Frequently Asked Questions
What Causes Gynaecomastia?
While disease processes can cause a man’s chest to look more effeminate, this is relatively uncommon.
The most common causes of gynaecomastia are:
• Medications
• Changes to the sex hormones
• Ageing in the case of older men
• Puberty in the case of boys
People considering surgery should always see their GP for a full assessment, including blood tests to check hormone profiles before proceeding with breast reduction surgery. Certain medications can cause male breasts to enlarge, such as some anti-heartburn medications, anabolic steroids, or the recreational use of cannabis. These should be considered before opting for surgery.
Unfortunately, most male breast surgery patients have no known cause for their gynaecomastia and their only option is to get an operation.
What happens during gynaecomastia surgery?
The type of surgery that is most appropriate depends on the degree of excess breast tissue that must be removed and whether there is also too much skin. For minor cases, it can be possible to address with liposuction alone. This involves three small incisions that leave scars on each side. Each incision is less than 1cm and easily concealable.
This does not remove the glandular component that sits just behind the nipple. It is common for the glandular component to also need removing, which involves a small scar under the areola.
In severe cases, it may be necessary to remove skin too. The scars for this depend on how much skin is removed.
Before opting for a gynaecomastia treatment involving surgery, get all your tests done by your GP first to cancel out the rarer causes and check if it might be medications or other factors that could cause excess tissue in the chest area of your body.