Gynecomastia is a common condition among men and boys, where the breast tissue swells up, causing the breasts to be enlarged. Although gynecomastia alone is not harmful, it can cause serious emotional distress such as insecurities, body image, and self-esteem issues among men and young boys.

As distressing as it can be, those suffering from gynecomastia should know that they are not alone. In fact, about half of the population of young boys going through puberty, and two-thirds of men above the age of 50 have gynecomastia in varying degrees.

What Causes Gynecomastia?

Gynecomastia is caused when there is an hormonal imbalance, particularly an imbalance between the hormones testosterone and estrogen. Testosterone is known as the male hormone, as it is the hormone that guides sexual growth in males during puberty, and estrogen is the female hormone, guiding sexual development in females.

However, males also produce some amount of estrogen too apart from testosterone. The imbalance is caused when the level of testosterone produced by the male’s body decreases, leading to estrogen swelling up the breast tissues. This usually happens when a young boy is going through puberty, or simply when a grown man’s body produces decreasing levels of testosterone.

In some cases, gynecomastia may be a result of another condition that you have. For example, obesity, a thyroid problem, lung cancer, pituitary gland cancer, adrenal gland cancer, kidney failure, and others may also cause men’s breasts tissue to swell up. In some cases, gynecomastia may even be a result of particular types of medication.

How Can Gynecomastia Be Treated?

One of the most effective ways of treating gynecomastia is having gynecomastia surgery or male breast reduction surgery. This type of surgery helps you achieve a sculpted, toned, and masculine appearance, dramatically improving your overall look. Besides, this means that you won’t have to go through any of the emotional distress associated with male breast enlargement.

Male breast reduction surgery allows the surgeon to remove any excess and unwanted fats, glandular tissue and skin so that you can have a more toned and firm appearance in your chest area. Incisions will be made either around the areola or on the natural creases of the chest, through which fats and tissues are removed.

It is important that you find a good, highly skilled doctor who has experience performing the procedure, as this can really affect the outcome of the surgery and the time taken to recover.

Alternatively, liposuction is also another common treatment for gynecomastia. However, this may not be effective for serious cases of gynecomastia where the enlargement is mostly a result of the swelling of tissues and not because of excess fats. In such cases, surgery is the best option that promises long-term results.

What Are The Benefits of Gynecomastia Surgery?

• Gives you are more sculpted, masculine look on your chest area.
• Helps to get rid of body image issues and insecurities caused by male breast enlargement.
• The procedure is usually done as an outpatient procedure, meaning that you don’t have to stay in the hospital overnight.
• Has visible and dramatic long-term results.

Contact Our Office

Contact PittmanMD Advanced Plastic Surgery to schedule a consultation with Dr. Troy Pittman. As a highly skilled plastic surgeon, he can help you achieve your bodily goals so that you can have a more masculine look that you feel comfortable showing off.