Available techniques to minimize scars in surgical management of gynecomastia – a comprehensive review

Objective

Gynecomastia and lipomastia are benign proliferations of the male breast affecting 32–65% of men. Numerous surgical procedures often result in stigmatizing scars when it comes to skin resection. The purpose of this study was to review skin-sparing techniques and to describe our skin-sparing approach to treat skin excess using transcutaneous netting.

Materials and Methods

A comprehensive review of the literature was conducted aiming at identifying available techniques to avoid skin resection in gynecomastia or lipomastia patients (Simon's grade IIb and III). Surgical techniques, patient satisfaction, time of follow-up, and complications were assessed.

Results

Seven studies detailed skin retraction techniques, including laser-, ultrasound-, and radiofrequency-assisted liposuction (LAL, UAL, and RAL), microneedling, and nipple-areolar complex (NAC) plaster lifting. All articles provided Simon's grade classification, with most studies including patients with and without skin laxity. Complication rates were low (1.5–10%), and patient satisfaction ranged from 87.5% to 100%.

While transcutaneous netting has been reported to reduce hematoma in gynecomastia surgery, no studies specifically examined its role in managing skin redundancy.

Conclusions

Limited data exist on scarless skin retraction techniques for gynecomastia. While LAL, UAL, and RAL show some potential, controlled studies are lacking, and skin resection is often performed for high skin redundancy. We recommend a skin-sparing approach using liposuction and transcutaneous netting for gynecomastia up to Simon's grade III, which allows for skin retraction and NAC fixation. No literature was found assessing the efficacy of transcutaneous netting in promoting skin retraction in gynecomastia.