What is Gynecomastia?
This is the term used for male breasts or an enlargement of the chest area. Whether the fatty tissue, the glandular tissue, or both, this will create a difference in the appearance of the chest.
This is often a taboo topic that many can feel insecure about. Many feel as though there may be something wrong with them, and that they can’t speak to their friends or their GP about it. These feelings can lead many to low self-esteem and reduced confidence in their appearance.
What does this look like?
This condition can vary in physical appearance. It can range from a small amount of extra tissue located around the nipple (puffy nipple) to a more pronounced enlargement. You have likely seen this condition, whether on another person or your own body at some point in your life.
This can also be identified by being more visible on one side, as well as some tenderness or pain in a small number of cases.
How common is this condition?
Gynecomastia is much more common than many think. Up to 80% of men will have this at some point in their lives, which occurs mostly in adolescent men (teenagers) and older men.
Babies can often have enlarged tissue in this area - up to 90%. This will generally resolve itself within the first year. Then, around adolescence, up to 70% of men can develop enlarged breasts. Most of these cases will not last and will resolve itself within 2 years, and by 21 the cases of this are significantly reduced to around 10% of men. As you age, this increases to 30% of men having this condition, often due to external factors.
What causes this condition?
Many different things can cause an enlarged appearance of the chest area in men. The first is obesity, which can cause the body to produce more oestrogen than normal, which can encourage tissue to grow in this area. This, combined with the body likely having excess fat can cause this difference in appearance.
A hormone imbalance can lead to, amongst many things, gynecomastia in men. This is why it is common to see this condition appear during puberty when young men’s hormones can highly vary. This often leaves room for oestrogen to cause the tissue to grow. As men get older, their testosterone levels will gradually drop, and they are more likely to retain fat. This (as mentioned above) can prompt the production of oestrogen in the body and encourage the chest area to grow. Hormone imbalances can also occur for unknown reasons. Again, this can have many different symptoms, one of which is this condition. This can be an imbalance you are born with or one that develops over time.
More specific examples include the main cause of Gynecomastia in babies. This is caused by the child retaining oestrogen from their mother that they absorb through the placenta.
There are also some medications for blood pressure and prostate cancer that can stimulate chest growth. This is also linked to the increased rate of gynecomastia in older men. Abusing drugs such as marijuana and anabolic steroids are also linked with higher rates of this condition.
What can be done?
The best way to start is to identify the root cause of this issue. For example, if the cause is something like puberty. This means you will know if it will either go away on its own or if you might look for other intervention methods if it doesn’t.
Normally, dealing with the cause can make the symptoms subside and the tissue should reduce in size. However, if there is a lot of extra tissue, or the tissue is seriously affecting your confidence, you can opt for a surgical option.
The surgical option can vary from case to case. If there is more excess fatty tissue present then liposuction is used to remove this. If there is more glandular tissue present then this will need to be excised using a scalpel. These can both be done together, and normally a small scar will be left around the edge of the nipple. The procedure normally takes around 90 minutes.
However, if the root issue hasn’t been sorted out, this can re-occur. For example, if a hormonal imbalance is a cause, and this hasn’t been tackled with the help of your doctor, the same oestrogen that caused this enlargement in the first place will still be present in your body and could cause the same result.
What are the risks of the surgical procedure?
With every surgical procedure, there are standard risks. If you have any pre-existing conditions or are a smoker, please inform your doctor so they can tailor their surgical plan. Other more general risks include bruising, swelling, and infection.
There are also risks of an uneven chest contour, reduced sensitivity in the nipples, a build-up of clear fluid under the skin, and some can develop a hematoma. These complications are relatively rare, but you will still need to be aware of them during the healing process.
What is the recovery time?
Most can return to normal daily activities in as little as two weeks. During these two weeks, it is advised to sleep in an elevated position and wear your compression garments. It is also good to take it easy in the gym for up to six weeks post-surgery to avoid any injuries.
Why should I go to Mr Mark Ho Asjoe for my surgery?
Mr Mark Ho-Asjoe is a dedicated surgeon who works with many different types of cosmetic surgery, including reconstructive surgery. He is incredibly experienced and has performed many of these surgeries previously and always leaves his patients with pleasing results which can give them more confidence in themselves and their appearance.
Get in contact today to see how Mr Mark Ho-Asjoe can help you.