How long is recovery after gynecomastia surgery?
Most patients take 3-4 days off work, but some go back a day or two later. For the first 48 hours after surgery, you will have a tight surgical vest over your chest, with foam padding underneath it. This stays in place for the first 48 hours. After that, the vest is removed and cleaned, and the foam is thrown away. There is no absolute rule on how much and for how long the vest must be worn, but it is clear that men who use the compression more definitely get better faster. The vest is bulky for some men, so a lot of guys get one of those tight lycra/spandex UnderArmour undershirts to wear under their clothing. I ask gynecomastia patients to wear compression for as much as they can tolerate for about the first month after surgery, but this varies according to their particular case. Stitches around the areola are dissolvable, and liposuction sutures are removed about 4-5 days after surgery.
