Gynecomastia and what is the most important information to know
  • last update date 2022-03-14

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Having man boobs can cause you great embarrassment and rob you of your confidence and happy go lucky attitude because you are always worried that someone will discover your secret and make fun of you. While your buddies are at the beach with their shirts off, there you will be hanging on for dear life to your t-shirt. Dating can also cause issues. There are many methods on how to get rid of gynecomastia or man boobs that are available to you and one of the top recommended methods is with the help of surgery.

This condition is something that many men deal with so this is not an uncommon issue. It is just not talked about as much because of the embarrassment and insecurity that comes with having man boobs which can cause many men to hide this issue from others.

Having boobs is something that is considered a female characteristic and since most men don't want to be thought of as anything less than masculine, it is understandable why many men hide the fact that they are dealing with this even when it is apparent to others that you are in many cases.

The jokes can just be too much. If you embarrassed about having man boobs and wish to correct this issue and have a chest that is manlier looking, here is some helpful information on the gynecomastia surgical procedure including the good, the bad and the ugly about this procedure.

Male Breast Reduction

Breast reduction surgery in men increased in 2014 by about 14 percent over the previous year so the use of this procedure to eliminate this embarrassing problem continues to grow year after year.

True forms of gynecomastia result from an increase in glandular breast tissue that results from an imbalance in the estrogen/testosterone hormone levels in the male body. It is normal for men to have the female hormone estrogen in their bodies with the male hormone testosterone being dominant, just like it is normal for women to have the male hormone testosterone with the female hormone estrogen being dominant.

Hormonal imbalance in men that can lead to gynecomastia usually results from estrogen being dominant in the male body which leads to the development of female characteristics such as breast growth in men and vice versa when testosterone is the dominant hormone in female bodies.

Hormonal imbalance in men occurs commonly at puberty when hormonal activity fluctuates but this should normalize as teenage boys grow older causing these breasts to go away. Hormonal imbalance leading to gynecomastia usually also occurs in older men especially if they are taking androgen (male hormone) blocking medications or hormones to treat or prevent prostate cancer since male hormones are a factor in the development of prostate cancer and reducing male hormones can prevent or treat prostate cancer but it can also lead to issues like man boobs.

In addition, as men age, testosterone levels may start to drop which increases the risk of developing gynecomastia. Hormone levels can also be affected by various factors such as excessive alcohol consumption, the use of certain medications, steroids, recreational drug use, etc.

While hormonal imbalance is the common and truest form of gynecomastia, pseudogynecomastia is also another type which results from being overweight which causes the deposit of fat in the breast area leading to man boobs. Pseudogynecomastia is usually eliminated when weight is brought under control and does not usually require treatment such as surgery. If surgery is required, it is usually to eliminate excessive skin from weight loss.

Gynecomastia can affect one or both breasts. This is not usually a serious health issue. You just have man breasts and the glandular tissue is usually benign (non-cancerous).

When using various methods on how to get rid of gynecomastia, it is best to start in the early stages of this condition as the longer you do not address this problem, the greater chance that it could become permanent.

When the man breasts remain for longer than one year whether or not you are using various breast reduction methods besides surgery, it may mean that they are permanent but gynecomastia surgery may still be able to help eliminate these man boobs.

Gynecomastia Surgery

Surgery to reduce male breasts is usually performed by a plastic surgeon since this is more of a cosmetic issue than a health issue. There are two types of surgical procedures that may be performed to eliminate gynecomastia.

Liposuction - Liposuction is usually recommended to remove fatty tissue which can help to flatten the chest. Liposuction is usually performed through an incision or incisions made on the areola. If the man has very large breasts, the incision will be made outside the areola which can result in larger and more visible scars.

Male breast reduction surgery - This is just the same at the breast reduction procedure which is preformed in women who are burdened with very large breasts. This procedure not only removes fat but also glandular tissue as well as excess skin so as to flatten and firm the chest.
These methods are usually the most successful in young men with firm skin and are not usually recommended for men who are overweight or obese who have not given diet and exercise a chance to not only bring their weight under control but to also get rid of moobs.

During your initial consultation with the plastic surgeon you choose, he or she will examine your chest and recommend a course of action for flattening your chest.

Before the surgical procedure, your surgeon will ask you to take steps to ensure that you have a clean bill of health before performing this surgical procedure. While this surgical procedure is cosmetic, it does not change the fact this is major surgery.

You may need some basic blood work as well as undergoing a full physical exam before the procedure is scheduled. If any issues arise, you will need to work on those before any good plastic surgeon will be willing to perform surgery on you.

You may also need to have other tests such as a mammogram to ensure that the breast tissue is not diseased even though most of these lumps are usually benign. After gynecomastia surgery, the doctor will also send the tissue that's been removed to have it tested.

Gynecomastia Surgery Recovery

After gynecomastia surgery, a dressing will be placed over the area and a tight fitting vest or compression garment is used. After being wheeled into the recovery room, you will remain there for about two to three hours and then you will usually be sent home. This vest or compression garment will be worn for a month or so.

After about a week, the stitches will be removed. Swelling and bruising will last for about two weeks but you may be able to return to work after a week or so.

Gynecomastia Surgery - The Good

Unlike many other methods on how to get rid of gynecomastia such as diet, exercise, herbs, etc, surgery usually produces immediate results. You are wheeled into the operating room with man breasts and wheeled out without breasts and after about 2 to 3 weeks of recovery time, you can proudly show off your manly looking chest.

Such is not the case with other male breast reduction methods which may take several weeks or months before you notice any improvements and results are not always guaranteed because the causes of gynecomastia vary and what may work to eliminate man boobs in one man may be ineffective in another man.

Gynecomastia Surgery - The Bad

This surgical procedure can be expensive and since it is cosmetic, it is doubtful that your insurance will be able to cover it but this is something to discuss with your insurance provider.

There is also always a risk of needing a second procedure or more to get the result you want. If you need more procedures, this is actually normal but it is a pain. You should only need a touch up procedure once you recover from the first procedure and your plastic surgeon examines the overall results. More breast tissue may need to be removed or you and the surgeon may want to create a smoother result.

Swelling, bruising, pain, temporary loss of sensation in the nipple, etc, are relatively common and your doctor may advice you on how to alleviate some of this.

Gynecomastia Surgery - The Ugly

If the first procedure is a botched job, you may need more than a touch up surgical procedure and sometimes reconstructive work may not be able to reverse the damage.

Scarring is a big issue. While experienced plastic surgeons try to create "good scars" based on the types of incisions they make, there is always a chance of bad scarring especially if you use a bad or inexperienced plastic surgeon. Bad scarring may also have nothing to do with the surgeon or procedure but on how you heal which is based on your genetic makeup. Some people naturally heal very well while others not so much, including the risk of developing keloid scars.

Serious complications from the surgical procedure such as heavy bleeding or drainage that may require medical attention may develop. The risk of bleeding is greater with this cosmetic procedure because the operation occurs over an active muscle. This risk of bleeding is always present for up to three weeks after gynecomastia surgery.

Mismatched breasts or unevenly positioned nipples may occur requiring additional procedures.

Inverted nipples or loss of the nipple or blistering of the nipple may occur.

Permanent loss of sensation in the nipple or persistent pain may occur.

If the nipple and areola is transplanted to a higher position, the blood supply to the nipple/areola may fail leading to tissue death which must be surgically removed and the nipple/areola reconstructed using tissue from other parts of the body.

If the nipple and areola is transplanted to a higher position, the blood supply to the nipple/areola may fail leading to tissue death which must be surgically removed and the nipple/areola reconstructed using tissue from other parts of the body.

and so on and so forth.
This is just some information on how to get rid of gynecomastia  with surgery. Because of the risks and complications that are associated with surgery, it is prudent to try other methods first before opting for surgery. Surgery should always be a last resort. You may find that other methods will work better especially natural methods which not only deal with the symptoms but also the underlying cause of gynecomastia. Find out more about natural methods by visiting 

Gynecomastia: The Age-group that suffers

Men of various age groups suffer from this disease. Due to unnatural share of mother hormone in male, the infants can suffer from it. For hormonal alterations at puberty, adolescents may also suffer from it. This is seen in aged people as well, though it occurs more among adolescents.

Reasons for Gynecomastia

Gynecomastia is caused mainly by hormonal disturbance in the man?s body though it is difficult to speak about the exact root cause of this disease since research is in progress. It is also believed to be genetically oriented. The imbalance of sex hormones like estrogens and testosterone is the main cause of gynecomastia which can be caused by certain drugs or steroids or certain medication too.

Symptoms

The symptoms of gynecomastia are obvious. It is visible as enlargement of breasts in a man?s body. Other than this apparent symptom, the chest area can become tender in some cases. It does not physical pain, only embarrassment. The degree of gynecomastia depends on the amount of enlargement.

Problems Faced by Gynecomastia Patients

Problems faced by patients in this case are more of social nature than physical. The change in physical appearance often leads decreased confidence and social embarrassment. It is more difficult for teenagers who might be butt of jokes among friends.

Gynecomastia: The Diagnosis

Though gynecomastia comes on with telltale symptoms, it can be diagnosed by a physical examination by a doctor who may perform certain medical tests such as blood tests and urine tests to confirm the existence of this disease. In some cases, a mammogram is also done. For better results, you should consult an endocrinologist who is a specialist in hormonal disorder treatments.

Cures for Gynecomastia

The condition of Gynecomastia in newborns and teenagers gets corrected naturally though it may take a couple of years to correct the hormonal disorder. There is usually no need for any external treatment. Proper chest fat burner exercises and proper diet are the best cure for reducing chest fats.

If the condition persists, the patient will require external medication such as gynecomastia supplements like Ultimate gynemax and gynexin alpha formula. You will see the change in 2-3 weeks without any side effects. These chest fat burners do not have side effects provided you buy genuine stuff. So, it is important that you buy them from reliable sources.

Other than gynecomastia supplements patients, many opt for surgical reduction of breasts. It includes removal of excess breast tissues. Surgery can be either suction lipectomy or endoscopic surgery. These will take only a few hours but can be painful and there are possibilities of scars being left on chest.

Associated diseases

Gynecomastia is also seen as symptom for other severe disease as tumours of adrenal gland, lung cancer, prostate cancer, diseases of liver etc. If you want early detection and proper medication, then do not delay to visit your doctor. In this case, with a process of treating these related diseases, Gynecomastia can easily be cured.