[Gynecomastia]

Gynaecomastia is a benign enlargement of the male breast commonly occurring in healthy adolescent boys and in adults (50 to 80 years old). It is a source of cosmetic and psychologic problems. The secondary forms usually require no therapy other than the removal of any identified inciting cause. Most of the idiopathic forms last only a few months and then gradually disappear. In secondary gynaecomastia and idiopathic forms present for more than 12 months a medical hormonal treatment often fails and the only therapy is surgery consisting in a subtotal subcutaneous mastectomy. In the last years the surgical treatment is often completed with suction lipectomy: this procedure reduces the surgical traumatism. The authors present their experience concerning 47 patients: 27 were surgical treated with subcutaneous subtotal mastectomy and 18 had an abjunctive liposuction treatment with good results.