How to Treat Gynecomastia
Gynecomastia is a term that might not be familiar to you, but it’s something that more than half of the male population experiences. It’s a medical condition in which the male breast tissue becomes enlarged to the point where the male appears to have female-looking breasts. This condition can be caused by different things and is very difficult to treat. The good news is that plastic surgery can help and is proven to be very reliable at treating gynecomastia.
Wait…Men Can Grow Breasts?
Yes, they can. In fact, all men have breast tissue just like women do. They can even contract breast cancer. The breast tissue in males don’t normally develop into full breasts as it does with females because there are different hormone levels between genders. Women have greater estrogen levels than men, and men have greater testosterone levels than women. These levels are important in how you grow and develop, especially when you’re a teenager.
Sometimes, however, these hormone levels fluctuate in the opposite direction. Young men may have higher levels of estrogen in their body than they should, which affect how their breast tissue develops. The tissue becomes enlarged, which alters how it appears. The extent of the tissue enlargement will vary based on the hormone levels in the man’s system.
Some young men are able to grow out of these hormone imbalances without any lasting effects to their breast tissue. Others don’t and have enlarged breast tissue even as adults.
Men can also grow breasts as a result of severe weight gain. In this situation, fatty deposits accumulate underneath the soft tissue, pushing it out and creating a rounder shape. The extra fat may also cause the skin to stretch as it continues to build up. The stretched skin will continue to keep its shape and appearance as long as the fatty deposits are present.
Losing weight can dramatically improve or eliminate the presence of male breasts, but it’s not always the final solution. Some fat deposits can be very stubborn and difficult to remove from the body even after you have lost a lot of weight. The stretched skin tissue can also be a problem; even if the fatty deposits are removed, your skin may not return to its original state. Without having the fat underneath your skin, it will hang loosely around your chest.
How Does This Affect You?
Men who have gynecomastia often suffer from a high level of insecurity, low self-esteem, and greater self-consciousness. Their bodies become a source of discomfort, which can pool over into different areas of their lives. They might not feel comfortable changing in front of other people, going shirtless at the pool or the beach, and could be concerned about exposing their bodies to their significant others. These problems usually start when this condition appears during your teenage years rather than when you become an adult. Anyone who has ever been a teenager knows that emotional and mental insecurities experienced during this time can become a part of your adult life.
So How Can Gynecomastia Be Treated?
For people who develop gynecomastia as a result of hormone conditions or imbalances, there are different therapies and drugs that are available through your regular doctor or an endocrinologist. This would require an understanding of what is actually causing your hormones to be out of whack and getting a possible diagnosis of the problem. It can take a lot of time and experimentation to find the underlying condition and develop an effective treatment plan.
One of the most effective and permanent means of treating gynecomastia in adults is with plastic surgery. Teenagers who have severe gynecomastia that has been present for at least two years may also be a candidate for plastic surgery. A male breast reduction is one of the many surgical procedures available to patients at Spalding Drive Plastic Surgery in Beverly Hills, CA. Much like a female breast reduction, a male breast reduction involves changing the size of the chest by removing extra breast tissue, skin tissue, and fatty deposits.
The surgery is an outpatient procedure that is done at our surgical facility. The process begins when you make an appointment for a patient consultation with one of our highly experienced plastic surgeons. The consultation gives your surgeon that opportunity to meet with you directly so they can assess your condition and come up with a reasonable plan for surgery. At Spalding Drive, we offer a virtual consultation service for patients who live far away from our office. An in-person consultation is always preferable, but for patients who are unable to make the additional trip, the virtual consultation allows our surgeons to connect with patients through photographs and video conferencing. Regardless of which type of consultation you use, you will still meet with your surgeon prior to the procedure.
The procedure itself takes an average of 90 minutes to perform. The method of reducing the breast tissue will depend on what the actual problem is for each patient. Patients who have enlarged breast tissue due to hormonal conditions may have the extra tissue excised through incisions made at the under arm or around the nipple. Extra skin tissue may be removed or the skin may be tightened across the chest. Liposuction may also be used to remove extra fatty deposits from around the chest. Once the breast has been effectively reduced, the incisions are closed. Every male breast reduction procedure is catered to the individual patient’s needs to give the best possible results.
How to Schedule a Patient Consultation at Spalding Drive Plastic Surgery
To get started on treating your gynecomastia, call Spalding Drive Plastic Surgery at (310) 275-2467 or send us your information through the Contact page to schedule your initial patient consultation. Our elite team of plastic surgeons is widely regarded around the world for our expertise in surgical and nonsurgical procedures. We’re ready and eager to help you look and feel great about yourself for years to come. Call today!