Gynecomastia FAQ

"Gynecomastia," commonly referred to as "man boobs," is a prevalent concern that affects approximately 6 out of every 10 men, regardless of their age. This condition can manifest in various degrees of severity. If you suspect that you may be dealing with enlarged male breasts, we've devised a brief self-assessment to help you gauge the likelihood:

• Do you observe swelling of the nipples?
• Is the breast gland characterized by a firm or rubbery texture?
• Do you experience any pain or tenderness in this area?
• Have you noticed an excess of skin or ptosis (sagging) in the male breast?

If you answered yes to one or more of these questions, you may have gynecomastia. Our board-certified surgeons Dr. Marc Adajar and Dr. Anh-Tuan Truong offer specialized expertise in diagnosing and effectively treating gynecomastia.

• Grade 1: This is the mildest form, where the breast tissue is slightly enlarged and the nipples may be slightly puffy.
• Grade 2: This is a moderate form, where the breast tissue is more enlarged and the nipples may be more puffy.
• Grade 3: This is a severe form, where the breast tissue is significantly enlarged and the nipples may be very puffy causing the breast gland to point downwards.
• Grade 4: This is the most severe form, where the breast tissue is very large and may hang down from the chest. The surgical approach to grade IV that would achieve the best cosmetic result would be a bilateral mastectomy (breast removal) with free nipple grafting. In this procedure, the entire breast fat, gland, and excess skin is excised.

Gynecomastia can't always be stopped from happening. If it's caused by other health problems, treating those health issues might prevent it. But when gynecomastia happens because of hormone changes during puberty or as someone gets older, it's harder to prevent. However, there are some things you can do to lower the chances of it happening:

1. Avoid Certain Medication: Some medicines, like steroids used for bodybuilding, some heart or stomach medicines, and certain medicines for depression, can cause gynecomastia. If you're taking a medicine that might cause this, talk to your doctor about other options.

2. Don't Drink Too Much Alcohol: Drinking a lot of alcohol can increase a hormone called estrogen, which can lead to gynecomastia.

3. Treat Other Health Problems: If you have health issues that can cause gynecomastia, getting treatment for them early can help lower your risk of getting gynecomastia.

Most insurance providers do not cover the cost of gynecomastia surgery. However, if your gynecomastia is caused by an underlying health condition, it is possible for a gynecomastia insurance to cover your procedure.

While surgical procedures can get rid of gynecomastia effectively, there may be certain medications that may help treat gynecomastia without surgery. Some options include:

• Estrogen Blockers
• Aromatase Inhibitors
• Hormone Therapy

Our male clinic offers all of these treatments available at Xsculpt.