Is There a Treatment for Enlarged Male Breasts?

Plastic Surgeon & Skin Care Spa Serving Kansas City, Overland Park, Olathe, Lee's Summit & Nearby Areas of Kansas & Missouri

Posted: February 11, 2020

For a man or an adolescent boy, the appearance of male breasts can be devastating. For many, it’s difficult to feel confident and self-assured when this enlarged male breast tissue is present. Assuming there is not a medical issue requiring treatment, male breast reduction performed by Dr. Victor Perez may be a good option to restore positive feelings about your physique. To learn more, please call our Overland Park practice at 913-685-1108.

How Common is Gynecomastia?

gynecomastia-ba.PNGIf you have gynecomastia, you’re not alone. Some estimates place the prevalence of gynecomastia at about half of adolescent boys and about two-thirds of men over the age of 50. The degree of gynecomastia ranges widely within those groups. According to Mayo Clinic, the prevalence of gynecomastia peaks in men between the ages of 50 and 69. One in four men of that age group experience enlarged male breasts.

Gynecomastia is most often linked to an imbalance of testosterone and estrogen. As a man or adolescent young man, your testosterone may be too low or the estrogen too high. If this hormonal ratio doesn’t stabilize closer to normal levels, then the breast tissue may not go away. As a result, you may feel self-conscious about the way you look, so much so that you avoid going to the gym, avoid fitted T-shirts, and avoid removing your shirt at all costs. The self-consciousness can be a constant reminder of the negative feelings you have toward your body.

There are many teenage males who experience gynecomastia, but for whom the breast tissue eventually reduces naturally as pubescent hormones stabilize. It could be the case that the enlarged breast or breasts return to a normal volume and shape within a few months.

On the other hand, for some men the condition persists.  If the tissue remains enlarged for more than a year, and if there is not an underlying medical problem contributing to the issue, then the individual may be a good candidate for male breast reduction.

What to Do when Gynecomastia Doesn’t Go Away

If male breasts persist despite your doctor’s efforts to address gynecomastia, then male breast reduction may be a good option. There is a wide range of techniques available. Dr. Perez most often recommends reducing excess breast mass via liposuction, specifically Smartlipo MPX laser body sculpting. Liposuction provides good results because it effectively removes the excess breast fat while preserving a natural chest appearance.

Excision of sagging breast skin is required less commonly. If you are concerned that there is a lot of drooping skin in addition to breast fat, talk to Dr. Perez about whether excision is necessary. More often, Smartlipo MPX is satisfactory because it also provides a moderate amount of skin tightening, in addition to fat removal. Smartlipo works via a laser fiber, which emits thermal energy to melt fat cells so they are easier to suction away. This thermal energy also tightens mildly loose skin.

Male Breast Reduction in Overland Park

If you live in Kansas and if you are bothered by the presence of enlarged breast tissue, please call Renue Aesthetic Surgery in Overland Park to schedule a consultation: 913-685-1108. Dr. Victor Perez is a board-certified plastic surgeon with more than two decades of experience performing male breast reduction and other plastic surgery procedures.

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