Men regain confidence after reduction mammaplasty

Question: My husband is embarrassed to take his shirt off on our boat. He  feels like he has breasts like a woman. Can this be corrected?

Answer: Yes. This condition, called gynecomastia, can be a combination  of excess fat and/or glandular tissue development in one or both breasts. It  can happen on young men as they go through their adolescence or even develop  as men get older.

In some cases, it is a heredity condition. In other males, it may be hormonal  changes, weight loss or gain, or the use of certain medications.

The good news is that breast-reduction procedures for men are relatively  simple with little downtime. In cases where the chest/breast area is  primarily excess fatty tissue, then liposuction may be the solution. If the  breast tissue is glandular, or there is also excess skin drooping, then the  surgical approach would be slightly more involved.

Either way, we have found most males of any age are completely thrilled with  the surgical results. Following surgery, our male patients tells us they  feel less self-conscious in their fitted shirts and are not embarrassed to  go shirtless on the beach, gym or boat.

BRIAN HASS, M.D., PLASTIC SURGEON