Male Mammaries Mulled
Posted June 8, 2006 12:00 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
Remember that old Seinfeld episode where Kramer teams up with George Costanza’s father Frank to create the “manssiere” or “bro?”
It was a hysterical show but for those who suffer from gynecomastia, it’s no laughing matter.
What some refer to as ‘man boobs’ has become the major reason most guys consult a plastic surgeon, looking for a breast reduction.
The problem is more common than you might think, with as many as 60 percent of the male population suffering with the excess tissue – and age is no obstacle.
But for those who experience the condition in their youth, it can mean a lifetime of being ashamed.
Charles Huang knows that all too well.
“I’ve been teased when I was very young and I guess that’s the scar that was left on me,” he recalls. “I’m always self conscious, so I barely go to swim or go to gyms where I have to take off my clothes.”
But that was then. A year ago, Huang was finally so fed up with what Mother Nature had done to his chest, he took action by seeing a plastic surgeon for breast reduction.
“It’s a big improvement” he says now, lifting up his shirt to reveal normal sized pecs and almost no scar tissue.
Doctors say most men are too embarrassed to talk about it – let alone get it fixed.
What causes it?
There are several reasons behind the excess tissue growth.
- Puberty,
- Genetic disorders,
- Steroid use,
- Tumours,
- Medication side effects,
- Obesity,
- Effects of aging,
- Excessive marijuana use.
The surgery isn’t cheap – it runs between $3-6,000 and like most things considered cosmetic, it’s not covered by OHIP. But for some, no price is too high.
Most surgeons won’t even consider the procedure until you’re at least over the age of 18, once the effects of puberty are finished.
The operation takes anywhere from 90 minutes to three hours depending on the nature of the surgery, and you’ll need to take at least a week off work to heal.
You’ll also have to wear a special chest compression vest for up to six weeks after the procedure.
Whether you can be helped depends a lot on the underlying cause. If steroid or drug use is behind the gynecomastia, it will come back as long as you keep using the substances.
If it’s genetic, the treatment tends to be more successful.
For more information on this condition, check out gynecomastia.org.
