Gynecomastia - Consider Your Surgical Options

Gynecomastia is a condition in which males have extra fat on their chest, making it look like they have breasts. While this often goes away on its own since it is usually caused by hormones or certain medications, it may not, in which case surgery is necessary. In addition, some men do not feel comfortable waiting years for the condition to disappear by itself, so they may prefer to go ahead with treatment shortly after the breast tissue becomes obvious. Learn a little bit about the surgery available for this condition, as well as its benefits.

If the breast tissue is ample, making it very obvious that you essentially have breasts, you may need to get reduction surgery. This is similar to the procedure that a woman with large breasts would get. It means that you would have to get a large incision on each side of your chest, and the excess fatty tissue would be extracted. Your nipples may also be affected since they may be repositioned during the treatment, which means you may lose any sensation in them since the nerves will have to be cut. In addition, you will have to recover for a few weeks, so expect to take some time off work.

If the tissue in your chest is just slightly more than one would expect in a male, you can probably solve your case of gynecomastia with liposuction. This is considered less invasive than reduction surgery, and it does not require the doctor to reposition the nipples in most cases. The recovery period is usually faster, and the procedure tends to be cheaper, so when possible, you are advised to choose this treatment. Note that since gynecomastia often goes away on its own with time, you cannot expect insurance to pay for it since it is not medically necessary. For this reason, you should try to keep costs down when possible, which may involve choosing liposuction if your doctor agrees that it will solve the issue.

The main benefit of getting treatment for gynecomastia is that your self-esteem should improve. The most common age to get this condition is around puberty, when hormones can become unbalanced, and it just so happens that this is the age when most people are the most self-conscious about their changing bodies. For this reason, waiting years for the issue to resolve itself may have a negative effect on your self-esteem, causing you to feel uncomfortable at the beach, in the locker room, or even in shirts that are supposed to flatter your chest. If you are otherwise proud of your body and have no other issues, then you should not let gynecomastia get the best of you, ruining your teenage years when a simple surgical operation can solve the problem.

You should talk to your regular practitioner about your options. In some cases, medication can fix the problem, but if it does not, then you need to start considering surgical treatment. You will likely be glad you got it over with fairly soon after the condition started.