How to Reduce Male Breasts
By Jon Ellowitz | Published on August 27, 2009 | 0 Comments
What is gynecomastia?
You may have noticed that some adolescent boys develop physical characteristics that are, well, feminine. Namely, the development of breasts in males is what we’re talking about here. Some males will grow abnormally large breasts. This is called gynecomastia.
The most common cause is puberty. Other causes include overexposure to estrogen hormones, tumors, marijuana and alcohol use, genetic disorders, liver disease, antibiotics, and ulcer medications, among others.
In some cases, gynecomastia goes away, subsides, a problem that grows out of itself.
In other cases, gynecomastia remains and plagues the self-confidence of the stricken male. From teasing at school (in the case of pubescent pre-teens or teenagers) to self-consciousness at work (in the case of adult males), gynecomastia can become a real infirmity, mentally speaking.
What are your treatment options?
Medical professionals – board-certified plastic surgeons – are thankfully equipped to treat gynecomastia – often in ways that are permanent, so that it does not return in the future. The methods are basically two-fold. If it comes down to surgical procedures, based on the gynecomastia in question, the plastic surgeon will advocate liposuction or an excision surgery (or a combination of the two).
Liposuction to treat gynecomastia is the least invasive of the two surgical procedures. The surgeon will choose this option if the gynecomastia is an enlargement of the breast because of excessive fat.
General anesthesia is given, so the patient is totally unconscious. Then the surgeon makes a small incision over the area and puts in a small tube. A special vacuum attached to this tube will extract the fat. The point of this is to re-contour the patient’s breasts so that they don’t resemble female breasts so much, and so that they are smooth and consistent in texture, too.
The goal of excision surgery is, like the name says, to surgically remove unwanted tissue, by way of cutting it out manually. This option is chosen if the excess breast tissue is sitting just below the area around the nipple.
The plastic surgeon will extract the extra tissue or fat in either case. But he or she will also test the removed substances to see whether they are cancerous. It’s a biopsy to determine the nature of the gynecomastia — whether it’s only abnormal growth, or whether it’s the growth of cancer.
The procedure takes about two hours. One treatment is expected to provide permanent results.
Statistics from the American Society for Aesthetic Surgery and from the American Society of Plastic Surgeons shows that the national average for gynecomastia procedures is $3,400.
Who’s this for?
Gynecomastia can distance a man from other males because of the feminine features it unfortunately bestows on its victim. In other words, guys don’t like feeling that they look like a woman. Therefore possessing male breasts can make them self-conscious, or the butt of jokes, unfortunately.
The pros and cons:
A single treatment can give permanent results.
But obese patients are discouraged from seeking gynecomastia surgery. Doctors prefer that they first try to lose weight and see where that goes.
In most cases, gynecomastia surgery isn’t covered by insurance.
Then there are the risks: Uneven contours, pain, breast asymmetry, skin discolorations, poor wound healing, blood clots, infection, bruising, and others.
The bottom line:
There’s a way to treat gynecomastia (the appearance of breasts in males). Plastic surgeons will often use liposuction, excision surgery, or a combination of the two.
*Disclaimer: The information on this website is not intended to substitute for the medical expertise and advice of your healthcare provider. We encourage you to discuss any decisions about treatment or care with an appropriate healthcare provider.