Male breasts (gynecomastia) are one of the several areas men treat with liposuction. The other areas treated for men, include: liposuction of chin/face, liposuction of the abdomen and liposuction of the flanks. Gynecomastia occurs when you have an excessive amount of glandular tissue causing enlarged male breasts. The two ways to treat enlarged male breasts are to surgically fix the affected area or to eliminate the cause for gynecomastia.
Different causes of gynecomastia:
- obesity
- alcoholism (cirrhosis of the liver)
- medication side-effects
- renal failure
- lung cancer
- hyperthyroidism
- testicular (canceradrenal) tumors
- testosterone levels are low
- tuberculosis
Normal breast tissue in men is comprised of glandular tissue as well as fat tissue. The breast tissue itself is usually found in men under the nipple and in a small localized mass directly behind the nipple. It will feel firmer than the surrounding tissue in the chest, which is a man’s fatty tissue. It is this fatty tissue that is generally removed during liposuction. Glandular tissue is much more complicated to extract using liposuction and the amount can be determined using a mammogram; if a man has one single enlarged breast, there may be a risk of breast tumor in which case a mammogram can also help diagnosis.
A plastic surgeon will be able to steer you in the right direction and help you choose a path of treatment and it’s related procedures. There is also a condition called pseudo-gynecomastia; excessive fat tissue and a normal amount of glandular tissue can cause the appearance of gynecomastia in older or obese men. Pseudo-gynecomastia can be treated effectively by liposuction. Find a plastic surgeon to determine what your next step should be in treating enlarged male breasts.