Gynecomastia is a condition that not a lot of people talk about, but it’s fairly prevalent. Gynecomastia refers to enlarged breasts in men. There are a number of reasons this condition can develop. Sometimes, it’s related to weight gain and obesity. In other cases, it’s due to hormonal issues or simply inherited. Finally, the use of some medications can be related to gynecomastia. These include anabolic steroids, finasteride for enlarged prostate and diazepam for anxiety. Gynecomastia can be bilateral, occuring in both breasts, or unilateral, meaning it’s present only on one side.
Many people don’t even realize that men have breast tissue, but they do. In most men, the amount is much smaller than the amount of breast tissue in women. In gynecomastia, men have fatty deposits in the breast area, especially right behind the nipple and areola area. This condition affects men for several reasons. Firstly, it can impact a man’s self-confidence. Secondly, it can cause serious cosmetic issues due to sagging tissue. Men with gynecomastia may feel very limited by the condition. They may avoid white and light-colored shirts, and they may always keep their chests covered, even at the beach and the pool.
Luckily, there’s a fix for this condition. Surgery can bring about real improvements for men who struggle with gynecomastia. There’s more than one type of gynecomastia surgery. Sometimes, surgery is purely liposuction. For this type of procedure, a small hollow tube is inserted into the skin, and fat is removed by vacuum suction. For men with more advanced gynecomastia, excision may be the best option. This means cutting into the skin and can also mean reducing the size of the areola and moving the nipple. These steps are taken to provide a more standard male appearance.
Good candidates for gynecomastia are generally adults in good health. While some teens struggle with this issue, doing surgery too early can mean more procedures down the line. Sometimes it’s advisable to wait until adulthood when development is complete. Contact Ciao Bella today to schedule a consultation.
