Male Breast Reduction for Gynecomastia Gaining Popularity

September 2nd, 2016

You may not have heard of gynecomastia, but you have probably heard of man boobs or “moobs”. It’s a very troubling condition that causes breast tissue swelling in men and boys. That swelling is hard enough on a man’s sense of self, but gynecomastia is also often accompanied by pain and tenderness that makes it hard to engage in sports and other activities. Although the condition rarely causes any other health problems, it can severely impact self-esteem, which can negatively affect all other areas of a man’s life. The condition is so troublesome that male breast reduction surgeries account for 40 of all breast reductions worldwide.

Gynecomastia—the condition from which the troublesome man boobs spring—stems from a hormone imbalance between testosterone and estrogen in males. All people, both male and female, carry these hormones, but it’s the balance between them that gives rise to primarily male or female physical characteristics. So when the balance is off and the moobs begin to show, it can be terribly damaging to a man’s sense of self-confidence and all aspects of his lifestyle, as one man heartbreakingly chronicled in a recent article for Cosmopolitan. 

This anonymous victim of man boobs described how much they damaged his self-esteem: He tirelessly worked out at the gym to try and make his pecs look manlier, but the moobs stayed stubbornly put. He wore baggy, non-descript clothing to hide them and was disgusted by how he looked in a regular man’s dress shirt. He was horrifically embarrassed at how he looked shirtless; he would not take his shirt off or leave the lights on during romantic encounters in the bedroom. The moobs loomed so large in his sense of self that the hatred of his physical appearance oozed over into his entire sense of his self-worth.

He went on to describe how male breast reduction surgery changed his entire outlook on life for the better. He went into the operating room with man boobs and woke up with a normal man’s chest. Now he can wear the clothes he wants to wear and not feel like he constantly has to hide behind baggy clothes.

The hormonal imbalances that cause gynecomastia are complex. They have been linked to a wide range of medications and drugs including some heart medications, HIV/AIDS drugs, anti-fungal creams, ulcer medications and cancer drugs. For some growing boys, the hormonally-turbulent process of puberty causes temporary gynecomastia that often resolves on its own after a few months or a couple of years; but sometimes it doesn’t resolve. Moobs can also be caused by some herbal creams, oils, supplements, steroid use and even marijuana. It can also be a side effect of obesity, or losing a lot of weight after being overweight.

Whatever the cause, each individual man who suffers from moobs wishes desperately that he had normal looking pecs, a desire clearly fueling the increase in demand for male breast reduction surgery. Madison plastic surgeon Clifford King, M.D., Ph.D. has seen a significant increase in inquiries and scheduling for male breast reduction surgeries right here in Wisconsin and the Upper Midwest generally. Men between the ages of 18 and 34 seem to be the most heavily affected demographic affected by gynecomastia; two-thirds of all male breast reduction surgeries are requested by and performed on men within this age group.

Dr. King is a leading board-certified plastic surgeon respected throughout the Upper Midwest for his high quality cosmetic surgeries, including male breast reductions. He recommends that men troubled by gynecomastia schedule an appointment to learn about the procedure, how it works, what it can do for them and the recovery process involved.

Dr. King stresses that there are some important prerequisites that men scheduling male breast reduction surgery need to be aware of. These include being otherwise mentally and physically healthy. Men should not be on anabolic steroids, should stop smoking and not drink excess alcohol. For men who fit these criteria, Dr. King can thoroughly plan the breast reduction process and help the patient prepare for a successful surgery.

During surgery, Dr. King removes the excess skin and fat from the breast area, which may include liposuction. He recommends that men view the before and after surgery gallery to see just how major a change the surgery can accomplish. After surgery, there will be a recovery process as the tissues heal and the scars fade, but most men can get back to work in just a little under a week.

As many men can attest, male breast reduction surgery to correct the uncomfortable swelling of gynecomastia can lead to an enormous positive self-confidence boost in all other areas of a man’s life—even beyond just physical appearance. If you suffer from man boobs, you owe it to yourself to schedule an appointment to talk with Madison’s premier, board-certified plastic surgeon, Dr. Clifford King, M.D., Ph.D. today. Don’t wait. Contact us today to find out more.