Gynecomastia, a condition of excess breast tissue and a more feminine chest appearance, is estimated to impact upwards of 40% of men. Given that, it’s no surprise male breast reduction surgery is more popular than ever. It’s also a good sign that more and more men are understanding they have treatment options.
Unfortunately, there is still a lot of misinformation floating around about the causes, symptoms, and treatment of this condition—and the differences between pseudogynecomastia and gynecomastia.
If you are bothered by the appearance of your chest, it doesn’t matter if it’s fat or glandular tissue causing the problem—your desire to make a change is valid and the decision to have male breast reduction is personal.
Just because the name of this variant includes the prefix “pseudo” in no way should diminish how seriously anyone takes it. Pseudogynecomastia is indeed a serious concern because men with enlarged breasts—regardless of the specific reason—often feel uncomfortable with their bodies, leading to decreased self-esteem and quality of life.
The primary difference between gynecomastia and pseudogynecomastia is the type of tissue that is causing the enlarged breasts. In cases of pseudogynecomastia, the main culprit is typically excess fatty tissue that has built up around and behind the nipples. Weight loss and targeted exercises can sometimes help reduce this fat, but many men find that it is difficult to tone this area once the fat has developed. Typically, this is treated with liposuction to carefully remove the fat and sculpt a more masculine chest contour.
The term “pseudogynecomastia” seems to suggest that it is not an actual condition that requires treatment—but that’s often not the case. If enlarged breasts are affecting your self esteem, talking to a doctor about treatment options is important.
With classic gynecomastia, glandular breast tissue is the primary cause of the appearance of male breasts. This overdevelopment of glandular tissue typically begins in puberty—and it may resolve on its own for some young men. For others, the condition doesn’t improve and, because glandular tissue cannot be reduced by diet or exercise, surgical excision of the tissue is required.
The term “pseudogynecomastia” seems to suggest that it is not an actual condition that requires treatment, which is often not the case. Even in men who have mostly excess fat on the chest, it is rare that there is not also some level of excess breast tissue contributing to the appearance of male breasts.
Additionally, fatty degeneration of the breast tissue can occur with age, meaning someone with gynecomastia can later present as having “pseudogynecomastia” because the glandular tissue has become fatty over the years.
In any case, if enlarged breasts are affecting your self esteem, the specifics behind the condition shouldn’t hold you back from talking to a plastic surgeon about treatment options.
Typically there are two primary factors at play when it comes to gynecomastia: your genetic predisposition to the condition and/or hormonal imbalance. If your body is producing more estrogen (which controls female traits, like breast growth) than testosterone (which controls male traits, like muscle mass), you are at risk of developing enlarged breasts.
There are a number of non-genetic factors that can trigger a hormonal imbalance, such as taking androgenic steroids, smoking marijuana, or taking certain prescription medications. If your gynecomastia is genetic, there is not really anything you can do to prevent it. However, you can avoid behaviors that may exacerbate the condition.
If you’ve noticed that your breasts are getting larger and that exercise is not improving the condition, reach out to a board certified plastic surgeon for a male breast reduction consultation. He or she can help you understand the specific nature of your condition and develop a treatment plan that provides you with an aesthetically pleasing result.
It’s also important to have your hormone levels tested so anything more serious can be ruled out or corrected as needed.
Most patients have a combination of both excess fat and glandular tissue, which is why I typically use both excision and liposuction to get optimal male breast reduction results. This involves surgically removing glandular breast tissue and using liposuction to reduce fat and sculpt a more masculine chest contour.
If you are bothered by the appearance of your chest, it doesn’t matter if it’s fat or glandular tissue causing the problem—your desire to make a change is valid and the decision to have male breast reduction is personal.
I have helped hundreds of men feel more confident with the appearance of their chest with gynecomastia surgery in Hawaii, and I would be happy to help you understand your options during a private consultation.