What is gynecomastia?
Men as well as women can suffer from breast size. Breast size in men can be caused by many reasons and generally brings psychological problems. Gynecomastia, which is called excessive enlargement or development of the breasts in men, is a common problem. Surgical intervention (breast reduction operation in men) is required for gynecomastia, which does not improve spontaneously.
What are the causes of gynecomastia?
Breast enlargement in men can be caused by many reasons such as hormonal disorders, obesity, low male hormone levels, chemotherapy, side effects of certain medications, radiation therapy, excessive alcohol consumption, chronic liver disease, kidney failure, hyperthyroidism, inadequate and unhealthy nutrition.
Some men may also face breast enlargement during puberty. Although gynecomastia seen during adolescence is often temporary, it can sometimes persist. In such cases, it is necessary to pass the age of 18 to have breast aesthetics. At the same time, old age is also one of the causes of breast enlargement. Approximately 70% of men over the age of 50 may experience gynecomastia.
Types of gynecomastia
Gynecomastia is examined in 3 different types: hormonal, fat-based and fat-grandular type gynecomastia.
- Hormonal Gynecomastia: (Grandular type): If gynecomastia occurs due to an imbalance in hormones, it is classified as hormonal gynecomastia. Every human body contains both estrogen (female hormone) and testosterone (male hormone). In the male body, if the estrogen hormone, which causes the body folds to form, is secreted above normal, the growth of the breasts is triggered and gynecomastia occurs. In this type of gynecomastia, growth is experienced in the actual breast tissue. Therefore, liposuction and excision procedures should be performed together to reduce it.
- Fat-based Gynecomastia: Breast tissue is one of the areas where fat tissue accumulates intensively during weight gain. If the chest muscles do not work actively, the accumulated fat cannot be burned and gynecomastia occurs. In such cases, liposuction is sufficient to reduce the breasts.
- Fatty-Grandular type gynecomastia: These are cases where two types of gynecomastia are seen together. Liposuction and excision procedures should be performed together for its removal.
Breast reduction surgery in men
In breast enlargement problems in men, liposuction or vaser liposuction is sufficient if the growth is caused by adipose tissue. However, if growth has also occurred in the breast tissue; reduction is performed using the classical surgical method.
Operation times for breast reduction in men vary between 2 – 3 hours. Operations are performed while the patient is under general anesthesia.
After the operation, the patient is required to use a corset for 3 to 6 weeks. Starting from the 2nd day of the operation, the patient can slowly start to return to daily routines. After breast reduction surgery, the person who has undergone the operation exhibits a more confident posture as well as psychological relief.