When most of us think about changing how the breasts look, we think of women and breast augmentation or a breast lift.

However, everyone has breast tissue, including men. For many males, the breast tissue enlarges more than it should, which is referred to in some circles as ‘man boobs.’

This problem can occur from hormone changes, heredity, certain drugs, or an underlying medical issue. Unfortunately, some men are uncomfortable talking about this issue with a doctor or plastic surgeon.

The good news is that this problem is often treatable for men who want to change how their chest looks. In some situations, a plastic surgery procedure called gynecomastia may be appropriate.

Below is more information about the ‘man boobs’ issue, its causes, and gynecomastia treatments.

Causes Of Enlarged Male Breasts

Testosterone in men usually prevents breast tissue from growing. But some men get enlarged breasts because of hormone fluctuations or changes; in this case, it’s referred to as gynecomastia and may be treatable with plastic surgery.

Gynecomastia happens more often in some groups, such as:

Infants, because of estrogen coming from the mother
Teenagers, because of hormone changes
Men over the age of 50

There are many causes of gynecomastia, and figuring out what is causing your issue is something your doctor needs to investigate:

Changes in hormone levels
Taking some types of antibiotics
Taking drugs that block how testosterone affects the body
Drinking too much alcohol
Taking certain mental health drugs
Taking over the counter drugs to prevent ulcers
Taking herbal supplements containing phytoestrogens
Using anabolic steroids or androgens
Extra body fat from overeating
Kidney or liver disease
Overactive thyroid gland

But for some men, extra breast tissue isn’t the cause of developing man boobs. Like the belly, the chest can develop more fat if you eat too much or don’t exercise. In these cases, dietary changes and exercises may eliminate the problem.

Gynecomastia Plastic Surgery Overview

Some patients may turn to plastic surgery to deal with their enlarged male breasts. There are two types of surgery to consider: best for you depends on your situation, and your plastic surgeon will recommend what he or she thinks is most appropriate.

Fat Removal With Liposuction

For some men, enlarged male breasts are only due to extra fat deposited in the chest. If excess fat in this area is the primary reason for your gynecomastia, liposuction may fix the problem.

Your plastic surgeon can use tumescent liposuction to suck the extra fat out of your breasts to flatten the planes of your chest. A small cannula or tube is inserted through small incisions in the breasts during the procedure to suck out the fat.

This technique is a good option if you have good skin tone and elasticity. If you have stretched or loose skin, it may not bounce back and adhere to your new contours. In this case, your surgeon may recommend another option.

Removal of Glandular Breast Tissue

Many gynecomastia cases are caused by glandular and fatty tissue in the male breasts. Fat can be reshaped without surgery, but extra glandular tissue will resist diet and exercise.

Your surgeon can take out fibrous breast tissue via a small incision under your nipple in this surgery. Some surgeons may do both glandular tissue extraction and liposuction during this procedure to get the desired results.

Recovery From Male Breast Reduction Surgery

Recovering from gynecomastia surgery is usually minimal with few complications. If your surgery only involved liposuction, you probably will be able to go back to most of your activities after seven or 10 days. However, you should wait a few weeks to engage in strenuous physical activity, especially arm and chest exercises.

You may need about two weeks to get back to normal activities if your surgery involved the removal of glandular breast tissue.

How Long Do The Results Last?

You should see a flatter, firmer contour to your chest after this procedure. Most men feel comfortable with taking their shirts off in public after gynecomastia surgery. The psychological benefits of this procedure can be substantial.

The fat and glandular tissue that are removed are gone for good. But it’s essential to eat correctly and exercise after your surgery to maintain your results. If you gain weight, use steroids, or take certain medications that cause the breasts to grow again, you may need another surgery.

Summary

All men have some breast tissue, but medical issues, certain drugs, and hormone changes can cause the breasts to grow more than they should.

For some men, extra weight in the chest may give the appearance of man boobs. People gain weight in various places, and some men first put on the pounds in the breast area.

If your enlarged breasts don’t change with exercise, dietary changes, removing, and other non-invasive treatments, you may want to consider gynecomastia plastic surgery to address the problem.

Request a Houston Gynecomastia Consultation

Interested in a Houston gynecomastia procedure? Please set up a consultation with Dr. Ashley Steinberg today. She’ll talk to you about the benefits and risks of the procedure to determine if you’re a good candidate for a gynecomastia procedure.

References

Everything You Need To Know About Man Boobs. (2019). Accessed at https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/326637

Gynecomastia Surgery Overview. (n.d.). Accessed at https://www.plasticsurgery.org/cosmetic-procedures/gynecomastia-surgery