What Causes Gynecomastia? What Is The Best Way To Address The Condition?

Breast enlargement in men or gynecomastia is a common concern. The condition affects their self-confidence and makes them try to avoid social events. Excessive accumulation of fat in the chest area is typically caused by hereditary factors, obesity and hormone imbalances. This common male breast disorder affects about 50 to 65 percent of boys and men worldwide.

In some cases, treatment may not be necessary for flattening the chest. However, in some cases, breast reduction surgery will be recommended. Fortunately, liposuction breast reduction can treat this excessive buildup of male breast tissue and provide a natural-looking chest.

What Causes Gynecomastia in Males?

Normally, a decrease in the amount of the hormone testosterone compared with estrogen triggers the condition, but there are some other risk factors that can also cause enlarged breasts in men.

• Is Obesity a Cause of Gynecomastia?

Gynecomastia can be caused by hormonal abnormalities also, and not just by obesity. Typically, a physical examination by a doctor can determine whether or not a swollen male chest is caused by real gynecomastia, but occasionally more testing is necessary.

When males reach puberty or as they age, true gynecomastia (enlargement of breast tissue) is not unusual and can be found in healthy, normal youth. Men can have enlarged breasts due to medical problems that disrupt the body’s hormonal balance.

Generally, gynecomastia occurs during infancy and puberty, especially during hormonal changes. Reports say that the condition affects up to 41% of men between the ages of 25 and 45 and 60% of 14-year-old adolescent boys. It can also develop in men aged 50 and older.

However, obesity and weight increase are the two biggest risk factors for the growth of fatty tissue in the breast area. Gynecomastia may even become more obvious following weight loss because the additional glandular tissue is no longer encircled by excess fat in the chest area.

Other Factors That Can Cause Gynecomastia

1. Steroids: Synthetic testosterone-based illegal testosterone treatments are sometimes used to bulk up or improve performance which can promote breast development. While some of these do not convert to estrogen, those that do can stimulate breast growth in a manner similar to that of a genuine testosterone therapy. It’s also not a good idea to use a medication that prevents the conversion of testosterone to estrogen because estrogen is still necessary for men’s bone health, sexual function, and control of body fat.
2. Medications: A variety of drugs, including those for hair loss, cite gynecomastia as a potentially uncommon side effect. Other medications used to treat liver illness and heartburn can also block testosterone receptors, producing an anti-testosterone action that can cause gynecomastia. Medications that lead to swelling of breast tissue in men include anti-androgens used to treat prostate enlargement, prostate cancer and some other conditions, anabolic steroids and androgens, HIV medications, anti-anxiety medications, tricyclic antidepressants, antibiotics, cancer treatment, heart medications, and gastric motility medications.
3. Undiscovered Tumors: The production of hormones can be impacted by a variety of malignancies, including testicular and pituitary tumors. Gynecomastia may develop if your body produces either too much estrogen or insufficient testosterone. You may also be familiar with HCG because it’s frequently used as a “natural” weight-loss or testosterone-boosting supplement, but HCG injections can have an impact on estrogen production, which can lead to breast development.
4. Health Conditions: Health conditions that cause hormonal changes can cause excessive enlargement of the male breast. These include hypogonadism, aging, hyperthyroidism, tumors, liver/kidney failure, and nutritional deficiencies.
5. Street Drugs & Alcohol: Gynecomastia can also be caused by substances such as alcohol, amphetamines, marijuana, heroin and methadone.
6. Herbal Products: The use of lavender-scented soap and skin lotions, shampoos, or styling products that contain tree oil and lavender oil is also linked to gynecomastia.

Fat buildup in the male chest can cause distress and embarrassment. The good news is that there is a safe and effective way to address the condition: male breast reduction liposuction.

Treatment for Gynecomastia

Before going ahead with the treatment, the plastic surgeon will recommend tests to confirm that the condition is gynecomastia. The reason is that enlarged breasts in men can also occur due to breast cancer, even though this is rare.

Liposuction is the gold standard for removing excessive fat from various areas of the body and is also used to address male breast enlargement. However, traditional liposuction surgery involves general anesthesia and requires time for recovery. Fortunately, today, there is a safe and effective minimally-invasive option – Smartlipo Triplex in NYC. This laser liposuction treatment for gynecomastia requires only local anesthesia.

• Smartlipo Triplex Liposuction to Address Gynecomastia

Smartlipo Triplex in NYC is a modern variant of traditional liposuction and effective to address gynecomastia. It removes unwanted fat using advanced laser energy. The procedure begins with the surgeon administering local anesthesia and creating a small incision for inserting the laser fiber of the Smartlipo device. Laser energy is delivered using three alternative laser wavelengths – 1440, 1064 and 1320 – which liquefies the unwanted fat, coagulates tissues and tightens the surrounding skin. The advantages of laser liposuction for men are:

• Quick recovery
• Minimal risk of complications
• Less swelling and bleeding
• Minimal scarring
• Stimulates the skin to produce additional collagen
• Less surgical trauma and downtime compared to conventional liposuction
• Long-lasting results

Smartlipo’s three intelligent delivery systems – SmartSenseTM, ThermaViewTM, and ThermaGuideTM – distribute the laser energy in the proper proportion and guard against overtreatment, providing great body contouring and skin tightening results.

Recovery after Laser Liposuction

Proper pre – and post-surgical care are important for a comfortable surgical experience and smooth recovery. During your consultation, your surgeon will give guidelines for pre – and post-op care. Laser liposuction usually takes less than two hours, though this will depend on the amount of fat that needs to be removed and the extent of area treated. You can return home the same day of the procedure. Most patients return to their daily routine and work within a few days. However, it is important not to engage in strenuous activity or carry weights until healing is complete. Key factors to consider:

• Fluid Diet: You should have a diet plan for before and after the procedure. After the procedure, you will be allowed to take only fluid food for a few days and change over gradually to solid food. Drink a lot of water to keep dehydration away.
• Restricted Physical Activities: Physical activities will be restricted in the initial days. Light walking may be recommended to improve circulation. However, tedious workouts, dancing and so on are not allowed for several days. Consult your surgeon before resuming such activities.
• Compression Garment: Use the compression garment for a few weeks after the surgery. It will help reduce swelling and bruising.
• Proper Medication: Take the recommended medication on time and as advised by your surgeon.
• Restrict Alcohol: Avoid alcohol for at least 72 hours before and after the surgery.
• Proper follow-up: Keep your follow-up appointments – this is important for your surgeon to review the results and monitor treatment progress.
• Take care to avoid infection: After the surgery, don’t remove the compression Clean your body without wetting the treated site. Carefully inspect the site for signs of infection and contact your surgeon if you find any unusual swelling or bleeding.

Gynecomastia treatment using laser liposuction is proving to be an effective solution for this aesthetic concern. NYC plastic surgeons perform the procedure using the FDA-approved Smartlipo Triplex workstation. Small to moderate degree of enlargement can be effectively addressed using this modality. As with all cosmetic surgical procedures, it’s important that you find an AAAASF-accredited plastic surgery facility to have Smartlipo in NYC. A plastic surgeon with extensive experience in performing the procedure can remove the excess fat and tissue safely and effectively to create a flatter, firmer chest.