Hormones are important chemicals in our bodies that affect almost everything about how our bodies work. We often think of them because of their role in our development into adulthood, but our endocrine system creates over 50 different types. Imbalances in our hormones lead to a wide range of problems affecting our metabolism, blood pressure, sleeping cycle, sex drive, and mood.
Gynecomastia is a problem unique to men; it causes an overgrowth of fatty tissue in our chests, which can happen for several reasons. Treatment depends on the extent of the growth, but if other nonsurgical options fail, it’s important to know whether liposuction, breast reduction, or some combination is the best choice to manage it. Let’s examine these issues by looking at what this condition is, finding out its causes and risk factors, and seeing the reasons for each surgical process.
If you live in the Arlington, Virginia area and you’re struggling with gynecomastia, Drs. Talal Munasifi, James Economides, and their dedicated staff at Advanced Plastic Surgery Center can help.
Understanding gynecomastia
Breast glands are present in both men and women, and both sexes produce different estrogen levels. With gynecomastia, men will produce unusual levels of estrogen, and the resulting imbalance causes them to develop breast tissue. Not to be confused with pseudo gynecomastia, an overgrowth of fatty tissue in the same area, the breast tissue produced with gynecomastia has glandular tissue that is firm and dense along with softer fatty tissue. As it is unrelated to weight gain, shedding pounds will not affect this condition.
Causes and risk factors
Having excess estrogen in men causes the inhibition of testosterone, and this condition is one of the results of the imbalance. The hormonal fluctuation can happen at birth, during puberty, or over age 50, all at points when hormone production is in some form of change. It’s generally not long-lasting if it happens when you’re born, and during puberty, testosterone eventually outpaces the estrogen and regulates normal production in a six-month to two-year period.
Many issues can lead to dealing with it, including inherited conditions like Klinefelter syndrome, arsenal tumors, kidney disease or failure, liver disease, cirrhosis, low testosterone (male hypogonadism), testicular tumors, and pituitary gland tumors (adenomas or prolactinomas). Medications can lead to this condition as well, like drugs for heartburn and acid reflux (cimetidine), heart issues (digoxin), alopecia or enlarged prostate (finasteride), hypertension (spironolactone), chemotherapy (imatinib), and diuretics (thiazides).
Surgical treatment methods
The two main surgical options are liposuction and excision (mastectomy or male breast reduction), and which one best suits your needs will depend on how much breast tissue has developed from the condition:
Liposuction
This method uses small incisions followed by suction in targeted areas to remove excess breast tissue and is used for small to moderate growth.
Excision (mastectomy)
If there is larger growth, an excision of the breast may be necessary to remove as much tissue, fat, and skin as possible. When the removal is done, the nipple and areola (the dark area around the nipple) can be relocated.
Both methods can be used depending on both the amount of breast tissue and the size it covers. Each patient’s needs are unique, but the procedure is generally outpatient, and full recovery time can be up to two weeks.
Male breast reduction can seem embarrassing, but it can be treated with multiple methods to fit your needs and at your comfort level. If you’re ready to have this condition treated, make an appointment with Drs. Munasifi, Economides, and their team at Advanced Plastic Surgery today.
