Is surgery right for you?
Surgery is usually the right answer when all of these are true:
- you're 18 or over and have finished growing
- the firm tissue has been there for more than a year, so it's unlikely to settle
- a GP has examined you and checked for a cause, and the warning signs have been ruled out
- your weight has been steady for some months, close to where you want it
- you've stopped anything that caused it, such as steroids, and don't plan to restart
- it bothers you enough to accept a scar, a few weeks of recovery and the cost
If one of these isn't true yet, it's usually a case of not yet rather than no.
What the operation does, in brief
There are two main parts, often combined. Liposuction, through small cuts, removes the fat around the gland and smooths the chest. Excision removes the firm gland itself, usually through a small cut along the lower edge of the areola, where the scar fades into the border of the darker skin. When there's loose, hanging skin, the surgeon may also remove skin, which means longer scars.
It's usually done under general anaesthetic, often as a day case. Most men are back at a desk within about a week and wear a compression vest for several weeks.
Our price guide
| Treatment | Typical cost in Ireland | What moves the price |
|---|---|---|
| Gynaecomastia surgery (male breast reduction) | €3,000 to €6,900 | How much gland and fat there is, liposuction alone or with the gland cut out, a day case or a night's stay |
| Gland and fat removed, no skin | From about €3,000 | The usual operation for small and medium gynaecomastia |
| With loose skin removed too | From about €6,500 | Larger chests with hanging skin: longer scars and more theatre time |
| Consultation with the surgeon | €195 to €300 | Sometimes taken off the price if you go ahead |
| Non-surgical fat treatments for the chest | €450 to €1,000 a course | Fat only: they can't remove gland tissue |
What a surgery price includes
- The surgeon, the hospital or clinic, and the anaesthetist
- Your compression vest and dressings
- Check-ups in the weeks after
What pushes it up or down
- Up: skin removal, a larger chest, an overnight stay, or a revision of earlier surgery
- Down: a small disc on a lean chest, sometimes under local anaesthetic
- Not a factor: the county. Prices outside Dublin sit in the same range
Prices in euro for the full treatment, private. Our guide, not a quote: the surgeon sets your price after examining you, in writing.
What a good consultation covers
- Why you have it: your history, medicines, steroids, and your GP's findings.
- An examination: gland or fat, the grade, any loose skin, and how the two sides compare.
- The plan: liposuction, excision, skin removal or a mix, and where the scars will be.
- The risks for you: uneven sides, a dip under the nipple if too much is removed, numbness, bleeding, scars.
- A written, all-in price, and time to think before you pay a deposit.
Choosing a surgeon
Every doctor practising in Ireland must be registered with the Medical Council, and only a doctor with specialist registration can practise independently as a specialist. For gynaecomastia surgery, check that the surgeon is on the Specialist Division in Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgery, using the Medical Council's online register.
Ask how many gynaecomastia operations they do, to see their own before-and-after photos, and who you ring at night after the operation.
Going further
This site is the guide to the condition. For the operation itself, recovery week by week, choosing a surgeon and the full cost breakdown, see gynecomastia.ie.
Questions people ask
Is gynaecomastia surgery covered by health insurance?
Health insurance plans normally exclude cosmetic surgery, except to correct disfigurement from a condition you were born with, an accident or a disease. Whether a male breast reduction counts depends on your plan and your surgeon's report, so ask your insurer in writing before anything is booked.
Can I get gynaecomastia surgery on the HSE?
Public surgery for gynaecomastia is limited and depends on a consultant's referral and clinical need. Most men who want it for how it looks go privately.
Will it come back after surgery?
Not usually, once the gland is removed. Steroids, some medicines and big weight gain can bring tissue or fat back.
How much is male breast reduction surgery in Ireland?
Our price guide puts it at €3,000 to €6,900, and from about €6,500 when loose skin is removed too. A surgeon's consultation costs €195 to €300.