Since a pool party teasing experience at age 12, S. Larry Schlesinger, MD, FACS’s gynecomastia patient had been excruciatingly self-conscious of his large chest. He avoided being photographed and shunned bright colors or clingy clothing, preferring black, thick materials instead. When losing 40 pounds did not reduce his chest, he and his Fiancé researched their options and zeroed in on Dr. Larry Schlesinger for a gynecomastia procedure. In part 1 of this series, the patient talks about what he’s endured as a result of his condition for the last 18 years and his hopes for the future.
Video Transcript:
Patient: I know when I went to Disneyland before, I did not want to take any pictures, especially on rides when the wind blows up against the shirt. It looked like I had boobies and stuff. I wouldn’t want to buy the pictures. Now, maybe in the future when we do go on a trip, I’ll be able to take a lot of pictures and have memories to keep.
I knew something was different at the age of 12, I went to a pool party with my family then. I took off my shirt and these girls commented that the boy has boobies. That really damaged me ever since. At the age of 12. I only pick out thick material clothes, I only wear black, only black. I couldn’t wear the colors that I wanted to wear.
Patient’s Fiancé: When I first met Mike, I would really encourage him to work out, exercise. If you lose some fat, they’ll be gone. And then he ended up losing about 40 pounds and he still had the chest. And that’s when I started doing a little more research on it and realized this is a condition that exercise can’t get rid of. And that’s when we did the research on the different doctors in Hawaii and read a lot of reviews. And that’s when we finally made an appointment with the Breast Implant Center of Hawaii.
Patient: It made me feel super happy that something can be done for it. I just can’t wait until it does happen and I can be myself because I’ve never been myself for 18 years. I don’t’ know how it feels like to be myself.
Patient’s Fiancé: I think S. Larry Schlesinger, MD, FACS was very upfront. He didn’t try to hide anything. He was very upfront about how long this process is going to be, about the follow up appointments that are going to have to happen. But I think when you go into something and you know ahead of time, that allows you to be prepared for it and really have just an overall understanding of what the process is. So I’m happy that we were informed on everything and it makes us be ready for it.
Interviewer: Are you nervous?
Patient: Ah, super nervous. Nervous and excited. I’m so excited. This is what I wanted for my whole life pretty much. There’s not a day go by that I don’t think about it.
Patient’s Fiancé: It’s going to be amazing.