There’s nothing like summer days at the Jersey Shore, soaking up the sun, jumping through the surf, and watching all the people. But if you’re a man with overly developed breasts that could be the last place you want to be. After all, you’re going to have to take off your shirt! And who wants to wonder if people are talking about your “man boobs” when you walk by?
Want a surprising stat? Roughly 50 percent of all men have abnormally large breasts and a condition known as gynecomastia. Most men don’t know they have it, ascribing their growing breasts to simple weight gain. But in most cases, there’s more to the problem than simple weight gain. Dr. Hetzler can perform male breast reduction with minimal scarring so that you can peel off your shirt with confidence again.
What causes gynecomastia?
In teenagers, male breast enlargement is not a rarity; it’s the norm. This is an unknown fact, but up to 70% of pubescent boys have the condition to some degree at some point in their teenage years. In teens, estrogen and testosterone and the changes they cause in the body are behind their enlarged breasts. Fortunately, once the teenager’s hormones settle down, the condition almost always passes.
In contrast to the well-known causes of teenage breast enlargement, adult gynecomastia is somewhat of a mystery. Like teens, middle-aged and older men can also develop enlarged breasts due to hormone changes that come with aging. But often gynecomastia comes from taking certain medications:
- Steroids
- Antibiotics
- Anti-anxiety drugs
- Heartburn treatment drugs
- Tricyclic antidepressants
- AIDS treatment drugs
Heavy drinking and smoking marijuana can also lead to gynecomastia.
Reduction surgery
Some men with gynecomastia have a firm, rubbery mass underneath the nipple area. The size of this mass is around 1.5 inches across and it may be sensitive to the touch.
If surgery is required, small incisions are made in the armpits or around the areolae. Through those incisions, excess fat and glandular tissue are removed and excess skin is trimmed. This type of surgery is not always necessary; Dr. Hetzler can simply remove excess fat with liposuction in some cases, leaving virtually no scarring.
If you wonder if your enlarged breasts are beyond the norm of simple weight gain, call Dr. Hetzler at 732-219-0447, and let’s see how we can help.
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