, and changes in skin color for a while.
And, in rare cases, damage to the skin or the areola from poor blood supply, with a higher risk in smokers.
from poor blood supply, with a higher risk in smokers.
What applies to any surgery Infection (it’s uncommon and is treated with antibiotics or, sometimes, with another surgery), allergies or reactions to medications and anesthesia, clotting problems, and blood clots that travel to the lungs.
Infection (it’s uncommon and is treated with antibiotics or, sometimes, with another surgery), allergies or reactions to medications and anesthesia, clotting problems, and blood clots that travel to the lungs. They’re uncommon, but some can be serious and even life-threatening.
If something gets complicated. Treatment may require a hospital stay and lengthen your recovery and your return to work.
Treatment may require a hospital stay and lengthen your recovery and your return to work. Those costs are paid by the patient.
What I can’t guarantee you. Neither perfect symmetry nor an exact result.
Neither perfect symmetry nor an exact result. Surgery, like medicine in general, commits to the means, not to the result.
If any of this worries you, that's exactly what we should talk about before you decide — not after.
Alternatives and other surgeries I do for men
Gynecomastia isn’t the only one. The ones men ask me for most are:
- Blepharoplasty
- Rhinoplasty
- Otoplasty
- Facelift
- Liposculpture
- Abdominal definition liposuction
- Tummy tuck
- Skin tightening after obesity treatment
- Penile girth enhancement
→ Plastic surgery for men — all of it on one page.
→ About Dr. Saad Barhoum — training, certification, and registration.
How to prepare
- 1 · The consultation.
It’s a full medical evaluation, not just a cosmetic one: we talk, go over your medical history and your tests, and look at what’s in your chest and why.
What I need you to tell me
To assess you safely and recommend the best option for your case, I need to know all of your information:
- Previous surgeries, including implants or earlier procedures.
- Medications — everything you’re taking, including vitamins and supplements.
- Medical history: illnesses, allergies, or significant conditions.
- Tests and medical records. If you have previous results, bring them to the consultation.
When it comes to your health, no information is too small.
- You don’t need to know which surgery you need. That’s my job.
What does help is arriving knowing what bothers you and what you’d like to achieve: that’s how I understand your expectations and explain the options in your case.
Ask me everything —the procedure, the risks, recovery time, the results you can expect. There are no silly questions. If you’re an adult, you can bring someone with you to the consultation, though you don’t have to. If you’re a minor, you must come with a trusted companion.
Surgery shouldn’t be an impulse decision. Take all the time you need.
- 2 · The tissue test.
By protocol, the tissue I remove goes for pathology testing. That test, and any special test, you pay for separately, directly to whoever performs it.
Getting back to your life
| Anesthesia | General, or epidural with sedation |
| How long surgery takes | About an hour and a half |
| The first week | A compression bandage |
| Compression vest | 2 months |
| Lymphatic drainage massages | If I do liposuction: 10, one a day |
| Work | Usually, at 10 days |
| Gym | At 2 months |
| Direct sun | After 3 months |
| When it shows | It shows more at three months, when only about 20% of the swelling is left |
Frequently asked questions
Does the doctor operate on men? Yes.
Yes. Gynecomastia is one of the surgeries I do for men.
Is it only cosmetic? No.
No. It’s cosmetic, but also functional and reconstructive.
Can a teenager have the surgery? Yes, from age 15, with authorization from both parents or their legal guardian.
Yes, from age 15, with authorization from both parents or their legal guardian.
Does the scar show? It’s a line of about 2.5 cm (1 inch) along the lower edge of the areola.
It’s a line of about 2.5 cm (1 inch) along the lower edge of the areola.
When can I go back to the gym? At two months.
At two months.
Can it come back? It’s rare, but yes.
It’s rare, but yes. About 20% of the gland always stays under the areola, because it can’t be removed without putting the areola at risk.
When do I go back to work? Usually, at 10 days.
Usually, at 10 days.
If you're traveling from outside Colombia
If you’re coming from another city, I recommend staying in Cali for at least 12 days, for your follow-up visits right after surgery.
The next step
If you’ve spent a long time hiding your chest under your T-shirt, you don’t have to keep doing it. Tell me what you notice and we’ll look at it, in complete confidence.
The information on this page is educational and does not replace an in-person medical consultation. No result is guaranteed: what can be achieved in your case, and its risks, are discussed in consultation and set out in the informed consent form you sign before surgery.