What is Gynecomastia?
Men, too, can feel insecure about their chest area, but might be too embarrassed to seek help because breast enhancement is considered a female procedure. In fact, surgeons have worked hard to develop methods of removing excess male breast tissue, which is a condition called gynecomastia.
Like women, men also have glands within the tissues of their chest area that are known as the “breast.” Sometimes, these tissues are overdeveloped, causing men to form small but visible breasts. In cases where the patient is above average weight, fatty tissue is the primary reason for oversized breasts, and it’s important to note that fatty tissue and enlarged glandular breast tissue are not the same. Gynecomastia can occur in males who are of average weight and otherwise have a clean bill of health.
What Causes Gynecomastia?
If it were easy to discover the source of gynecomastia, the issue would be easy to prevent. Unfortunately, it’s not so simple. Studies show that a variety of factors affect gynecomastia, most often a hormonal imbalance of some sort, but also the effects of medications, substance abuse, issues with the kidneys, liver, or thyroid, and even the use of natural remedies like tea tree oil and lavender.
How can gynecomastia be treated?
Prescription medications to treat gynecomastia do exist, but the quickest and most effective treatment for this condition is surgery. In fact, treating gynecomastia is essentially the same as a breast reduction procedure. Even better, male breast reduction usually requires less tissue removal and is less complex because the function of the breasts is not a concern.
What is the surgery like?
During the procedure, one of the highly skilled surgeons at Pacific Palisades Plastic Surgery will cut away unwanted breast tissue and fatty tissue as well as excess skin. This may require repositioning the nipple. It may take months for you to fully heal from a breast reduction, but most of the time, our patients can return to work and normal activities after a week or two.