Cosmetic Surgery to Relieve Gynecomastia
Posted on 27. Feb, 2009 by Valerie in Cosmetic Imperfections
Gynecomastia is a nasty-sounding word that simply means an overgrowth of breast tissue in a boy or man. By itself, gynecomastia is not a serious medical condition, although it can be a symptom of underlying illness. Sometimes the tissue can be tender or painful, but the social pain caused by gynecomastia can be psychologically devastating.
If the underlying illness and the gynecomastia itself are left untreated, the breast tissue can harden, leaving the sufferer with no other option than surgery. When the gynecomastia was caused by obesity and the sufferer has lost a significant amount of weight, a breast reduction is in order to alleviate the discomfort and sagging skin.
Causes of Gynecomastia
Turcios Disease is another term for gynecomastia. It can happen to a male at any age and in many cases, no clear cause for the disease can be found. In newborns and infants, a mother’s hormones cause an overgrowth of breast tissue in her son. For adolescent boys, the overgrowth is most often caused by obesity, and the breast development can shrink or disappear if the boy loses a significant amount of weight.
Medications can sometimes cause the overgrowth of breast tissue that becomes gynecomastia. Drugs for male pattern baldness, high blood pressure, acid reflux, and certain cancer or antipsychotic drugs have gynecomastia as a side effect.
Chronic diseases such as liver or kidney disease, or HIV treatments, will sometimes be managed by drugs that cause gynecomastia. Ask your doctor for a complete list of side effects if you are taking any of these medications.
Decreased testosterone production can lead to late-onset gynecomastia. Diseases of the hypothalamus or pituitary gland, or testicular tumors, cause the male body to produce less testosterone which may lead to the overgrowth of breast tissue. Abuse of anabolic steroids and androgen-containing performance enhancing food supplements can have this unwanted side effect as well.
By far the biggest contributor to the condition is obesity. Massive weight loss leads to sagging skin, which can never be targeted for treatments other than cosmetic surgery. The social and psychological aftereffects of major weight loss can be marred by the extra tissue and skin left over on a man’s chest.
The Benefits of Cosmetic Surgery for Gynecomastia
Surgery for male breast reduction can be performed at any age. Once the underlying cause of the overgrowth of tissue is addressed, breast reduction surgery can be approached as a treatment. The self-consciousness of carrying the extra tissue on the chest can end.
At the consultation with the qualified plastic surgeon, you will hear about the various risks associated with the surgery. Risks and complications are usually minor and pass with time. Some people are mildly allergic to general anesthesia, so make the doctor aware if this is a known problem. Noticeable scars are almost bound to happen, but the doctor will do his or her best to reduce scarring.
The boost in self-confidence is worth the minor risks associated with surgery. Discuss cosmetic surgery to relieve gynecomastia with a qualified plastic surgeon as soon as possible.
