Gynaecomastia surgery at a glance
- Duration30 min to 2 hours
- AnaesthesiaLocal with sedation or general
- Hospital stayDay surgery
- Time off work7 to 15 days
- Final result3 months
- Price€2,500 to €5,000
Gynaecomastia is excessive development of the mammary gland in men, on one side or both; it is often associated with excess fat (adipomastia). After a work-up that rules out an underlying cause requiring treatment, surgery removes the excess gland through a short scar and suctions out the fat by liposuction; the skin is tightened if the chest is sagging. The procedure takes 30 minutes to 2 hours, under local anaesthesia with sedation or general anaesthesia, as day surgery at the Clinique Oxford in Cannes. Time off work is 7 to 15 days; the shape is final at 3 months, the scars at 1 year.
Price: €2,500 to €5,000, on a written quote after the consultation (€100).
Gynaecomastia or adipomastia: what is the difference?
Gynaecomastia is an excess of mammary gland; adipomastia is an excess of fat in the male chest. The two are often combined (mixed gynaecomastia). The distinction matters because it determines the technique: fat can be removed by liposuction, whereas the gland, which is firm, has to be removed surgically. It is a common problem, and often difficult to live with.
What causes gynaecomastia?
A work-up (clinical examination, hormone tests, ultrasound) is needed to look for a cause.
- Secondary gynaecomastia: obesity, a hormonal problem, testicular cancer, a benign or malignant breast tumour. Treatment is then that of the cause.
- Essential (idiopathic) gynaecomastia: no cause is found. This is the only form for which surgery is considered.
Which technique for which type of gynaecomastia?
The technique depends on the consistency of the chest (fatty, glandular or mixed) and on whether there is ptosis (sagging chest).
| Situation | Technique | Scars |
|---|---|---|
| Fatty chest (adipomastia), no ptosis | Liposuction alone | Millimetre-sized |
| Glandular or mixed chest, no ptosis | Gland removal + liposuction of the fat | Short scar below the areola, below the breast or along its outer edge |
| Mild to moderate ptosis | Gland removal + skin lift | Around the areola |
| Moderate to severe ptosis | Gland removal + skin lift | Around the areola and below the breast |
| Major ptosis | Removal of gland and skin, areolas repositioned as grafts | Below the breast and around the areolas |
A small amount of gland is left behind the areola to keep the nipple’s projection and avoid a hollow. The areola can be reduced at the same time.
Gynaecomastia in diagrams
Fat or gland?
Mixed: fat and a firm gland behind the areola; liposuction and gland removal are combined.
In yellow, fat; in pink, mammary gland.
Gland removal + liposuction
Glandular or mixed chest, no ptosis: short scar below the areola.
No stitches need removing; the scars are final at 1 year.
Flattening the chest
Before: mixed gynaecomastia, fat and gland.
A small amount of gland is kept behind the areola to avoid a hollow.
Before and after photos
Glandular gynaecomastia
Removal of the gland through a periareolar incision
Mixed gynaecomastia
Liposuction and removal of the gland beneath the areola
Adipomastia
Liposuction alone
Mixed gynaecomastia (gynaeco-adipomastia)
Man aged 20: areola reduction, removal of the gland and liposuction of the fatty component
- Glandular (pure) gynaecomastia: removal of the gland through a scar around the areola; three-quarter view.
- Mixed gynaecomastia: liposuction and removal of the gland through a short scar below the areola; front view.
- Adipomastia: liposuction alone; front view.
- Mixed gynaecomastia (gynaeco-adipomastia) in a 20-year-old man: areola reduction, removal of the mammary gland and liposuction of the fatty component.
See all gynaecomastia before and after photos
Dr Médard de Chardon’s experience
- Qualified plastic surgeon in plastic, reconstructive and aesthetic surgery, former Chef de Clinique (university hospital senior registrar), Nice Faculty of Medicine; in practice in Cannes since 2011.
- More than 500 gynaecomastia corrections performed.
- Breast surgery: more than 1,500 breast lifts (mastopexies) and breast reductions, more than 3,000 breast implants placed.
- Member of SOFCEP (French Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery), SOFCPRE (French Society of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgery) and ISAPS (International Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery).
Who is it for, and when?
Surgery is for men bothered by an overdeveloped chest, once the work-up has been done and no cause requiring treatment has been found. In adolescents, gynaecomastia often regresses on its own: it is better to wait until the end of puberty. If you are overweight, losing weight beforehand improves the result.
How does the procedure with Dr Médard de Chardon work?
- First consultation€100 at the practice, 101 rue d’Antibes, Cannes: examination of the chest (gland, fat, skin), prescription of the work-up, photographs.
- Second consultationResults of the work-up, choice of technique; detailed written quote.
- Cooling-off periodAt least 15 days between receiving the quote and the procedure.
- ProcedureAt the Clinique Oxford in Cannes, as day surgery: 30 minutes to 2 hours, under local anaesthesia with sedation or general anaesthesia. No stitches to remove.
- Follow-upBy Dr Médard de Chardon’s team until the final result.
What is the recovery like?
- Pain: little pain.
- Compression vest: 2 to 4 weeks.
- Time off work: 7 to 15 days.
- Sport: exercise involving the upper body can resume after 4 weeks.
- Size and shape: swelling (oedema) increases the volume for the first 3 months; the result is final at 3 months.
- Scars: final at 1 year.
- Sensation: altered sensation in the chest is common and temporary; it improves over 6 months to 2 years.
Where will you be?
14 days after the procedure
What are the risks?
Complications are rare:
- haematoma or fluid collection (seroma);
- infection;
- irregularities or a small hollow below the areola, avoided by keeping a little gland;
- residual asymmetry;
- altered sensation, usually temporary;
- recurrence with weight gain or a hormonal cause.
Choosing a qualified, experienced and reputable surgeon reduces these risks, and can even eliminate some of them.
How much does gynaecomastia surgery cost, and is it reimbursed?
€2,500 to €5,000
The price is €2,500 to €5,000, on a written quote after the consultation (€100). Liposuction for adipomastia alone is cosmetic surgery and is not reimbursed.
When the examination and work-up confirm excess mammary gland (true gynaecomastia), the procedure is covered by French national health insurance (Assurance Maladie) and by your mutuelle (top-up health insurance), with no prior approval required; as Dr Médard de Chardon practises in Sector 2 (fees above the national health insurance rate), additional fees remain payable by you or by your mutuelle, depending on your policy.
Book an appointment: +33 (0)4 93 68 86 68 or Doctolib.
Frequently asked questions about gynaecomastia
Can exercise or a diet get rid of gynaecomastia?
They reduce the fatty part (adipomastia), but not the mammary gland. Glandular gynaecomastia only goes away with surgery.
Is liposuction enough to treat gynaecomastia?
Yes, if the chest is mainly fatty. If the gland is involved, it has to be removed through a short scar below the areola, in addition to liposuction.
Are gynaecomastia surgery scars visible?
Not very: without a sagging chest, the scar is short, located below the areola, below the breast or along its outer edge; liposuction leaves only millimetre-sized scars. The scars are final at 1 year.
How long should I wear the compression vest after gynaecomastia surgery?
2 to 4 weeks.
When can I return to work and sport after gynaecomastia surgery?
Work after 7 to 15 days, exercise involving the upper body after 4 weeks.
Can gynaecomastia come back?
Rarely, if the gland has been removed. Weight gain can bring back the fatty part; a hormonal cause or certain substances (anabolic steroids) can restart growth of the gland.
From what age can gynaecomastia be operated on?
After the end of puberty, as adolescent gynaecomastia often regresses on its own.
How much does gynaecomastia surgery cost?
The price is €2,500 to €5,000, on a written quote after the consultation (€100). Liposuction for adipomastia alone is cosmetic surgery and is not reimbursed.