Male breast reduction is a surgical procedure that removes excess fat, tissue, or skin in your breasts. It does not only help achieve a more masculine-looking chest but also addresses physical and emotional discomforts associated with enlarged breasts. But in order to achieve the best clinical outcome with a lower risk of complications, there are some important things that you need to do. Read on to know more about the strategies to speed up your healing time after male breast reduction surgery.
Wear your Compression Garments Religiously
After male breast reduction surgery, you will need to wear your compression garments 23 hours a day. The remaining 1 hour should be used to take a shower, clean the incision sites, and allow the area to dry. Once the incision sites are clean and dry, you will need to reapply the compression garments to provide continuous support to your chest area. Make sure that you can put one finger in between the garment and your body to prevent impairment in blood circulation. Also, you will need to readjust and reposition your compression garments every 2 hours to prevent skin breakdown.
Wearing your compression garments religiously after male breast reduction surgery has the following benefits:
- It facilitates skin retraction which allows your skin to adjust to the new contours of your breasts.
- It reduces postoperative swelling by providing gentle pressure on your breasts and surrounding structures which in turn reduces fluid build-up.
- It reduces bruising around the incision sites by compressing the blood vessels in your breasts.
- It reduces pain by providing support and exerting gentle pressure on your breasts.
- It protects against infection by acting as a physical barrier against microorganisms.
- It reduces scar visibility by softening and breaking down hard scar tissue.
Avoid Placing Tension or Excessive Pressure on your Incision Sites
While using liposuction to remove fat from your breasts requires smaller incisions, you will still need to be extra careful to prevent any complications. To know more about male breast reduction surgery using liposuction, please visit https://www.cosmosclinic.com.au/men/man-boobs-liposuction/.
If you have excess breast fat, tissue, or skin, you may need to undergo both liposuction and surgical excision. While this combination will help achieve optimal results, you will also require more incisions. In this case, you will need to avoid activities that can place tension or excessive pressure on your incision sites. To prevent further injury:
- Avoid lifting your hands above your head.
- Avoid scratching your incision sites.
- Avoid strenuous exercises and activities that require heavy lifting.
- Do not engage in contact sports.
- Do not massage your breasts until the surgical wounds have fully healed.
- Do not sleep on your chest or side for 2 weeks.
Avoid Activities that Can Delay Wound Healing
Several factors such as infection, impaired blood circulation, bleeding, and injury can delay the wound healing process. To speed up the healing of your incision sites:
- Avoid cigarette smoking as it can impair blood flow by causing your blood vessels to narrow.
- Do not apply ice directly to your incision sites as it can damage your skin.
- Do not take medications or supplements that can increase your risk of bleeding.
- Do not touch the incision sites with your bare hands as it can lead to infection.
Eat Healthy and Stay Hydrated
The main goal after male breast reduction surgery is to speed up the healing of your wounds. The good news is that by making slight dietary modifications, you can achieve this goal. To do this, you will need to consume foods that are rich in protein, a nutrient that is essential in building and repairing muscles, skin, and tissues. To load up on protein, you should include the following foods in your diet:
- Beans
- Chicken
- Dairy products
- Fish
- Lean meats
- Nuts
- Seafood
You will also need to stay hydrated by increasing water and fluid intake to at least 2-3 litres per day. This is because water is a major component of your blood and it helps transport essential nutrients to and from the cells of your body.
How you care for your body after male breast reduction will have a great impact on the results of the procedure. Make sure to strictly follow the postoperative instructions to achieve your desired results.