Are you eager to learn when you will be working out after Gynecomastia surgery? Gynecomastia is a condition that affects around half of all men at some point in their lives. Due to fluctuations in sex hormones, the man grows female-like breasts. Experiencing excess breast growth as a man can be incredibly distressing. Many men avoid situations such as swimming or intimacy if it means taking their shirts off.
Gynecomastia surgery involves the use of tiny incisions and the removal of glandular tissue that has caused the breasts to swell. Fatty tissue is removed using liposuction. In the case of severe gynecomastia, excess skin is also cut away.
After surgery, many men want to know the best time to work out after recovery. They want to build the muscles of their chest to make their body more impressive. Now that they no longer have to worry about female-like breasts, they want an attractive chest. Working out after gyno surgery is the best way to build a chest you can be proud of.
The Choice to Pursue Gynecomastia Surgery
Credit: Jam Press/@dannnysmithh
Like Danny, many men wake up one day and notice they have swelling of the chest. Their man boobs make them feel emasculated and can exacerbate mental health issues such as depression and anxiety. These men find themselves desperate for a solution.
Gynecomastia surgery makes the chest flatter and more masculine. The best way to maintain results and make the chest more impressive, is to work out following breast reduction surgery.
What Do the Results of Gynecomastia Surgery Look Like?
There is no one answer as to how the chest will look after gynecomastia surgery. Your results will depend on how much tissue was removed and the amount of tissue that remains. Surgical results are also influenced by the anatomy of the pectoral muscle and ribs, as well as the quality of your skin.
Following male breast reduction surgery, you can expect a new chest contour without puffy nipples or the appearance of female-like breasts. Your chest will become more normalized in appearance. You can improve your chest once fully healed by building muscle around the area.
When Is Working Out After Gynecomastia Surgery Recommended?
Gynecomastia surgeryrequires some downtime following the procedure, as all surgeries do. But when compared to other cosmetic surgeries, male breast reduction tends to be among the easiest to recover from. Gynecomastia doctors tell you to rest up once you return home from the surgical center. How much rest and relaxation are needed is based on several factors.
How Much Tissue Was Removed
Gynecomastia surgery involves the removal of glandular breast tissue and fatty tissue. In some cases, excess skin tissue is also removed. The more tissue is cut away from your body, the longer you may have to recover. For men with mild gynecomastia, recovery may indeed be faster.
How Fast Your Body Heals
People heal at different rates. How fast you heal depends on your general health, how healthily you eat, and how much you stay hydrated. Genetics also plays a part. Whether you are a slow or fast healer, ensure your body is ready for exercise before you resume working out after Gynecomastia surgery—when will be a joint decision between you and your gynecomastia specialist.
How Well You Adhere to Post-Surgical Guidelines
Your gynecomastia surgeon will give you a list of aftercare guidelines to follow. These include:
- Sleeping in a reclined position
- What medications to take and how often
- Eating a soft diet and liquids at the beginning of recovery
- How to care for your surgical wounds
- The best way to perform chest massages
- The duration you should wear your chest compression vest
- How to bathe
If you follow these guidelines strictly, you’ll be working out after Gynecomastia surgery before you know it.
Start Working Out After Gynecomastia Surgery Slowly
While you are engaging in rest and recovery, you should not necessarily stay bedridden. It would be best to avoid heavy-weight exercises until your chest heals, but you can engage in light cardio. Doing so will keep your body fit enough for faster recovery. You’ll also keep your body fat down so the results of your surgery become more apparent.
You can do light cardio exercises such as walking when you feel stable. Walking a short distance a few times daily can keep your circulation flowing to the lower extremities. Walking also prevents post-surgical blood clots, which is a very good thing.
After a week of walking, you should be healthy enough to return to work (as long as your job is not overly strenuous). During the first ten days, you can do many of the things you normally would, such as showering, having sex, and going for slow jogs, as long as you don’t push yourself too hard. Yoga and self-massage of the chest are also recommended.
You should be well enough for more intense exercises within two weeks following gynecomastia surgery. Examples of exercises at this stage in your recovery include pushups, swimming, and running.
Three weeks after surgery, you can begin working out after Gynecomastia Surgery. It is then you can start engaging in strong, concentrated chest muscle exercises.
When Can You Hit the Gym and Work Out After Gynecomastia Surgery?
Men with gyno often want to know when to revisit the gym and work out after Gynecomastia surgery. When you are ready for chest exercises, you can hit the gym and work out after Gynecomastia surgery with light workouts. Your muscles will not be as strong as they were before surgery. If you go too hard, you may injure yourself.
It is recommended that you start with machine workouts initially until the muscles of your chest are fully healed. Only then should you progress to free weights. Machines are preferred because they allow for a controlled workout, which will help to prevent injury. Free weights can be resumed after your strength has returned to pre-surgery levels.
Chest Workout After Gynecomastia Surgery for Killer Pecs
To prevent sagging, working out after gyno surgery and chest massage are highly recommended. To understand how to exercise the chest, you should be mindful of two important muscles in the chest area: the pectoral muscle and the serratus anterior muscle.
The pectoral muscles in your chest connect the front of the chest with the bones of the upper arm and shoulder. The Pectoralis major, as the muscle is called, is thick and shaped like a fan. That’s the muscle you see when you flex.
To work the bottom portion of the pectoral muscles, knee push-ups work well. Get on your knees, then assume a pushup position. Lower your chest to the floor, then extend back up. Repeat these motions for eight to twelve repetitions, then do two more sets with a thirty-second break in between.
To work the upper pectoral muscles, do the same exercise, except your knees will be elevated on a bench or chair. Place your knees on the elevated platform with your hands on the floor in a pushup position. Lower your chest to the floor before extending back up. Do three sets of eight to twelve repetitions as you did with the first exercise.
The serratus anterior muscle is best referred to as the big swing muscle. Some also call it the boxer’s muscle because it is responsible for the protraction of the scapula (shoulder blade).
To work the serratus anterior muscle, which is the muscle group on the side of your rib cage, a series of modified abdominal exercises are best. The foot two-foot crunch starts with you lying on your back. Reach for one heel and squeeze your serratus anterior muscle when your body is twisted to the side.
Then, reach for the other heel and squeeze. Repeat the squeezes on both sides for eight to twelve repetitions each, then do two more sets. This exercise works your serratus anterior and oblique muscles simultaneously.
Don’t solely focus on chest exercises after gynecomastia surgery if you want a well-rounded body. Instead, choose compound exercises that work the whole body, such as:
- Bench press and bent over rows (chest and back)
- Squats and shoulder presses (legs and shoulders)
- Dumbbell curls and lunges (Biceps and hamstrings)
- Triceps extensions and chest flyes (Triceps and chest)
Don’t forget the abdominal exercises if you want the coveted six-pack.
Remember to Eat Right to Build the Best Body Following Gynecomastia Surgery
Working out after Gynecomastia surgery is the best way to maintain results, but keeping your body fat low also helps. Building muscle won’t be as impressive if all your hard work is covered over by fatty tissue.
If you have unhealthy eating habits, your recovery from gynecomastia surgery is the time to curb them. Avoid stressful eating and other binge eating activities. While you are at it, stay away from processed foods as best you can. Stick to a low-fat, healthy diet chock full of lean protein sources, vegetables, fruit, and healthy carbohydrates such as those containing whole grains.
Get used to cooking your meals instead of relying on meals prepared by restaurants and fast food establishments. When cooking at home, focus on boiling, broiling, and baking instead of frying. While you’re at it, do your best to reduce stress, which can cause you to overeat and reach for unhealthy foods. Meditation and engaging in mindful exercises like yoga can help.
Stay hydrated as well. Drinking up to 64 ounces of water each day can help you lose weight and maintain your weight loss.
If you stick to healthy eating while reducing your stress and keeping hydrated, you will maintain your gynecomastia surgical results. You’ll also build a terrific body to complement your impressive chest muscles.
Conclusion
- Working out after gynecomastia surgery allows you to trade your chest fat for rock-hard muscle—your man boobs for pecs. Surgery is also akin to a metamorphosis, where you emerge from a cocoon of self-doubt and insecurity into a fully realized, confident man.
- Exercise after gynecomastia surgery can boost the results you receive from surgery and increase your self-esteem to an even higher degree.
- For best results, it is recommended that you start working out before undergoing gynecomastia surgery. This may seem counterproductive since you must take a break during the recovery period. However, having muscles in the chest area can help the surgeon determine how best to contour the chest during the procedure.
- Surgery results will be more pleasing if you engage in chest workouts when gynecomastia surgery is planned.
Are you ready to plan male breast reduction surgery? Doing so could give you the body of your dreams, like our English drywall fixer, Danny. If surgery makes you nervous, heed the advice of Thomas Jefferson, who said, “If you want something you’ve never had, you must be willing to do something you’ve never done.” Having male breast reduction surgery qualifies.
You can learn more about gynecomastia surgery when is working out after Gynecomastia surgery and determine if you are a suitable candidate by scheduling a consultation with Doctor Babak Moeinolmolki. Call the Gynecomastia Surgery Center of Los Angeles at (310)694-4486.
Even if you don’t live in Southern California, make this one call, which could positively change your life. Don’t Google “Gynecomastia doctors near me.” Instead, call Doctor Moeinolmolki, who frequently helps those who live out of town. Pick up the phone now to book your consultation.Re
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Dr.Babak Moeinolmolki
LA Cosmetic Surgeon Dr. Moein is board-certified by the American Board of General Surgery.