It’s tempting to say that most of us do not understand why gynecomastia treatments are performed. Have you ever met a man who did not want to have massive and muscly pectorals? They are a sign of power and virility, and—for many women—the sexiest muscles of the male body, just as many men consider a woman’s breasts to be the most appealing feature of the female body.
Some men, though, suffer from a condition called gynecomastia, where the pectorals are overly developed, often leading to large breasts. If you have seen Fight Club, this is what Bob had. Many men living with this condition choose to receive surgical reduction of their pectorals, mostly for aesthetic purposes.
What Causes These “Man Boobs”?
Gynecomastia can be caused by:
• Excessive weight gain
• Taking drugs such as steroids or hormones
• The presence of a tumor(s)
• Genetic causes
If an external agent is the cause of the patient’s gynecomastia, doctors will counsel a patient to reduce their consumption of the substance, or often recommend complete abstinence. However, if the patient chooses to undergo surgery, they must meet the following requirements:
• Be healthy
• Have an undesired breast size they cannot change on their own
• Want to make their physical appearance more pleasant.
Desire is a huge part of this surgery, as it is hardly ever undertaken for purely health reasons. General expectations going in to the procedure include a reduction in the level of fat accumulated in the chest, as well as the extraction of a certain quantity of chest tissue. Surveys show men want to improve their physique this way, and fulfilling this desire gives them greater self-esteem.
The procedure is not easily performed, but with highly-skilled surgeons, it is safe and nothing to be afraid of. Here is the general process:
1. The patient receives local anesthesia or is fully sedated.
2. The surgeron makes an incision, generally right below or above the patient’s chest. Tissue is removed through it. Liposuction or sculpturing may be required.
3. For several weeks after the surgery, the patient wears a special garment that helps them heal.
Men usually recover surprisingly fast after the operation. In 2-4 weeks, you can even undertake sports activities without it posing an issue.