Gynecomastia is a common condition that affects over 30 percent of men at some point in their life. Although both men and women are born with breast tissue, women are the ones who take the most pride in this tissue. While enlarged breasts in women are nothing to be embarrassed about, this excess breast tissue (gynecomastia) can cause men to feel self-conscious about their appearance, especially when they are not wearing a shirt.

What makes this condition even more frustrating is that diet and exercise alone cannot rid a man of gynecomastia. Instead, gynecomastia surgery is necessary to reduce excess breast tissue and fat in a man’s chest to bring the body back into proportion. Read our blog and find out whether or not you are a candidate for this procedure!

What Is Gynecomastia?

Gynecomastia is a condition that can cause male breasts to grow abnormally large. Various things, such as weight gain or an imbalance between the male and female hormones can cause this condition. Should you have an increased level of estrogen compared to your testosterone, the breasts can become larger.

Gynecomastia is widespread in teenage men, as their hormones are imbalanced. While this condition often resolves itself after puberty, this is not always the case. As the glandular component of the breasts starts proliferating as a response to hormonal changes, it can cause your breasts to appear bigger, even if you are not necessarily overweight.

Signs You Are a Gynecomastia Candidate

Certain signs might suggest that you are a good candidate for a gynecomastia procedure. These signs include the following:

• You Are Bothered by the Size of Your Breasts : A large breast size in men can cause embarrassment. Large breasts can also lead to tenderness and nipple sensitivity, making it difficult for some men to wear clothes without discomfort. Gynecomastia surgery can help reduce the size of your breasts, thereby easing the pain.

• You Are in Good Health : Gynecomastia surgery can put a strain on your body, especially during the recovery period. Aside from your hormonal imbalance, you should ideally be in good health. Non-smokers are the best candidates, as smoking can compromise your body’s ability to heal.

• You Have Realistic Expectations and Goals : An ideal candidate for gynecomastia surgery has realistic expectations and goals for the outcome. While the satisfaction rate for this procedure is usually high, hormonal imbalances can cause your final results to be slow. A positive outlook is recommended when undergoing the procedure.

• Your Breast Development Has Stabilized : Gynecomastia surgery is usually recommended if your breast development has already stabilized. For instance, teenagers’ bodies are constantly changing, with gynecomastia often resolving on its own. However, if your breast and body development seems to have come to a stop and your breasts are still large, then you may want to consider gynecomastia surgery.

• Your Results Are Not Improving After Dieting and Exercise : Large breasts in males are often caused by excess fat around the breasts. Usually, this can be solved with a healthy diet and regular visits to the gym. However, if you’ve taken on dieting and exercise and lost weight, but the size of your breasts is still not improving, then you could be a candidate for gynecomastia surgery.

• You Are Not Overweight : While you can still have gynecomastia surgery when you are overweight, it is generally not recommended unless other weight loss methods are also incorporated. This is because such a procedure can cause the body to look and feel disproportioned. Your breast area will be smaller, while the rest of the body has excess weight. The purpose of gynecomastia is to improve the aesthetics of your body, not make it look out of proportion.

The Bottom Line

Gynecomastia can be a very embarrassing condition for men, causing them to hide underneath their clothes. Instead of feeling self-conscious and embarrassed, contact Iconic Plastic Surgery and schedule an appointment for a gynecomastia consultation!

For more information about gynecomastia and how to treat it, you can contact Iconic Plastic Surgery at 760-637-5288. Dr. D’Souza can answer all of your questions so that you can make an informed decision. Alternatively, you can fill out our online contact form, and we will get in touch with you as soon as possible.