While gynecomastia is benign, it can have a strong impact on self esteem.  Many males are embarrassed by the condition.  Drug induced gynecomastia can be reversed by cessation of the drug, but many cases of gynecomastia cannot be naturally reversed.  For men in this situation, however, cosmetic surgery can be an option.

Gynecomastia can be treated in a number of ways, depending on the cause of the condition.  When the condition is caused by obesity or weight, liposuction is the most common treatment.  Much like in other liposuction surgeries, a pump or syringe is used to remove the fatty tissue from the area, reducing the appearance of the breasts.

True gynecomastia, when the cause is swelling of the actual breast tissue, is treated through excision.  Breast tissue cannot be removed by suction, so an incision is made in the lower areola and the breast tissue is removed.  Because the areola is pigmented and the incision is made around the area, scarring is usually minimal and hard to detect.

It is also possible for a patient to exhibit swelling of both the fatty tissue and the breast tissue concurrently.  When this occurs, the resulting gynecomastia is treated through a combination of both liposuction and incision.  This combination of treatments allows for better sculpting of the chest and a more natural appearance.

It is important to note that larger incisions may have to be made in cases where the tissue is larger.  Incisions around the areola are typically used in cases where the breast tissue is relatively small, comparable to a female A or B cup size, but flap incisions may be necessary in larger breasts.  The incisions that will be needed to perform a successful gynecomastia surgery will be determined by your surgeon.

If you suffer from gynecomastia and feel that it has a significant impact on your self esteem, it is recommended that you speak first with a doctor to ensure that there is no medical reason for the condition.  If this is the case, it can be worthwhile to talk with a cosmetic surgeon about gynecomastia treatments.  With the right surgery, embarrassing swelling can be eliminated, eliminating self esteem problems related to gynecomastia.

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.