Service
Gynaecomastia correction (male breasts)
Gynaecomastia correction removes the tissue that makes male breasts enlarged — fatty tissue by liposuction, glandular tissue through a small incision at the edge of the areola, and, with a large excess, skin as well.
Male breasts
Enlarged breasts in men that do not go away with exercise or weight loss. They arise from growth of glandular tissue under the nipple, a build-up of fatty tissue or both. Glandular tissue is firmer and feels like a plate under the nipple; fatty tissue is softer and spread over the whole breast. If the breasts enlarge suddenly, on one side only or with pain and discharge, an examination is needed before any thought of aesthetics.
Which technique?
Liposuction is the method of choice: through two openings of a few millimetres the excess is removed with thin cannulas. The cannulas have special, sometimes sharp openings, because part of the firmer gland is removed along with the fatty tissue.
When the gland is so hard that liposuction cannot remove it, in the same procedure part of it is drawn out piece by piece with small instruments through an incision of about 1.5 cm at the edge of the areola. Without this, a bulge would be left under the nipple after recovery. Today we avoid the classic technique — a large incision around the areola and cutting out tissue: it leaves sharp edges and unevenness on the chest, so it is kept only for older men with a large excess of skin, when nothing else is possible.
Why does it happen?
The male breast has an undeveloped mammary gland; when it grows, we speak of gynaecomastia. The cause is most often a temporary or lasting change in the balance of hormones, and very often simply weight gain — the male breast is one of the places where fatty tissue builds up first.
Five types of gynaecomastia — and what is done for each
At Barbel we divide gynaecomastia by what the breast is made of, because the technique depends on that, not on size.
- Made up of glandular tissue — a firm plate under the nipple, little fat; common in men who exercise intensively. It is treated surgically, through an incision at the edge of the areola.
- Made up mostly of fatty tissue — soft, with no firm plate. It is treated with liposuction.
- Gland and fatty tissue — the most common form. Liposuction, and the rest of the gland is removed through a small incision in the same procedure.
- With obesity — a lot of fatty tissue and some gland. Liposuction with removal of the remainder; if the skin is stretched, excess skin is also assessed.
- In older age or after major weight loss — fatty tissue and loose skin. Liposuction and removal of excess skin, with a more visible scar.
Which type applies to you becomes clear at the examination, by palpation and, where needed, by ultrasound or MRI; the technique and the scar that remains from it are agreed accordingly.
After the procedure
A compression vest is worn for six weeks — without it the skin does not tighten as it should and excess may remain. The glandular tissue that is removed is sent for histopathological analysis.
When is the procedure not suitable?
The procedure is not done until the cause has been clarified — hormones, medicines, liver or testicular disease are investigated first, because otherwise the removed breast could come back. In puberty we wait for adulthood and stable hormone levels. When there is also asymmetry of the chest wall, it is taken into account in the plan, because correction of the breast can partly conceal it.
General reasons for postponing a procedure (inflammation, a clotting disorder, smoking): When is a procedure postponed?
Anaesthesia
Before a procedure under general or regional anaesthesia, you are seen by the anaesthetist, who works full time at the clinic; the same doctor is also present during the procedure. The anaesthetic assessment and the anaesthesia for larger operations are included in the price of the procedure. What happens before, during and after anaesthesia is described on the Anaesthesia page.
Risks
Occasional — a collection of fluid or blood that is drained, unevenness that smooths out as the swelling goes down, residual gland under the nipple that needs a touch-up procedure, a change in the sensation of the nipple, a dent under the areola if too much has been removed.
Expected, and rare but serious → Risks and complications: what is the course of healing, and what is a complication?
Price
| Service | Price |
|---|---|
| Gynaecomastia correction with liposuction | €2,500–3,000 |
| Gynaecomastia correction with surgical removal of the gland | €2,500–3,000 |
| Gynaecomastia correction with liposuction and surgery | €3,000–3,500 |
| Gynaecomastia correction with reduction of excess skin | €3,500–4,000 |
Specialist and team
Specialty: plastic, reconstructive and aesthetic surgery.
When the procedure is done under sedation or general anaesthesia, the anaesthesia is led by a specialist in anaesthesiology, resuscitation and intensive care who works full time at the clinic.
In the operating theatre, the surgeon is assisted by head nurse Martina Šereg, with the help of nurses Kristina Jurešić and Mateja Tomorad, and in recovery the care assistant Mirjana Kovačić is with you. Martina also looks after preparation, scheduling and contact after the procedure.
Who will operate is decided at the examination, based on the findings and the type of procedure. You know the name of the surgeon before the procedure and meet them at the examination.
What happens at the examination?
The first examination lasts 30 to 45 minutes on average. The surgeon examines the area you are concerned about, asks about illnesses, medicines, allergies and previous operations, and talks with you about what you expect. If the procedure is appropriate and likely to help, you receive a plan: which procedure is proposed, under which anaesthesia, what recovery looks like and what is included in the price. If the procedure is not needed or would not give you what you expect, you will hear that at the examination too.
What if the result is not as agreed?
The result of a procedure is assessed at a follow-up visit, once the swelling has gone down and the scar has matured, not in the first weeks. If it differs from what was agreed at the examination, the same surgeon carries out the correction.
→ Poliklinika Barbel's correction policy
In the same visit
- Liposuction — along with breast correction, liposuction of the flanks and abdomen is often done, in the same procedure.
Frequently asked questions
Is it a female breast? No. It is a male breast that is similar in volume to a female one; it differs in shape, structure and nipple. It is a benign change.
Will it show that I have had an operation? The aim of the technique through small punctures and a small incision at the areola is precisely that it does not show. A man is bare-chested at the beach, so this matters more here than with most other procedures.
Can it be operated on in puberty? Pubertal gynaecomastia often goes away by itself. If it remains after puberty, the procedure is planned in adulthood, when his hormones are stable. Until then, the most important thing for him is that someone takes the problem seriously, because the people around him can be very cruel at that age.
Does gynaecomastia come back? The gland that has been removed does not come back. Fatty tissue follows body weight — if weight increases significantly, the breast can fill out again. If the cause (hormones, a medicine) has not been removed, the gland can come back too.
Can medicines cause male breasts? Yes. Some medicines for the stomach, heart, prostate and mental health, as well as anabolic steroids, can stimulate growth of the gland. If you started taking a new medicine before your breasts enlarged, tell us at the examination; sometimes a change of treatment is enough, in agreement with the doctor who prescribed it.
Will the nipple stay sensitive? In the first months, sensation in the nipple can be reduced or heightened, and as a rule it returns. A lasting change in sensation is rare.
How much does the result depend on care after the procedure? The larger the procedure, the more it depends on it, but it always does. Healing takes weeks and months and happens almost entirely at home, so the instructions you receive when you go home, about the wound, physical activity and the scar, are part of the procedure, not a recommendation.
Medical review: doctors of Poliklinika Barbel · October 2026.