Gynecomastia – male breast reduction
It
is a popular procedure boosting self-esteem in men with large breasts.
The procedure is performed to reduce large male breasts, a condition known as gynecomastia or pseudogynecomastia due to large fat deposits in overweight people. Gynecomastia affects all ages.
According to a study performed at the Mayo Clinic, it is due to hormonal disorders, i.e. testosterone is reduced compared to estrogens. Various causes are at fault, such as hormonal disorders, anabolics intake, etc. According to the National Library of Medicine, about 25% of young boys and men present no obvious cause.
Subject to its cause, gynecomastia often remises spontaneously, following the treatment of any medical condition that may cause it, such as discontinued medication, etc. Other cases are surgically treated.
The
surgical treatment of gynecomastia gives back lost self-esteem to men by
removing excess breasts. Gynecomastia surgery is so common, more than what
people have in mind, says Felmont Eaves III ,M.D, President of the American
Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery. All patients can benefit from the
procedure; no matter if they have nodular gynecomastia or fat deposits –
pseudogynecomastia.
Even though it is not considered a serious medical condition, the psychological impact on young and older men is quite heavy. Men suffering from gynecomastia change the way they wear their clothes, avoid wearing tight t-shirts or shirts, avoid being seen on the beach in their effort to avoid being teased by others.
Teens
with medium-severity gynecomastia should wait until puberty is over. At that
time, gynecomastia usually resolves spontaneously, says Dr Eaves.
Gynecomastia is the 4th most popular plastic surgery procedure in men, according to the data of the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery. Almost 17,000 gynecomastia procedures were done in 2009, an increase by 50% since 1997. 58% were men aged 19-34 years.
