Gynecomastia Surgery: A Weight Off Your Chest

“Gynecomastia” is a little understood condition for one good reason: Men don’t like to talk about it. In spite of any stereotypes about male fixation with women’s breasts, their attitudes quickly change when the breasts are their own. They leave their shirts on at the pool, avoid standing up in front of crowds and, for many of them, avoid acknowledging the issue at all. Instead, portrayals of gynecomastia—that is, enlarged breast tissue in men—are relegated to jocular references in sitcoms (Seinfeld) or poignant depictions of lost masculinity, as embodied by the former bodybuilder with DDD breasts played by Meat Loaf, whom the main character in Fight Club meets at a “Remaining Men Together” meeting. These pop culture discourses put a disturbing notion into the heads of men with gynecomastia: Male breasts are not only subject to derision, but also make you less of a man. This one-two punch to their ego’s gut often drives men to bury their anxieties over their breasts in shame. But this is ultimately to their detriment.

Gynecomastia is often mistakenly believed to be a symptom of being overweight. As such, many men attempt to improve this problem through rigorous exercise and dieting. But the nature of gynecomastia dooms these men to frustration. In most cases, aggressive weight loss and muscle training won’t significantly reduce the size of a man’s breasts. In fact, bodybuilders are among some of the most common sufferers of gynecomastia.

In reality, the cause of gynecomastia typically stems from a hormonal imbalance. Too much estrogen triggers glandular tissue growth and the development of breasts. As such, in order to correct gynecomastia, surgery is generally required. Dr. Miguel Delgado, a gynecomastia specialist in San Francisco, can remove both fat and glandular tissue through liposuction and other minimally-invasive surgical procedures to treat gynecomastia. Cost estimates for gynecomastia surgery vary on a case-by-case basis but average between $3,000 and $4,000, which is less than the typical costs of a female breast reduction. For many men, this one-time gynecomastia surgery is the only way to get rid of their breasts. But for now, awareness of gynecomastia and its proper treatment remain the biggest barrier to helping men get this troublesome weight off their chests

Do Female Hormones in the Water Cause More “Man Boobs?”

Will the U.S. see more cases of gynecomastia, the much-despised condition resulting in “Man boobs” or “Moobs,” as they are also known?

It may be due to the many pharmaceuticals found in U.S. drinking water.



Some plastic surgeons in England have already noticed that their rate of performing gynecomastia surgery is going up. In 2007, according to the British Association of Plastic Surgeons, 4,000 “blokes” had cosmetic plastic surgery to create flatter, more masculine chests. In contrast, 2005 saw only 2,100 such operations.

During 2007, the U.S. recorded 20,289 such cases, according to the American Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (ASAPS).

Here’s a typical story (“How I got Rid of My ‘Moobs’”) about what a guy with large breasts must put up with from his “mates.” Read more.

Doctors and other scientists say no single drink of tap water is like getting a dose of medicine. It’s just that the trace elements in water build up over time to create the effect.

Gynecomastia Causes

However, drinking water is not the only culprit. If a “bloke” drinks too much booze, uses street drugs, has hormone therapy for cancer of the prostate, eats foods containing the female hormone estrogen, his breasts often enlarge -- even in thin guys -- to the average size of teen girl.

(I know what you’re thinking! Should you wear a bra if you have gynecomastia? Or a training bra, at least? Actually, Seinfeld once called bras for men “bros.” Anyhow, this is not the way these guys wanted to get in touch with their feminine sides!)


A then 14-year-old patient is pictured on the left before his gynecomastia was corrected through surgery. (Photo courtesy of Elliott Jacobs, M.D.)

There appears to be no way to work off or exercise away gynecomastia. Alan Kingdon, M.D., a London cosmetic surgeon, noticed the increase in male breast reduction surgery and conducted a study on the tissues removed. He found that bone fide mammary gland tissue, which normally grows only in women. More.

Given the nature of male humor, it’s only a matter of time until some U.S. fraternity writes a new song for their parties and names it, “Drink and be Mary.”

But wait, there’s more! A popular shampoo may also cause gynecomastia. More.

And: read about an MTV contest winner who wanted to have a surgically created chest like that of Arnold Schwarzenegger, the “Governator.”

Guys: Tell Us about Your Life with “Man Boobs.”

Gals: How do You React to Guys with Fleshy Chests?

Plastic Surgery and the Dating Scene

Some of the “Milestone” events for getting plastic surgery are often for:

*Weddings



If the happy couple is lucky, the pictures will be handed down for generations. (The other 50 percent will eventually cut their despicable ex out of the wedding photos and go on from there.)

So everybody -- especially the mother of the bride -- wants to look sharp. (Here’s a website that follows wedding participants who spring for a pre-nuptial nip or tuck: Lovegevity.)

*Reunions



Suddenly, it’s 25 years later and your old classmates are taking turns telling you how great you look. The 1978 class babe (or stud) is staring at you, wondering how did I ever let her (or him) get away? Considering the dog the high school babe is currently with, you can bet your bottom dollar the former flame is kicking her-or-himself. And you? Lots of cosmetic plastic surgery. Priceless! Read more about plastic surgery and reunions.



*Returning to Dating

(Or, Finding the Sweaty T-shirt that Trips your Trigger!)

So, after many decades, you’ve freed yourself from the old ball and chain. Plus, the kids are off to college and the nest is empty. (Except between jobs and bad marriages, of course.)

Next big step: You’ve signed up with an online dating service and are looking for Mr. or Ms. Right, the person you should really be with. But you also find a big Gulp! stuck in your throat. You’re nervous about your heretofore ignored appearance so you visit a plastic surgeon.

For guys, it’s usually getting the love handles taken off, maybe a little gynecomastia surgery, perhaps an eyelid lift. New-to-dating women usually ask about a tummy tuck, other breast procedures and a face lift.

However, a new dating service thinks perhaps you can skip the knife altogether. Instead, they want you to sniff your new love interest and find the smell pleasant. Even if no soap and shower has been applied! More.

ScientificMatch.com takes a dab of your DNA and, uses a process with a tongue twisting name, “Major Histocompatibility Complex.” The technology then finds a match whose scent is pleasing to you. Of course, the other likes and dislikes are included in your profile which excludes people with scents like yours.

It’s based on real science.

In one famous study, women preferred the smell of T-shirts from men whose genes were most different from their own. Really! In exact, proper scientific language, it’s known as the “Sweaty T-shirt Experiment.” Read more.



All you do for the DNA test is rub the inside of your cheek with a cotton swab.

(Sorry, gals, nothing can be done about the smell of the gene that causes football watching all weekend. And, guys, researchers are still working on locating that mysterious female shopping gene which appears to be connected to the shoe-buying gene.)



Declares Eric Holzle, ScientificMatch.com founder: “DNA matching is the chemistry of our service while values matching is the heart.

“When you share chemistry with someone, you’ll love their natural body fragrance,” he says. “They’ll smell sexier than other people.”

And, hey, don’t sweat it if you sign up. First dates do not require wearing on old T-shirt

What are your best first date stories?