Gynecomastia (Male breast reduction)

Gynecomastia is the medical term for male breast enlargement. What constitutes enlargement? That becomes a matter of personal viewpoint. What causes the enlargement? That is a medical question that a plastic surgeon can answer.

Gynecomastia is characterized by:

Excess localized fat
Excess glandular tissue development
A combination of both excess fat and glandular tissue
Gynecomastia may be present unilaterally (one breast) or bilaterally (both breasts)

As much as we might wish, no man is likely to be as flat in the chest area as we might envision. If a man exercises the upper body regularly, some development of the pectoral muscles will, and should, occur. Generally, the more exercise, the more development. Use of anabolic steroids, however, may lead to development of the breast gland, as well as increased muscle mass.

As is the case with women, heredity also plays a part. These are causes of the GLAND being abnormally large.

Of course, the breast AREA may be enlarged because of excessive fat accumulated in the site. As a rule, fat deposits itself in the breast area in coordination with fat deposition elsewhere. The more fat you deposit all over your body, the more will be deposited in the breast area. With heredity playing a role, however, some men tend to accumulate fat at a greater rate in the upper body, while others do in the lower.

Either situation is undesirable when it is excessive. When a man is large enough in the breast region that he is inhibited from playing sports or going without a T-shirt on the beach, he should seek help. The surgical solution is optimal for a man who has his weight under control, is generally in good condition, and still has sufficient breast enlargement that he is embarrassed by it.

Will insurance pay for this? Usually not for adults. Sometimes third-party payers, with a lot of advance planning and consultation, will cover the procedure for adolescent males. Meeting this requirement often requires that the patient have been worked up by an endocrinologist, then referred to a plastic surgeon.

To schedule an appointment to discuss this procedure with Dr. Johnson, click here.