Can I have plastic surgery the same day as my consultation?

This is usually less likely, unless it is a very small procedure done under local anaesthesia and a procedure room slot is available. Singapore MOH regulation also mandates at least a one-week cooling period following consultation for local patients. Additional medical clearance or tests may be required prior to surgery.

Can I have a video consultation/telemedicine consultation?

Yes. Video consultations are suitable especially for out-of-town patients. For local patients, in-person consultation is still preferred. Video consultations will not be recorded and require pre-payment.

I want to do surgery, but I’m so afraid of the pain. What should I do?

It’s expected to have some pain after surgery. At Argent, appropriate analgesia (oral, local anesthesia, or patient-controlled analgesia) will be provided. Supportive garments may also be used postoperatively to reduce swelling and improve comfort.

Can I have more than one procedure done during the same surgery?

Yes, it is possible to combine multiple procedures, depending on the surgery type and postoperative care needs. For more extensive surgeries, sometimes procedures are staged to ensure maximal safety and optimal outcomes.

Should I bring someone along with me during the consultation?

Bringing a close friend, family member, or spouse can provide emotional support. However, if you come alone, that is also acceptable—Dr Lee Hanjing will provide a written discussion of the procedures and cover your questions.

What should I bring to the consultation?

Bring your full medical and surgical history, current medications and supplements, and a list of questions you wish to ask. This helps the surgeon better understand your needs and propose a suitable plan.

Is there a consultation fee?

Yes. Dr Lee Hanjing performs consultations personally, taking time to understand your concerns, examine you, and create a customized plan. The consultation fee reflects this level of personal care and expertise.

Gynecomastia Surgery in Singapore
(Man Boob Removal)

Gynecomastia, commonly referred to as enlarged male breast tissue or "man boobs," is a physical condition that affects a significant number of men, often developing during puberty or later in life. At Argent Plastic Surgery, we offer dedicated surgical options tailored to your specific anatomy, assessed personally by Dr Lee Hanjing (FAMS, Plastic Surgery) to determine the most appropriate approach for each patient's anatomy and underlying cause.

Every consultation is private, unhurried, and conducted personally by Dr Lee Hanjing, with time taken to understand each patient's concerns before any treatment is discussed.

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Consultation

What Is Gynecomastia?

Gynecomastia is the benign enlargement of male breast tissue, which can occur on one or both sides of the chest. The composition of this tissue varies from person to person and typically consists of either soft fatty tissue, firmer breast glandular tissue, or a combination of both.

In some cases, the glandular tissue may feel tender, and the areola (the dark area around the nipple) may expand or project forward. When the condition presents primarily as "puffy nipples," it can still cause noticeable physical and psychological discomfort.

True Gynecomastia vs. Pseudogynecomastia

Understanding what makes up the excess tissue is essential because it dictates your treatment pathway and financial planning:

True Gynecomastia: Involves the development of actual glandular breast tissue, usually triggered by a hormonal imbalance. It typically feels like a firm, distinct disc of tissue directly beneath the areola. Once confirmed via post-operative histology (laboratory tissue analysis), true gynecomastia surgery is generally eligible for Medisave and insurance coverage in Singapore.
Pseudogynecomastia: Refers to chest enlargement caused purely by excess fatty tissue rather than glandular growth. While it alters the contour of the chest similarly, it does not involve gland tissue and is typically categorised as a cosmetic concern, making it ineligible for Medisave claims.

Types of Gynecomastia

Type	Clinical Description	Path pathway
Physiological	Arises from natural hormonal fluctuations during milestones like infancy, puberty, or older adulthood.	Often resolves naturally within months or a few years; surgery is considered if it persists well into adulthood.
Pathological	Triggered by an underlying medical condition, such as thyroid dysfunction, liver or kidney disease, or hormone-producing tumors.	Requires a thorough medical investigation to treat the root cause before any local chest surgery can be planned.
Idiopathic	The most common adult presentation, where tissue enlargement occurs gradually over time with no identifiable medical or hormonal trigger.	Diagnosed after ruling out other conditions; managed directly via surgical contouring based on the patient's anatomy.

What Causes Gynecomastia?

True gynecomastia is driven by a shift in the balance between the hormones testosterone and estrogen. When estrogen levels are relatively high, the glandular tissue responds by expanding. This frequently happens during natural life transitions:

At Birth: Increased maternal oestrogen may temporarily cause breast tissue enlargement, usually resolving within weeks.
During Puberty: Hormonal changes between ages 10 and 20 can cause persistent breast tissue growth, leading to psychological distress.
Older Adulthood: Reduced testosterone levels after age 50 may contribute to chest wall enlargement.

Conversely, pseudogynecomastia is primarily linked to body weight, diet, and lifestyle, where fat cells naturally cluster over the pectoral muscles without gland development.

Certain external factors can trigger or worsen both true and pseudogynecomastia. These include the long-term use of anabolic steroids, specific antidepressants, heart medications, anti-anxiety remedies, regular alcohol consumption, and certain antibiotics.

Who Is Suitable for Gynecomastia Surgery?

Many men live with an enlarged chest for years, adjusting their clothing or avoiding public swimming pools before seeking medical advice. Generally, any healthy man whose chest enlargement has not resolved with lifestyle changes, weight loss, or time can be evaluated for surgery.

True Gynecomastia (Glandular): Patients with confirmed glandular breast tissue, often felt as a firm disc beneath the areola, who are typically eligible for Medisave coverage once the diagnosis is confirmed on histology.
Pseudogynecomastia (Fatty): Patients whose chest enlargement is primarily from fat accumulation, where liposuction alone, without glandular excision, addresses the contour concern.
Mixed Presentation: Patients with both fatty and glandular tissue, who benefit from a combined approach using liposuction and glandular excision in a single procedure.

If your evaluation reveals an active hormonal abnormality, we will always prioritise managing and stabilising the underlying hormone levels before exploring surgical options.

Consultation and Planning

An in-depth discussion will be conducted during the initial consultation to understand your general health and the symptoms associated with gynecomastia, followed by a thorough examination and evaluation of the size, volume and nature of the gynecomastia.

A key objective of the consultation is to determine whether the breast enlargement is due to fatty tissue (pseudogynecomastia), true glandular tissue, or a combination, as this directly influences the surgical approach and Medisave and insurance eligibility.

For local patients, a minimum one-week cooling period is required between the initial consultation and any elective surgical procedure, in accordance with MOH guidelines. This gives every patient time to consider the options and arrive at a decision without pressure.

During this visit, 3D pictures using the Quantificare 3D camera will be taken to aid with the evaluation and discussion.

Following this, blood tests will be arranged to assess hormone levels, and an ultrasound may be performed to rule out any suspicious lesions. Bringing prior scans, reports, or blood tests is recommended.

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The Gynecomastia Surgery Procedure

Gynecomastia surgery is typically performed under general anaesthesia, either as a day surgery or an overnight stay. Incisions are carefully placed around the areola to ensure scars are well-camouflaged. The procedure often involves:

Liposuction: To remove excess fatty tissue.
Excision of Breast Gland: To remove firmer glandular tissue.
Combination Approach: Where both fatty and glandular tissues are present, liposuction and excision are performed together to address the chest contour in a single procedure.

Non-surgical methods are limited for glandular tissue. True glandular tissue is dense and fibrous; it cannot be dissolved by exercise, weight loss, or non-invasive fat-freezing treatments. While non-surgical external lipolysis (fat breakdown treatments) may slightly reduce pure fat deposits in pseudogynecomastia, the outcomes are highly variable and temporary, making surgery the definitive choice for lasting results.

Recovery After Gynecomastia Surgery

Recovery generally spans about two weeks, with most patients returning to normal life in stages. A typical recovery timeline:

First Few Days: Discomfort, swelling, and bruising are typical and managed with prescribed pain medication. If drains were placed during surgery, these are typically removed the following day.
Day Two to Three Onwards: Light daily activities can usually resume, with most patients returning to desk-based work within this period.
First Six Weeks: A compression garment is typically worn over the chest for around six weeks to support healing and reduce swelling, while upper-body workouts and sports are avoided during this period.
Around Three Months: The swelling has largely settled by this point, and the final chest contour becomes apparent.

Regular follow-up appointments are scheduled to monitor healing and answer any questions that come up in the early weeks of recovery.

Medisave, Insurance, and Cost

If breast glandular tissue is removed, histological testing is performed to confirm gynecomastia. Such cases are typically eligible for Medisave or insurance claims, though patients should verify coverage with their insurance provider. Argent Plastic Surgery can support the documentation process required for claims assessment, including referral letters and post-operative histology reports where applicable.

The price of the surgery depends on the extent of tissue involved, whether liposuction alone or a combined approach is required, the type of anaesthesia used, and the associated facility fees.

A detailed breakdown is provided following consultation, once the surgical approach has been confirmed.

Your Journey With Us

Gynecomastia is a sensitive concern for many men, and we understand that the decision to seek assessment is often a private and considered one. Argent Plastic Surgery is structured to make the process as discreet and unhurried as possible, with all consultations conducted privately and in confidence. Dr Lee Hanjing sees every patient personally in a one-to-one setting and patient information is handled in accordance with Singapore healthcare privacy regulations at every stage.

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Private Consultation

Frequently Asked Questions about Gynecomastia Surgery

What are the risks and possible complications of gynecomastia surgery?

As with any surgical procedure, gynecomastia surgery carries certain risks and complications:

Anaesthesia-Related Risk: As the procedure is performed under general anaesthesia, there is a small risk associated with anaesthesia, which is assessed and discussed by the anaesthetist before surgery.
Bleeding or Haematoma Formation: There is a small risk of post-operative bleeding or collection of blood at the surgical site, which may require further management.
Fluid or Seroma Accumulation: Fluid can collect at the surgical site after significant tissue removal, and drains are placed during surgery in larger cases to reduce this risk.
Temporary Nipple Sensory Changes: Some patients experience temporary changes in nipple sensation after surgery, which typically improve with time.
Chest Wall Asymmetry: A small degree of asymmetry may remain, and in some cases, revision surgery is considered to refine the final contour.
Scarring Considerations: Scars are generally well camouflaged at the areolar junction, though there is a risk of hypertrophic or keloidal scarring in patients who are genetically prone to it.
Infection: As with any surgical procedure, there is a small risk of infection at the surgical site, which is managed with appropriate post-operative care.

Dr Lee Hanjing discusses each of these openly during pre-operative planning, so every patient feels informed and prepared going into surgery.

How painful is gynecomastia surgery?

Does gynecomastia surgery leave a scar?

Can I exercise after gynecomastia surgery?

Do man boobs go away on their own?

Do man boobs come back even after surgery?

There is a small potential for this occurring if the initial development of your gynecomastia is a result of medical conditions that cause hormonal imbalances or if you continue to take medications known to cause gynecomastia to develop after surgery. In most cases, however, once the glandular tissue has been removed and the contributing factors are addressed, the chest contour remains stable in the long term.

How do I know if I have true gynecomastia or just excess chest fat?

True gynecomastia involves actual glandular breast tissue, often felt as a firm disc beneath the areola, while excess chest fat (pseudogynecomastia) is soft and more diffuse across the chest. A definitive diagnosis requires clinical examination and, in some cases, an ultrasound to differentiate between the two. The distinction matters because the treatment approach and Medisave eligibility differ.

Is gynecomastia surgery covered by Medisave or insurance?

How long does gynecomastia surgery take, and will I need to stay overnight?

Gynecomastia surgery typically takes around one and a half to three hours, depending on the extent of tissue involved and whether a combined liposuction and excision approach is required. Most patients have the procedure as day surgery and return home the same day. An overnight stay is available for patients who prefer to recover at the hospital, and is sometimes recommended when more extensive tissue removal has been performed.