Having man boobs can cause you great embarrassment and steal your confidence and happy attitude because you are always worried that someone will find out your secret and make fun of you. While your friends are at the beach shirtless, there you will be holding on to your t-shirt. Dating can also cause problems. There are many methods available to get rid of gynecomastia or man boobs and one of the best recommended methods is with the help of surgery.
This condition is something many men deal with, so it is not an uncommon problem. It’s 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 problem from others.
Having breasts is something that is considered a feminine characteristic and since most men do not want to be considered less than masculine, it is understandable that many men hide the fact that they are dealing with it even when it is obvious to others. which you are in many cases.
The jokes can be too much. If you are ashamed of having man boobs and want to correct this problem and have a more masculine looking chest, here is some helpful information about the gynecomastia surgical procedure including the good, the bad and the ugly of this procedure.
Male breast reduction
Male breast reduction surgery 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 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 as it is normal for women to have the male hormone testosterone with the female hormone estrogen being dominant.
The hormonal imbalance in men that can lead to gynecomastia is usually due to estrogen being dominant in the male body, leading to the development of feminine characteristics such as breast growth in men and vice versa when testosterone It is the dominant hormone in female bodies.
Hormonal imbalance in men commonly occurs at puberty when hormonal activity fluctuates, but this should normalize as adolescents get older and these breasts disappear. The hormonal imbalance that leads to gynecomastia usually also occurs in older men, especially if they are taking androgen (male hormone) blocking drugs or hormones to treat or prevent prostate cancer, as male hormones are a factor in the development of prostate cancer and the reduction in male hormones can prevent or treat prostate cancer, but can also lead to problems such as man boobs.
Also, as men age, testosterone levels may begin to decline, increasing the risk of developing gynecomastia. Hormone levels can also be affected by various factors such as excessive alcohol consumption, use of certain medications, steroids, use of recreational drugs, etc.
While hormonal imbalance is the most common and true form of gynecomastia, pseudogynecomastia is also another type that results from being overweight causing fat deposition in the breast area leading to man boobs. Pseudogynecomastia usually goes away with weight control and does not usually require treatment such as surgery. If surgery is required, it is usually to remove excess skin due to weight loss.
Gynecomastia can affect one or both breasts. This is usually not a serious health problem. You only have male breasts, and the glandular tissue is usually benign (not 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 the chance that it will become permanent.
When man boobs remain for more than a year, whether or not you are using various breast reduction methods other than surgery, it may mean that they are permanent, but gynecomastia surgery can still help remove these man boobs.
Gynecomastia Surgery
Male breast reduction surgery is usually performed by a plastic surgeon, as it is more of an aesthetic issue than a health issue. There are two types of surgical procedures that can be performed to remove gynecomastia.
- Liposuction – Liposuction is usually recommended to remove fatty tissue that can help flatten the chest. Liposuction is usually performed through an incision or incisions made in the areola. If the man has very large breasts, the incision will be made outside of the areola, which can result in larger, more visible scars.
- Male breast reduction surgery – This is the same as the breast reduction procedure that is performed on women who have very large breasts. This procedure not only removes fat but also glandular tissue and excess skin to flatten and firm the chest.
These methods tend to be the most successful in young men with firm skin and are generally not recommended for overweight or obese men who haven’t given diet and exercise a chance to not only control their weight but also get rid of their breasts.
During your initial consultation with the plastic surgeon of your choice, he or she will examine your chest and recommend a course of action to flatten it.
Prior to the surgical procedure, your surgeon will ask you to take steps to ensure that you have a clean bill of health prior to performing this surgical procedure. Although this surgical procedure is cosmetic, it does not change the fact that it is a major surgery.
You may need some basic blood tests, in addition to undergoing a complete physical exam before your procedure is scheduled. If any issues arise, you will need to work on them before any good plastic surgeon is willing to perform surgery on you.
You may also need to have other tests, such as a mammogram, to make sure your breast tissue isn’t diseased, though most of these lumps are usually benign. After gynecomastia surgery, the doctor will also send the removed tissue for analysis.
Gynecomastia Surgery Recovery
After gynecomastia surgery, a bandage will be placed over the area and a form-fitting vest or compression garment will be worn. After you’re taken to the recovery room, you’ll stay there for about two to three hours, and then you’ll 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. The swelling and bruising will last 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 brings immediate results. You are taken into the operating room with man boobs and brought out without breasts and after about 2-3 weeks of recovery time you can proudly display your manly looking chest.
That is not the case with other methods of male breast reduction which can take several weeks or months before you notice improvements and results are not always guaranteed because the causes of gynecomastia vary and what can work to eliminate male breasts in one man can be ineffective on another man.
Gynecomastia Surgery: The Bad
This surgical procedure can be expensive, and since it is cosmetic, it is doubtful that your insurance will cover it, but this is something to discuss with your insurance provider.
There is also always the risk of needing a second procedure or more to get the result you want. If you need more procedures, it’s actually normal, but it’s a pain. You should only need a touch-up procedure once you recover from the first procedure and your plastic surgeon reviews the overall results. More breast tissue may need to be removed, or you and your surgeon may want to create a more uniform result.
Swelling, bruising, pain, temporary loss of sensation in the nipple, etc., are relatively common and your doctor can advise you how to relieve them.
Gynecomastia Surgery – The Ugly
- If the first procedure is a botched job, you may need more than a touch-up surgical procedure, and sometimes reconstruction work may not be able to reverse the damage.
- Scarring is a big problem. 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. Poor healing may also have nothing to do with the surgeon or the procedure, but with the way it heals, 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 of the surgical procedure, such as heavy bleeding or drainage, may develop and may require medical attention. The risk of bleeding is higher with this cosmetic procedure because the operation is performed on an active muscle. This risk of bleeding is always present up to three weeks after gynecomastia surgery.
- Mismatched breasts or unevenly positioned nipples may occur, requiring additional procedures.
- Inverted nipples or nipple loss or nipple blisters may occur.
- Permanent loss of nipple sensation or persistent pain may occur.
- If the nipple and areola are transplanted to a higher position, the blood supply to the nipple/areola may fail, leading to tissue death that must be surgically removed and the nipple/areola reconstructed using tissue from other parts of the body.
- and so on and so on.
