Male Chest Reduction - Gynecomastia Surgery

Gynecomastia is the technical medical term that describes a condition in which a man’s chest looks flaccid or drooping, and, in some cases, has a feminine appearance.  The problem is usually caused by a combination of excessive skin, fat, and glandular tissue.  Although rarely discussed, it’s actually quite common, affecting an estimated 40 to 60 percent of men at one time or another.  Some cases can be traced to endocrine imbalances or drug side effects, but in the majority of cases a cause is unknown.

Many men with this condition find it extremely embarrassing to remove their shirts.  For those who feel self-conscious about their appearance, surgery can help.  Gynecomastia surgery can remove fat and glandular tissue from the chest and, in extreme cases excess skin, depending on what is required to result in a more natural and masculine appearance.

Gynecomastia surgery can enhance your appearance and your self-confidence, but it may not change your looks to match your ideal image.  The best candidates to correct gynecomastia are healthy men of relatively normal weight with firm, elastic skin that will reshape to the body’s new contours.  Surgery may be discouraged for obese men, or for overweight men who have first attempted to correct the problem with exercise or weight loss.  Also, individuals who drink alcoholic beverages in excess or smoke marijuana are usually not considered good candidates for surgery.  These drugs, along with anabolic steroids, may cause gynecomastia.

While this web site can give you some basic information about gynecomastia surgery, you are invited to contact Dr. Bartell’s office for a free, no-obligation consultation to discuss the procedure in more detail, view many pre- and post-operative examples, and address your particular needs.