Man boobs can really crush a guy’s confidence. But there are solutions.
The usual narrative is that only women primp and preen – that the fairer of the sex is more inclined to worry about appearance. But that really isn’t true – in fact, in a recent Men’s Health survey, 32% of men – 45% of them are aged 18 to 34 – have edited or cropped a photo to make themselves look better online. But worst of all – 1 in 20 men have been teased, trolled, or body-shamed on social media about their appearance or weight.
While you shouldn’t be trying to improve your appearance for anyone else but yourself, the fact is there are medical solutions to improve your grooming and appearance.
Let’s start with gynecomastia. Pronounced guy-neh-co-mastia, the Greek word means ‘woman’s breasts’. In today’s vernacular, we call them ‘man boobs’, and the term is used to describe the occurrence of enlarged breast tissues in men. It’s not just an aesthetic problem – it’s a medical condition.
Worst of all – it’s not something you can dispel with just exercise, as most of the time the trouble is enlarged glandular tissue which no amount of exercise or healthy eating can reverse.
What’s the treatment? Your doctor will evaluate your clinical condition and propose an appropropriate treatment plan for you – which may involve gynecomastia surgery with nipple reduction and skin tightening. For most, gynecomastia surgery typically involves a combination of breast gland and fat removal in order to achieve a natural, lean and masculine looking chest.
There’s just as much fact as fiction circulating on the web when it comes to what causes man boob, or gynecomastia. I explain what’s true, and what’s not.
While some women fret about having breasts that are too small, some guys worry about having breasts that are too large. Unfortunately, when they look in the mirror, they seem to have less chest and more breast. If you’re unaware, sometimes it’s not about how much (or how little) they’ve been working out, but rather whether or not they have a condition called gynecomastia, colloquially known as man boobs.
Here’s a breakdown of some myths about this you might have read on the internet.
Myth 1: Your beer habit is why you’ve got man boobs
Logically, alcohol contains calories and carbs, so you’d think drinking is why you’re packing man boobs. Ironically though, a review in Current Obesity Reports found drinkers weigh less than teetotallers! Beer connoisseurs who are fans of Indian Pale Ales (IPA) also tend to worry about a condition known to brewers as “Brewer’s Droop”, another name for man boobs. Why? IPAs contain phytoestrogen, a plant-based estrogen hormone- but the fact is the levels in IPAs are too low to cause significant hormonal imbalances.
Myth 2: Chest workouts are the solution to fix gynecomastia
Gynecomastia is caused by hormone imbalance so while exercising is good, it does not resolve the underlying issue at all. As with women, breasts in men are made up of glandular and fatty tissue. Gynecomastia occurs when excess glandular tissue is produced. When an abundance or excess fat is appearing on the chest area, it is known as pseudogynecomastia (fake gynecomastia), and this condition can be treated with liposuction alone.
Myth 3: Gynecomastia is caused by obesity, not male menopause
Contrary to popular misconception, being overweight is not the only cause of gynecomastia. It may be caused by hereditary and ageing as some men experience physical changes as they get older, which can be caused by male menopause or andropause.
The trouble is, too few men understand the condition: according to a survey reported in the South China Morning Post almost 80% of 500 men interviewed aged above 40 had heard about andropause; yet failed on average in answering questions on its treatment and symptoms.
Its link to man boobs? Testosterone production drops during andropause, and the hormonal imbalance could lead to the development of gynecomastia.
Myth 4: Any doctor can perform a gynecomastia surgery
Nope, not every doctor with an M.D can treat your man boobs. Like every medical speciality, it requires a doctor skilled in gynecomastia surgery, and also one about to give you the best advice from years of experience.
You might also have your own vision on what your chest should look like, and it’s utterly important that you do your research on which doctor can help you achieve that.
For personalized information about gynecomastia plastic surgery procedures, please complete Dr. Delgado’s inquiry form.
Gynecomastia is a real issue for men. In fact, one out of three men suffers from this condition of swollen glandular tissue, which can be physically embarrassing and sometimes painful. Pseudogynecomastia, on the other hand, can be rectified without surgical intervention.
What is pseudogynecomastia?
“Pseudo” by definition means false or imitation, and when one considers what pseudogynecomastia is, it makes sense. Unlike gynecomastia, which is the result of excess breast tissue, pseudogynecomastia is the accumulation of stubborn pectoral fat. Physically, they may look the same, and although it may be called pseudogynecomastia, it is still a real problem for men.
Pseudogynecomastia vs gynecomastia
In pseudogynecomastia, the primary cause of chest enlargement is fat as opposed to tissue. The fat is usually stored behind and around the nipple area. For gynecomastia, the cause of the condition is excess glandular male breast tissue. This occurs as a result of hormone imbalance. Glandular tissue is firmer and fibrous than fat tissue and it does not respond to diet changes or exercise.
What can be done?
The first thing to do is to get the right diagnosis by a qualified doctor. For those suffering from pseudogynecomastia, compression vests are ideal, but it does not get rid of the underlying issue. As it is caused by excess fat, a full fat and weight loss programme could relieve patients of the condition. Specific exercises that improve the chest’s appearance and contour are also recommended. Fat removal procedures such as liposuction also help to remove excess fat in the problem areas.
Gynecomastia, on the other hand, can’t be treated with exercise or diet. Gynecomastia surgery is still the best option to relieve sufferers of the condition. Despite its intimidating name, gynecomastia surgery is considered as an outpatient treatment, and patients can go home after the procedure. During the procedure, the glandular tissue and excess skin are excised resulting in a flatter, contoured chest. If excess fat is present, it is removed via liposuction.
As with women, men also face appearance issues that are beyond mere vanity. But with the available treatments to safely and effectively address them, conditions such as pseudogynecomastia and gynecomastia can now be a thing of the past for many men. That’s undoubtedly a massive load off their chests.
Finding that perfect tee is one thing, but being able to fit into it the way the mannequin does in the store is another matter altogether. Sure, you can work on losing the beer belly in the gym, but what do you do when all efforts don’t seem to get rid of what looks more like cleavage than a well-defined, broad chest?
If it’s any consolation, you’re hardly alone, with men all over the world suffering the same condition known as gynecomastia, or embarrassingly called “man boobs” by society.
With social media photo albums becoming a mirror of our daily lives, the public stigma behind gynecomastia sufferers cannot be ignored.
The good news is that a simple day-surgery procedure is all you need to eradicate the embarrassment and discomfort.
To top it all off, it’ll help tone and shape your pectoral muscles to give you the desired masculine physique.
Gynecomastia in simple terms, is the enlargement of the male chest caused by excessive growth of breast tissue inside the breast glands.
Severe cases are painful and leads to increased self- consciousness in social settings but 99% of such cases are non- life threatening.
It is not just an aesthetic problem but also more of a medical condition that can be treated easily.
The biggest challenge for gynecomastia sufferers is to muster the courage to seek treatment due to self- consciousness
“Gynecomastia is an issue a lot of patients feel very embarrassed or reluctant to talk about. They worry that others may laugh at them or not understand what they are going through. I usually reassure my patients that gynecomastia is more common than they think and it is not abnormal for them to feel insecure or embarrassed by their condition. It is my duty to try to understand how gynecomastia affects them and discuss with them the options available to them.”
So remember, you are just one call away from eradicating those years of pain and embarrassment caused by gynecomastia. A few hours of professional help and you are on your way to releasing those inhibitions that have plagued you for years, not to mention a better physique.
There are a staggering 85 percent of women and 63 percent of men being dissatisfied with the contour of at least one body part.
Aging, drug side effects, a hereditary disorder, obesity amongst many other reasons have contributed to the obnoxious condition called Gynecomastia (man breasts).
The presence of enlarged man breasts has been seen to ripping confidence levels in men, and with it afflicting about 20% of men. Gynecomastia is not all that uncommon, but that does not mean you have to live with this embarrassment and insecurity.
One of the most effective ways to rid of this condition is to have a gynecomastia surgery which promises a masculine physique.
With the removal of the excess fat and glandular tissue that is sitting in the chest area, the procedure restores the masculine contours of the chest and not to mention, the re-establishment of self-confidence.
The Ministry of Health in Singapore is strict about which health professional is allowed to perform liposuction. This is why they issue licenses based on strict criteria and only a certified, recognised, and licensed doctor is allowed to perform liposuction in Singapore.
