Are you concerned about the appearance of your chest? Have you tried working out at the gym or losing weight, but are still uncomfortable about taking your shirt off at the beach? Do you find yourself wearing loose-fitting shirts? You may suffer from gynecomastia, an enlargement of a man’s breasts, usually due to hormone imbalance or hormone therapy.
Excess fibrous and fatty tissue that makes a man look as if he has breasts can be an uncomfortable condition. It often feels as if there are little B-B’s in your chest compared to what the fat in your abdominal area feels like. If you took steroids for a while, either for body-building purposes or to treat a medical condition, that could trigger the growth of breast tissue.
Rarely gynecomastia can be found in teenaged boys who may not produce enough testosterone, which can lead to breast tissue developing. If this happens, there are usually other noticeable symptoms, such as lack of facial or body hair, persistent high voice, and the absence of other signs of adult male maturation.
For most men, however, gynecomastia is the result of normal temporary hormone level fluctuations. This can happen to a newborn boy who just spent 9 months inside his mother’s uterus and then is breastfed or to a teenage boy undergoing puberty. In most cases the excess breast tissue goes away on its own. However, if you have reached the age range 18 to 20 and still have chest puffiness, then usually surgery is the only treatment.
Insurance companies consider this surgery cosmetic and except in rare cases, do not cover any of the cost. We have found that most patients benefit from a combination of cutting out the fibro-fatty tissue and using liposuction to blend the edges of the area of removal. This is usually done through a semicircular cut at the bottom edge of the areola (the pink or tan skin around the nipple) and a second small cut at the side of the chest.
After surgery, a compression vest is worn for 2 weeks followed by an Under Armour®-type compression shirt for another 4 weeks. Men with loose skin may need some degree of skin removal that will leave longer scars. The goal of the surgery is to create as flat a chest as possible with the least amount of visible scarring. Surgery is done as an outpatient under general anesthesia.
Before and After photos
33 year-old man, 5’7″ 154 lbs. is seen 5 months after gynecomastia surgery. 45 grams of tissue was removed from each breast, with liposuction along the margins of the breast tissue for blending.
*Results may vary and are not guaranteed*
17 years old 6’5″ 185 lbs. Removed 65 grams of glandular breast tissue from each side. Liposuctioned approximately 50cc from each side for contour.
*Results may vary and are not guaranteed*
26 year-old man in spite of weigh loss had residual gynecomastia. Initial surgery removed a combination of breast tissue and skin. This was followed by separate office procedures to tighten skin around the areola, and keep the scar as short as possible. Photos taken 1 year post operative.
*Results may vary and are not guaranteed*
42 year-old male. 6′, 314 lbs. The “Key Hole Reduction” method was used, which preserves just enough breast tissue to minimize risk of color loss to the nipple/areola. 1,105 grams removed from the right breast, and 1,085 grams from the the left. Liposuction was also performed for better contouring. Patient lost 40 lbs. postoperatively, and may need additional skin tightening down the road, but will wait until he meets his goal weight. Photos taken 6 months postoperative.
*Results may vary and are not guaranteed*
42 year old man. 6’0″, 160 lbs. Removed 45 grams of glandular breast tissue from the right breast, and 55 grams from the left. Liposuctioned 75cc from each breast for contouring. 6 months post-op he had a mild indent on the left breast. 8.4cc of fat was transferred to the area in the office. Photos taken 3 months after revision.
*Results may vary and are not guaranteed*