| Gynecomastia is an abnormal enlargement of breast tissue in men, which can be present on one or both sides. Gynecomastia is fairly common and can be found in about 10% of the adult male population. The onset usually occurs during puberty and subsides within a year or so. The characteristics are enlargement of breast tissue or glands, typically under the nipple area that is benign. The cause is generally unknown but may be caused by hormonal imbalance, medications, inefficient filtration of estrogen by the liver.
Men or boys who exhibit a good amount of fat on their chest may appear as if they have gynecomastia, but typically with diet and exercise the fat will subside. This is called pseudogynecomastia. As for the men and boys who have fat pockets that are resistant to diet and exercise will need treatment for true Gynecomastia.
While gynecomastia is not a serious medical condition it can be painful at times and cause embarrassment among those who have developed it. Treatment of Gynecomastia can be done surgically or with liposuction. The goals of the surgery are to reconstruct the contour of the chest and to search for any cancerous lesions. Most of the time the tissue is benign, however it is highly recommended to have the tissue examined.
The first step to diagnosis of true gynecomastia is to contact a board certified plastic surgeon and set up a consultation to see if you are a good candidate for gynecomastia surgery. A good candidate is healthy, have realistic expectations of surgery, or within healthy a healthy weight, are bothered by feminine look of their chest and breast development has not changed for a good amount of time.
Usually the primary concern and cause is the excess glandular tissue and skin. Removal of the tissue can be done in a couple ways. It can be excised by being cut out, liposuction or done in conjunction of each other. The incisions are made either along the line the areola, to hide the scarring, or in the underarm area.
Breast reduction surgery for gynecomastia is performed on an outpatient basis and the surgery usually last no longer the one hour, but a more extensive surgery can take longer.
When considering surgery it is very important to choose a board-certified plastic surgeon with a great deal of experience in male breast reduction. This will help you feel comfortable knowing that your surgeon has the knowledge, skill and experience to provide you with the results you want while providing safety throughout the procedure.
Posted in Cosmetic Surgery
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