How to cover up gyno?

[MoonWalker0]

ok, so i got gyno years ago (i dont know why ive always been natural) and it's really pissing me off now. i'd love to have surgery but it's $5k that i dont have to spend. mine isn't as bad as some guys because when i touch the nipple or i'm cold, it's not apparent at all and the puffyness always goes away. is there any way i can keep the nipples this way when i'm not wearing a tshirt? i'd love to go to the beach, but just can't.

is there anything else i can do? i know a lot of bro's in the supp section have gyno and in here as well so what else can i do? i have chest hair, but if i shave that off then it'll look more apparent. i was thinking of buying a compression shirt so it's not as noticeable when i'm wearing a t-shirt or singlet or wifebeater.

any other suggestions?

thanks

[codd]

you can try liquid bandage spray or similar from the pharmacy, you apply it to your nipz after taking a cold shower or making them really cold (because when they are cold they look normal usually) and it will kind of keep them looking like that for a couple days, serious.

other than that, you could try the compression shirt, but idk about for when you have your shirt off.

[mikieson]

GOD!!...I really feel sooooo sorry for guys that have this issue..I mean it from my heart too..I dont have it bad and what I do have would be gone if I lost 20lbs probably..BUT my youngest son has it a little. He too is a little "chunky" and I hope he can grow out of it...He is very very self conscious about it too...
WE men have 2 things that are mentally detrimental in our lives...gyno and small "members"..It can really ruin a person for life..
SRS..my hear goes out to any guy with these 2 problems..

[MoonWalker0]

you can try liquid bandage spray or similar from the pharmacy, you apply it to your nipz after taking a cold shower or making them really cold (because when they are cold they look normal usually) and it will kind of keep them looking like that for a couple days, serious.

other than that, you could try the compression shirt, but idk about for when you have your shirt off.

what's liquid bandage spray?

[NYkarate]

A manzere, or was it the bro? I hope someone has a good solution for this.

[MoonWalker0]

you can try liquid bandage spray or similar from the pharmacy, you apply it to your nipz after taking a cold shower or making them really cold (because when they are cold they look normal usually) and it will kind of keep them looking like that for a couple days, serious.

other than that, you could try the compression shirt, but idk about for when you have your shirt off.

this liquid bandage spray sounds interesting. can you show me a link or explain how it works? if it keeps my nipples cold then i can take off my shirt no problem.

[MoonWalker0]

GOD!!...I really feel sooooo sorry for guys that have this issue..I mean it from my heart too..I dont have it bad and what I do have would be gone if I lost 20lbs probably..BUT my youngest son has it a little. He too is a little "chunky" and I hope he can grow out of it...He is very very self conscious about it too...
WE men have 2 things that are mentally detrimental in our lives...gyno and small "members"..It can really ruin a person for life..
SRS..my hear goes out to any guy with these 2 problems..

right, i never said i wanted to be perfect. i know all men aspire to be these 6'6 supermen with blond hair and blue eyes, but we just gotta make do with what we have.

[alex2363]

A manzere, or was it the bro? I hope someone has a good solution for this.

isnt that from tv show Seinfeld?

[alex2363]

i had man boobs, i lost 55 pounds and the man boobs.

[MoonWalker0]

yah but the gland stays around even when you're ripped.

look at franco's right nipple:
he's shredded but it's still there.

here's another, but mine isn't as nearly as bad:

[MoonWalker0]

i'm surprised no one else has dealt with this issue?

[ArchAngel'73]

i had man boobs, i lost 55 pounds and the man boobs.

This

Get abs and see if you still have 'em.

[drewkawa]

ok, so i got gyno years ago (i dont know why ive always been natural) and it's really pissing me off now. i'd love to have surgery but it's $5k that i dont have to spend. mine isn't as bad as some guys because when i touch the nipple or i'm cold, it's not apparent at all and the puffyness always goes away. is there any way i can keep the nipples this way when i'm not wearing a tshirt? i'd love to go to the beach, but just can't.

is there anything else i can do? i know a lot of bro's in the supp section have gyno and in here as well so what else can i do? i have chest hair, but if i shave that off then it'll look more apparent. i was thinking of buying a compression shirt so it's not as noticeable when i'm wearing a t-shirt or singlet or wifebeater.

any other suggestions?

thanks

Here's what I've found thus far... (long read)!

Good Luck,

Drew





Gynecomastia Treatment & Management
Mark R Allee, MD Associate Professor, Department of Medicine, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center

URL: http://emedicine.medscape.com/articl...atment#showall

Medical Care
Generally, no treatment is required for physiologic gynecomastia.
A major factor that should influence the initial choice of therapy is the duration of gynecomastia. It is unlikely that any medical therapy will result in significant regression in the late fibrotic stage (a duration of 12 mo or longer). As a result, medical therapies, if used, should be tried early in the condition's course.

Pubertal gynecomastia resolves spontaneously within several weeks to 3 years in approximately 90% of patients. Breasts greater than 4 cm in diameter may not completely regress.

Identifying and managing an underlying primary disorder often alleviates breast enlargement.

If hypogonadism (primary or secondary) is the cause of gynecomastia, parenteral or transdermal testosterone replacement therapy is instituted. However, testosterone does have the potential to exacerbate gynecomastia through the aromatization of the exogenous hormone into estradiol.

For patients with idiopathic gynecomastia or with residual gynecomastia after treatment of the primary cause, medical or surgical treatment may be considered.

Clomiphene,[14] an antiestrogen, can be administered on a trial basis at a dose of 50-100 mg per day for up to 6 months. Approximately 50% of patients achieve partial reduction in breast size, and approximately 20% of patients note complete resolution. Adverse effects, while rare, include visual problems, rash, and nausea.

Tamoxifen, an estrogen antagonist, is effective for recent-onset and tender gynecomastia when used in doses of 10-20 mg twice a day.[15] Up to 80% of patients report partial to complete resolution. Tamoxifen is typically used for 3 months before referral to a surgeon. Nausea and epigastric discomfort are the main adverse effects.[16]

Other drugs used less frequently include danazol and testolactone[17] :
Danazol, a synthetic derivative of testosterone, inhibits pituitary secretion of LH and follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), which decreases estrogen synthesis from the testicles. The dose used for gynecomastia is 200 mg twice a day. Complete resolution of breast enlargement has been reported in 23% of cases. Adverse effects include weight gain, acne, muscle cramps, fluid retention, nausea, and abnormal liver function test results.

Testolactone, a peripheral aromatase inhibitor, has been used with varying success rates in doses of 150 mg 3 times per day for 6 months. Nausea, vomiting, edema, and worsening of hypertension have been reported with its use.


Surgical Care
Reduction mammoplasty is considered for patients with macromastia or long-standing gynecomastia or in persons in whom medical therapy has failed.[3] It is also considered for cosmetic reasons (and for accompanying psychosocial reasons).[18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24]

If surgery is necessary for patients with pseudogynecomastia, liposuction may be warranted.

More extensive plastic surgery may be required in patients with marked gynecomastia or who have developed excessive sagging of the breast tissue due to weight loss.
Complications of surgery include sloughing of tissue due to a compromised blood supply, contour irregularity, hematoma or seroma formation, and permanent numbness in the nipple-areolar area.

A Chinese study indicated that endoscopic subcutaneous mastectomy, without skin excision, could be an effective treatment for gynecomastia.[25] In a report on the procedure's use in 65 patients (125 breasts) with gynecomastia, grade IIB or III, the authors stated that only a few operative complications occurred, including 2 cases of partial nipple necrosis and 1 case of subcutaneous hydrops. They also reported that postsurgical chest contour was satisfactory in all patients, and that no recurrences were seen during the 3- to 36-month follow-up period.

[DrBermant]

ok, so i got gyno years ago (i dont know why ive always been natural) and it's really pissing me off now. i'd love to have surgery but it's $5k that i dont have to spend. mine isn't as bad as some guys because when i touch the nipple or i'm cold, it's not apparent at all and the puffyness always goes away. is there any way i can keep the nipples this way when i'm not wearing a tshirt? i'd love to go to the beach, but just can't.

is there anything else i can do? i know a lot of bro's in the supp section have gyno and in here as well so what else can i do? i have chest hair, but if i shave that off then it'll look more apparent. i was thinking of buying a compression shirt so it's not as noticeable when i'm wearing a t-shirt or singlet or wifebeater.

any other suggestions?

thanks

There is a thin muscle just under the nipple areola that when stimulated flattens puffy nipples. Once this muscle relaxes, the true contour returns. There is no practical way to keep this muscle stimulated. I have seen men coming to my office with their chest bruised from attempts. Bandages or band aides also can cause injury to the tissues and I have seen pigmented scars from taping gynecomastia to try to hide the contour problems.

Much more effective have been Body Shaping Garments. Check out that entire section where I document the effect of the garments on different body types. In our office we let our patients try on this temporizing option. It is fantastic temporary tool until a problem is stabilized or until a patient can afford surgery. My recommendation for our patient to test it in our office is to jump up and down and bend over in front of a mirror. Then to do the same with the garment, and again with the garment and street cloths. The closest I could come to that on the web is the video I posted.

you can try liquid bandage spray or similar from the pharmacy, you apply it to your nipz after taking a cold shower or making them really cold (because when they are cold they look normal usually) and it will kind of keep them looking like that for a couple days, serious.

other than that, you could try the compression shirt, but idk about for when you have your shirt off.

Sorry, have yet to see an actual demonstration of the liquid glue method documented as with the garments. I have tried it and not found it effective. If it works you should be able to demonstrate it with pictures and video. Not finding such documentation makes me wonder just how much it actually works, and if so, for how long and what other issues become factors.

To answer another post here, no just having gynecomastia is not an indication for having surgery. It is a personal contour issue. I have seen many men who do not mind living with large breasts. Here is one such individual who had Klinefelter's Syndrome, big breasts, and did not mind living with his gynecomastia. The Klinefelter's syndrome was another issue and his videos about XXY and his diagnosis are very powerful.

Yet for many other there is a great Emotion and Stress Living with Gynecomastia

Chest hair is one way to camouflage contour to a degree. It will not help in water, but nor will the body shaping garment I demonstrate. My surfing patients taught me that the wetsuit is the in water equivalent of the compression vest. Neither wetsuit nor compression garment are effective for the beach, you would fry. For the beach my suggestion is baggy Sun Protection Clothing which can be effective but wearable.


Hope this helps,

Michael Bermant, MD
Learn More About Gynecomastia and Male Breast Reduction

[DrBermant]

yah but the gland stays around even when you're ripped.

I work with many Bodybuilders with Gynecomastia. The most common complaint is as they build their muscles, what sits on top of their muscles just gets pushed further out. We just had another of my patients who competes in bodybuilding, just contacted me with a link to his recent work, and it is amazing to watch someone enjoy his chest once that contour issue is behind them.

I retire at the end of August and have always thought of my work as surgical sculpture. The awesome aspect of this work is that my sculptures are living, dynamic, and continue to evolve on their own shaping their muscles and tissues beyond my contribution.

Hope this helps,

Michael Bermant, MD
Learn More About Gynecomastia and Male Breast Reduction

[Meatpants]

yah but the gland stays around even when you're ripped.

look at franco's right nipple:
he's shredded but it's still there.

here's another, but mine isn't as nearly as bad:

Hardly shredded or ripped. I bet some of that would go away if BF was lowered. Chest fat is very commonly considered gyno on these threads. Drop BF, and see what it looks like.

[DrBermant]

Hardly shredded or ripped. I bet some of that would go away if BF was lowered. Chest fat is very commonly considered gyno on these threads. Drop BF, and see what it looks like.

Gyno is public jargon for gynecological. Galen is the first to coin the phrase gynecomastia. Although he was aware of gland, his description was for the fat contour condition. So even if there is a fat component, it is still called gynecomastia by the guy who first came up with the term.

Just as the Anatomy of the Female Breast, the Anatomy of Puffy Nipple Gynecomastia will contain fat, gland, and skin.

Saying that a contour problem that is fat related not be considered gynecomastia is like saying that a female breast is not a breast if primarily fat in composition. Just as the early growth on a pubescent woman as is the pendulous mass from morbidly obese woman are called breasts, so is the contour problem on a male chest is gynecomastia whether subtle as in puffy nipples or from fat as in a Sumo wrestler.

Weight loss will help get rid of the fat component, but the effect will be a global one. Unfortunately, you cannot target where the fat will come from.

You are right on target about the fat issue. I always recommend that my patients first get to a weight they are happy with before considering surgery. But as you get to extreme low levels of body fat as I see with the many Bodybuilders with Gynecomastia I work with, the gland becomes further unmasked. Even with body fat percentages below 4%, there will still be a fat component in every breast I have seen over the nearly 4 decades of dealing with this issue.

Hope this helps,

Michael Bermant, MD
Learn More About Gynecomastia and Male Breast Reduction

[Meatpants]

Gyno is public jargon for gynecological. Galen is the first to coin the phrase gynecomastia. Although he was aware of gland, his description was for the fat contour condition. So even if there is a fat component, it is still called gynecomastia by the guy who first came up with the term.

Just as the Anatomy of the Female Breast, the Anatomy of Puffy Nipple Gynecomastia will contain fat, gland, and skin.

Saying that a contour problem that is fat related not be considered gynecomastia is like saying that a female breast is not a breast if primarily fat in composition. Just as the early growth on a pubescent woman as is the pendulous mass from morbidly obese woman are called breasts, so is the contour problem on a male chest is gynecomastia whether subtle as in puffy nipples or from fat as in a Sumo wrestler.

Weight loss will help get rid of the fat component, but the effect will be a global one. Unfortunately, you cannot target where the fat will come from.

You are right on target about the fat issue. I always recommend that my patients first get to a weight they are happy with before considering surgery. But as you get to extreme low levels of body fat as I see with the many Bodybuilders with Gynecomastia I work with, the gland becomes further unmasked. Even with body fat percentages below 4%, there will still be a fat component in every breast I have seen over the nearly 4 decades of dealing with this issue.

Hope this helps,

Michael Bermant, MD
Learn More About Gynecomastia and Male Breast Reduction

Hi Doc. I have read many of your posts, and know you know your stuff. Its great to have an expert here on these matters.

My comment was more directed to the fact that so many on these forums post questions about gyno, and when you look at their photos, many times its just chest fat. Very real subject indeed, I just think many wrongly self diagnose themselves, or freak out about it before losing the fat. I think some would be nothing more than Lipo, rather gyno.

[DrBermant]

Hi Doc. I have read many of your posts, and know you know your stuff. Its great to have an expert here on these matters.

My comment was more directed to the fact that so many on these forums post questions about gyno, and when you look at their photos, many times its just chest fat. Very real subject indeed, I just think many wrongly self diagnose themselves, or freak out about it before losing the fat. I think some would be nothing more than Lipo, rather gyno.

Thank you for your kind words. Lipo or liposuction does not work on gynecomastia. I see so many patients unhappy after liposuction done elsewhere that I recently reviewed just the last few years of patients asking for such help. There were over 500 patients unhappy with gynecomastia surgery done elsewhere by liposuction alone in just this few year time span! The project became overwhelming to put up on the web so I started breaking down the complaints by states and countries where the complaints were coming from. I have 3 pages of the complaints to post soon on my site.

The most common condition I was seeing I had to name it myself:

Puffy Nipple Gynecomastia Complication. Liposuction does not remove gland and what I was seeing was the dynamic compression of tissue failures. Bodybuilders need to look good flexing muscles. Flexing muscles compresses the tissue on top of the pectoral muscles as the muscle tissue expands. Fat compresses differently than gland or scar. The link from this paragraph shows drawings of what I have seen in many different patients while trying to fix this problem from liposuction done elsewhere. The liposuction targets the fat first digging a hole for the remaining gland. That is why many doctors hide the true results and only show 1 or pictures. You need to check how the body looks flexing the muscles, arms up over head, and from multiple angles. One or two views just do not tell the story.

Here are 2 examples, but check the entire patient presentation which takes several pages to document for each example. Specifically look at the gland I removed after the liposuction failed.

Revision after Failed Liposuction

Puffy Nipple Revision Surgery After Failed Liposuction

Now to get back to the issue of how great liposuction works by looking at a few pictures by doctors claiming it does, now let's get deeper into deformity I have seen from disasters from doctors pushing their liposuction but not caring how our bodies look living real life. Check out the 2 videos and still photos on this page:

Extended Crater Deformity After Revision Surgery By New York Surgeon. Watch the videos of the flexing and ask yourself do you like that look? What do you think that would do to the individuals self confidence looking in a mirror each morning as he describes not even considering competition in public flexing those muscles. This is a deformity of liposuction excess scarring holding the skin down to the muscles. I actually did not have anything to offer that individual other than, as he asked me to, help others learn about issues of liposuction. His response to the page:

This is amazing. Thank you for doing this.
I feel like i finally get to tell my story.

Now liposuction is a great tool when used wisely. It is spectacular when targeting fat. Sorry, but for gland, it stinks from the many patients I have seen coming to me asking for help.

Getting back away from my tangent and to your point: if there is a fat component, it should be managed by weight loss if there is a global component. If it is localized then the liposuction will manage the fat but the normal composition of tissue after weight loss will be gland fat and skin. The liposuction will not manage either the skin nor the gland. You are right on target about not diagnosing ourselves. That is a bad idea. Except gynecomastia contour is not a diagnosis since it is not a medical problem. It is a contour problem and that is something we should be able to comment about ourselves. Just what is comprising that contour and its causes, now that is something that is better left to a medical expert.

Sorry for long post, you just hit a sore spot, my anger over a misconception that some plastic surgeons push liposuction for gland without good documentation. Unfortunately it will take some time to look at all of the information I have posted here in this answer, there is a great deal of documentation I have given you about my position on this issue, but you should investigate the videos and links to see what I am talking about to understand my concerns.

Hope this helps,

Michael Bermant, MD
Learn More About Revision Gynecomastia and Chest Surgery

[Meatpants]

Thank you for your kind words. Lipo or liposuction does not work on gynecomastia.

That was my point. I think many people think treat fat, like gyno. Instead of just losing the fat, they think its neccesary to go under the knife. When in actuallity, they just need to tighten the diet, and drop the fat.

Again, not discrediting actual gyno, just the knee jerk reaction that many have to think they have it.

[codd]

Hi Doc, thanks for your input. Personally, I haven't tried to liquid bandage method because I think I may only have pseudogynecomastia (hoping!) and I'm currently trying to cut down considerably on my body fat %. I don't think it would make a difference for me at the moment because I can tell that I have a lot of fat composing my apparent "gyno," and I'm not sure if there's a significant gland there at all. I will gladly try it out this summer given that I cut enough bf%, and if it proves successful I will gladly document with lots of pictures. I have heard a lot about you and heard that you are one of the best. It is such a shame that you are retiring. You should consider educating future professionals in your knowledge of gynecomastia surgery because I have heard hundreds of stories where the patients were unhappy.

[DrBermant]

That was my point. I think many people think treat fat, like gyno. Instead of just losing the fat, they think its neccesary to go under the knife. When in actuallity, they just need to tighten the diet, and drop the fat.

Again, not discrediting actual gyno, just the knee jerk reaction that many have to think they have it.

Sorry if I misunderstood your use of lipo. I thought you were referring to liposuction, hence my detailed response about that it does not work on gland, only fat.

Tightening the diet is a great tool but dieting does not work on the remaining gland component. So, just as I do not want someone to have the misconception about what surgery offers, they also need to understand the limitations of losing weight.

Knowledge is power. Knowledge through documentation and proof has been the basis of my surgical sculpture throughout my many years of practice.

I am dealing with the frustrations of those wanting the easy fix instead of losing weight, but also trying to help with the frustrations of those who have lost the weight or are in the process of still losing the weight so they can best become comfortable with knowing what they can do with their bodies.

The basic principle that applies here is use the coarse tool first and the one of refinement (if needed) later. In this case, weight loss is the coarse tool, and then the surgery is better deferred for the refinement.

So they do have gynecomastia, but they may not have a significant gland component to worry about would be how I might phrase you point (if I now understand what you are saying.) My issue is that gyno does not = gland but gynecomastia is a contour which does can consist of primarily fat as Galen first described it.

Sorry for my long winded phrasing or misunderstanding.

Hope this helps,

Michael Bermant, MD
Learn More About Gynecomastia and Male Breast Reduction

[DrBermant]

Hi Doc, thanks for your input. Personally, I haven't tried to liquid bandage method because I think I may only have pseudogynecomastia (hoping!) and I'm currently trying to cut down considerably on my body fat %. I don't think it would make a difference for me at the moment because I can tell that I have a lot of fat composing my apparent "gyno," and I'm not sure if there's a significant gland there at all. I will gladly try it out this summer given that I cut enough bf%, and if it proves successful I will gladly document with lots of pictures. I have heard a lot about you and heard that you are one of the best.

Try using my Standard Pictures for Gynecomastia or if it a major weight issue and loose skin may become a factor try my Standard Pictures to Document Loose Skin on the Male Chest. That plus recording your weight, Body Fat Analysis, Body Mass Calculation, and how you feel about yourself is what I advise my patients who are considering weight loss. I like the less accurate but much less costly impedance devices or scales. Calipers have a long learning curve and become inaccurate when dealing with loose skin issues. Just how much tension do you pull the excess skin to get a reading is just not well standardized.

I have heard a lot about you and heard that you are one of the best. It is such a shame that you are retiring. You should consider educating future professionals in your knowledge of gynecomastia surgery because I have heard hundreds of stories where the patients were unhappy.

Thank you for your kind words about my efforts and my surgical sculpture.

I have been educating both the public and my peers about my techniques for many years with lectures, publications, videos, my website, and posts on forums. I just had a conversation with one of the powers of Plastic Surgery, someone who I became a member of his committee now he reminded me last night was 20 years ago. He was the one who told me to go learn about the Internet and how can we use it to teach the public and ourselves. His comment was that I had already accomplished the education of my peers and that with my retirement I should maintain my resources for their education qualities. One of the awards I was given by my peers was for this education effort:

http://plasticsurgery4u.com/bermant_cv.html

At the time of my award, that had been given to only 30 other Plastic Surgeons and the recipients list was a who is who of surgeons after which I had molded my career. Since then other of my role models have been added, so I am humbled by that accolade.

But back to your point, I may yet continue to try to help educate after my retirement. I still have so many photos and videos I have not used to date.

Hope this helps,

Michael Bermant, MD
Learn More About Gynecomastia and Male Breast Reduction

[MecGen]

Hello Dr. Bermant

Since you seem to be online this morning, I hope I can catch you for a quick question. I have read on other surgical sites that perform these types of surgeries is that rehab for someone that weight trains is 3 to six months before he can resume training post op. Is this your ballpark estimate as well (I hate asking for a guesstimate). I will search your website on my lunch hour.

Thank You for your insight
Frank

[DrBermant]

Hello Dr. Bermant

Since you seem to be online this morning, I hope I can catch you for a quick question. I have read on other surgical sites that perform these types of surgeries is that rehab for someone that weight trains is 3 to six months before he can resume training post op. Is this your ballpark estimate as well (I hate asking for a guesstimate). I will search your website on my lunch hour.

Thank You for your insight
Frank

Recovery After Gynecomastia Surgery depends on the original problem, what is done, how much damage the surgery creates, skill of the surgeon, After Surgery Compression, aftercare, and many other factors. Bigger operations like Male Mastopexy Chest Lift are more extensive, and longer to recover than a typical gynecomastia surgery. Revision Gynecomastia Surgery is often more complex and difficult with a longer recovery than primary surgery. That is why those sections are split off from my gynecomastia surgery to demonstrate such issues and collect the various types to better see differences. Even variations in the degree of gynecomastia can change recovery.

The more Bruising and Swelling After Gynecomastia Surgery, the greater the injury of the surgery, the slower the recovery, the longer the return to activities. My patients typically have minimal bruising and swelling. The swelling peaks in the operating room and typically decreases after as documented on my examples. What little swelling / bruising gradually then diminishes over time.

My patients are typically back to light activity the day after surgery. That means using a keyboard is fine, walking around is fine. Lifting the arms or bouncing is too much. I advise my patients, it is like recovering from a sprain. You cannot effectively put a time period on such an injury, but instead gradually phase back into it. Imagine telling someone with a sprain that they will be good to go in x days or y weeks!

Comfort after Gynecomastia Surgery is another factor. If there is enough discomfort or need major pain medication, then not working makes perfect sense. Although we give our patients a prescription for strong pain medication, they tell me that plain Tylenol alone is more than enough. When they achieve this typical comfort many are able to return to work or drive long distances the next day after surgery.

What you see on my examples are typical for my patients. Each surgeon has his / her own methods and what you see in my examples are typical for my patients. For other doctors, often you need to search forums to find early after surgery examples.

Hope this helps,

Michael Bermant, MD
Learn More About Gynecomastia and Male Breast Reduction

[MoonWalker0]

those compression vests look great. is there anything else out there i can use?

[DrBermant]

those compression vests look great. is there anything else out there i can use?

All of my patients are fitted for two types of After Gynecomastia Surgery Compression Garments which play a key role in comfort, bruising, and recovery after surgery. Here is a Bodybuilder in a Stage 1 After Surgery Compression Garment.

We tried many different items before we could find something that works so well that we were able to document the effect as demonstrated for Body Shaping Compression Garments. Many other compression garments are on the market, but none that I have found even try to demonstrate the degree that they are effective as I have. We have these garments in our office and permit our patients to try them on as temporizing measure while they lose weight or get a hormone problem stabilized. My patients tell me that these garments we use are so much more effective than anything else they have found for the male chest. I can see the difference when the patient even comes in with one of the other brands or designs. However, that is not a fair comparison since one is a brand new garment while the patient's garment has been worn before.

So there are other products out there, they just are not as effective from what I have been able to analyze and evaluate.

Hope this helps,

Michael Bermant, MD
Learn More About Gynecomastia and Male Breast Reduction

[DaddyR]

OP, next time you go to the beach take a good look around you. I seriously doubt that you are unusual in any way. I strongly suspect that you are making more of it than it really is, especially if you look like the pic of that second guy in the after shot. You can see something if you really look hard, but nobody looks that hard and there are guys walking around with a lot worse. If you really can't stand the sight of yourself, then definitely see a doctor.

[drudixon]

Gyno is public jargon for gynecological. Galen is the first to coin the phrase gynecomastia. Although he was aware of gland, his description was for the fat contour condition. So even if there is a fat component, it is still called gynecomastia by the guy who first came up with the term.

Just as the Anatomy of the Female Breast, the Anatomy of Puffy Nipple Gynecomastia will contain fat, gland, and skin.

Saying that a contour problem that is fat related not be considered gynecomastia is like saying that a female breast is not a breast if primarily fat in composition. Just as the early growth on a pubescent woman as is the pendulous mass from morbidly obese woman are called breasts, so is the contour problem on a male chest is gynecomastia whether subtle as in puffy nipples or from fat as in a Sumo wrestler.

Weight loss will help get rid of the fat component, but the effect will be a global one. Unfortunately, you cannot target where the fat will come from.

You are right on target about the fat issue. I always recommend that my patients first get to a weight they are happy with before considering surgery. But as you get to extreme low levels of body fat as I see with the many Bodybuilders with Gynecomastia I work with, the gland becomes further unmasked. Even with body fat percentages below 4%, there will still be a fat component in every breast I have seen over the nearly 4 decades of dealing with this issue.

Hope this helps,

Michael Bermant, MD
Learn More About Gynecomastia and Male Breast Reduction

Wouldn't options like letrozole or even epistane be considered before invasive surgery? I'm no expert, just curious to understand this. Thanks in advance.

[DrBermant]

Wouldn't options like letrozole or even epistane be considered before invasive surgery? I'm no expert, just curious to understand this. Thanks in advance.

I have been dealing with this for now nearing 4 decades. I was an invited speaker for the 17th Annual Meeting and Clinical Congress, American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists Annual Meeting. My topic was: Gynecomastia - Ask the Expert. Endocrinologists are the doctors who specialize in the medical management of our delicate hormonal system. So they considered me enough of an expert in this problem to ask for my help in their own education.

Surgery is not the first choice where there are tender breasts or breasts that are growing. Stabilizing the problem is the first step. Blocking agents are not the first line method, but investigation into what is causing the imbalance. Fixing that is the priority since surgery does not prevent recurrence. Antiestrogens can help work on a gland swollen from hormonal stimulation. They do not reverse burned out or quiescent breast tissue. The medical studies on this are poorly designed not documenting just how much the contour changed nor showing gland on Male Mammogram (inappropriate radiation exposure just for monitoring a study). You would think they would at least use something like my Standard Photos for Gynecomastia, yet to date, I have never found such documentation.

At that meeting I again presented my Red Flag System that was evolved over many years working with Endocrinologist as to when to send a gynecomastia patient for Endocrine evaluation, Gynecomastia Lab Testing, and possible medical management. The consensus again was that my Red Flag method was valid: not everyone should be sent to an Endocrinologist. When red flags are present, I do not offer surgery until the patient has been stabilized first. Many Endocrinologists over the years have told me that they no longer recommend medical management unless there is an underlying problem to correct. They just were not getting good results in trying it for patients who did not need something to stabilize a problem like a transient exposure to a hormone destabilizing situation when gland is swollen. Once the red flags were gone, then medical trials made no more sense and the risks outweighed benefits they had seen in their practices.

Hope this helps,

Michael Bermant, MD
Learn More About Gynecomastia and Male Breast Reduction