All You Need to Know about Male Breast Reduction

Gynecomastia 101

Enlarged male breasts are usually not a reason for concern. When it’s simply a matter of genetics or fluctuating hormones, it doesn’t pose a serious medical problem. But the underlying cause of the hormone imbalance may require medical attention.

Gynecomastia can affect one or both breasts. If they become too large or uneven, some men feel self-conscious about their appearance and seek a surgical solution to reduce them.

Possible causes of gynecomastia

We don’t know all the causes of gynecomastia, but we do know a few of them.

Hormones

Hormone imbalance can make your breasts larger, and that’s why this condition is so common in males whose hormones are fluctuating. In particular, anything that decreases or blocks testosterone or increases estrogen has the potential to lead to breast enlargement. For instance:

Newborns have such a high rate of gynecomastia because the mother’s estrogen is still in their system. The breast tissue in the baby generally subsides in a few weeks.

Pubescent boys often get gynecomastia when their hormone levels change. Again, it’s temporary and resolves on its own in a few months or a couple of years.

Older men experience gynecomastia when their testosterone levels decrease.

Medications

Hormones aren’t the only culprit. Some medications are linked to gynecomastia, such as:

• Anabolic steroids
• Prostate medications
• Antidepressants
• Anti-anxiety drugs
• Antibiotics
• Cancer treatments
• Heart medications

Even street drugs (marijuana, heroin, etc.), some herbal supplements, and some OTC drugs can lead to larger breasts in men.

Medical conditions

Enlarged male breasts might also be a symptom of certain medical conditions, such as:

• Hypogonadism
• Hyperthyroidism
• Tumors
• Kidney or liver failure
• Malnutrition

If you have a medical condition that’s causing your gynecomastia, your breasts should return to their normal shape and size once you’ve treated the primary cause. In this case, we don’t recommend breast reduction surgery for you until you’re healthy.

Could large breasts be something other than gynecomastia?

It’s important to get an accurate diagnosis before committing to breast reduction surgery. Dr. Polavarapu completes a thorough physical exam and becomes familiar with your personal and family medical history.

She then performs key diagnostic tests, which may prompt a few more tests, depending on the results, including a mammogram, CT scans, MRI scans, an ultrasound, and biopsies. With these, she’s looking for other possible reasons for your gynecomastia, such as cancer or an abscess (although these are rare).

What happens during surgical breast reduction?

If you’re a good candidate for surgical breast reduction — a healthy man who doesn’t smoke or drink alcohol excessively — and you’ve carefully discussed and considered the details of this permanent treatment with Dr. Polavarapu, then she proceeds with the procedure to remove excess fat and tissue.

She uses a combination of liposuction and excision to give you the results you want. She can even relocate your nipples if that’s an issue.

If you want to learn more about male breast reduction surgery, just call us at 817-615-8576 or book a consultation online to get started.