Home|Blog | The Stigma Around Enlarged Male Breasts: A Common Disorder with an Easy Solution
The Stigma Around Enlarged Male Breasts: A Common Disorder with an Easy Solution
From a social and cultural perspective, female breasts are desirable and attractive. Young girls long for the day when their breasts will develop, and they will look like real women. On the other hand, the opposite is true when it comes to young boys. Even the slightest hint of enlarged breast tissue in a male can send him into a downward spiral of panic and insecurity.
Below are some facts about enlarged male breasts (gynecomastia), abolishing the stigma, and what men can do to take action.
Acknowledging the Stigma
The embarrassment of having enlarged male breasts is so strong that men and boys will do anything to hide them. Males, both young and old, may resort to wearing baggy clothing or several layers of shirts even in hot weather. Some will never remove their t-shirts in public even if it means wearing one while swimming or they may just avoid the beach altogether.
In some males, the condition is only perceptible to them and not to anyone else, and yet it still causes a great deal of angst. The stigma is so great that having enlarged male breasts can cause serious psychological distress, insecurity, and emotional problems.
Believe It or Not, Enlarged Male Breasts Are Incredibly Common
Gynecomastia is a very common condition with as many as 70 percent of adolescent boys experiencing some breast growth during puberty due to hormonal changes. Despite being temporary most of the time, it can still leave a young man feeling embarrassed and depressed at a vulnerable time in his life. Enlarged breasts can also occur in adult males due to issues such as hormonal imbalances, obesity, steroid abuse, marijuana usage, and aging.
Easy Solutions for Rectifying the Issue
With the ending of puberty, there will be total resolution of gynecomastia in the vast majority of adolescents who developed it. Weight loss may help to reduce this problem in obese males. For the rest of those with gynecomastia, male breast reduction surgery can be very effective in treating this problem.
In 2014, male breast reduction was the fourth most popular plastic surgery procedure among men. It can involve liposuction, direct excision (surgical removal) of glandular breast tissue, or a combination of both. Such procedures offer an effective solution for gynecomastia with multiple physical, psychological, and emotional benefits.
There is a lot of embarrassment and insecurity associated with enlarged male breasts, but this doesn’t have to be the case. This common condition is easily treated with male breast reduction surgery. If you are interested in learning more about male breast reduction, schedule your personal consultation with board-certified plastic surgeon Dr. Steven H. Turkeltaub today. Call the Arizona Center for Breast Surgery at (480) 451-3000 or contact us online to book your appointment now.