Gynecomastia Surgery in West Palm Beach, FL

Gynecomastia Surgery in West Palm Beach, FL is performed by Dr. Albert Carlotti at BellaNova Cosmetic Surgery's state-registered Level III surgical center at 1261 S Congress Ave in West Palm Beach.

Gynecomastia is enlargement of the male breast, and it is common — affecting a substantial proportion of men at some point, whether at puberty, with certain medications, with weight change or with age. It is also, for many men, a condition they have organized their clothing and their behavior around for years without ever discussing.

The most important thing to establish is what the enlargement is made of, because that determines the operation entirely.

Am I a candidate for gynecomastia surgery?

Surgery is considered when:

• Chest fullness persists at a stable, healthy weight
• A firm, disc-like mass is palpable beneath the nipple
• The nipple-areolar complex is enlarged or puffy
• The condition affects clothing, activity or confidence
• It has been stable for at least a year, with any reversible medical cause investigated

Where enlargement is recent, unilateral, tender or rapidly progressive, medical evaluation comes first — endocrine causes, medications and, rarely, other pathology are excluded before any surgical planning.

Gland, fat, or both

Fat (pseudogynecomastia). Soft, diffuse, distributed like fat elsewhere. Responds well to liposuction alone.

Glandular tissue. Firm, rubbery, concentrated in a disc directly beneath the areola. It does not respond to liposuction — a cannula passes through it. It must be excised directly, through a small incision at the lower border of the areola. Attempting to treat true glandular gynecomastia with liposuction alone is the most common reason a patient arrives with a persistent lump after previous surgery elsewhere.

Both, which is usual. Liposuction to contour and blend the chest wall, plus direct excision of the glandular disc. The two are complementary: excision alone can leave a crater beneath the areola if the surrounding fat is not blended.

Skin excess. After major weight loss or in longstanding severe cases, skin will not retract and requires excision, with the nipple repositioned. This adds scar and is discussed specifically.

The crater deformity. Over-resecting gland directly beneath the areola leaves a depression that is conspicuous and difficult to correct. A small, deliberate cuff of tissue is preserved beneath the areola for this reason.

Recovery timeline

Every recovery is individual. This is the pattern most patients follow, and you will receive a written plan specific to your procedure.

When	What to expect
Days 1–3	Compression vest worn continuously. Soreness rather than severe pain for most patients.
Days 4–7	Most patients return to desk work. Bruising prominent.
Weeks 2–4	Light activity. Vest continues. Chest feels firm — normal healing.
Weeks 4–6	Full exercise resumed on clearance, chest work last.
Months 3–6	Swelling resolved and contour clear. Areolar scars fading.

Risks and considerations

Risks include hematoma (notably more common in male chest surgery, which is why compression and blood pressure control matter), contour irregularity, crater deformity from over-resection, asymmetry, altered nipple sensation, residual gland or skin, scarring at the areolar border, and the need for revision.

Cost and financing

Your procedure is self-pay. The practice provides a written quote for your recommended surgical plan. See cost and financing for payment options.

Before and after results

Dr. Carlotti maintains a photographic result archive organized by procedure — real patients, consistent lighting and angles, published with consent. View gynecomastia surgery before and after photographs.

Gynecomastia Surgery: questions patients ask