If male breast reduction cost is something that prevents you from going for gynecomastia, you need to do a bit of rethink. If you are one of the many men who suffer from enlarged breast, you would like to know how to get rid of gynecomastia and the corresponding cost of gynecomastia surgery.
Large breasts are an asset for women but an embarrassment for men. Studies show that about 40 to 60 percent of men have gynecomastia or enlarged breast and quite common among teenage boys. Hence, for men who are conscious of their looks, male breast reduction is the answer to get rid of those embarrassing breasts. But you might wonder; is it really possible for men to have breasts like that of women? Yes, it is possible and that condition is called gynecomastia.
What is Gynecomastia?
Gynecomastia refers to the abnormal enlargement of male’s breast either one or both breasts. Newborns, teenage boys and even older men can be affected by gynecomastia. Although the condition does not foster any serious problem but living with it is a struggle. Oftentimes, the enlarged breast can cause physical and emotional pain as sufferers need to live with the embarrassment of being teased by their peers by having enlarged breast as well as cope with the physical pain associated with it. Aside from embarrassment, one may feel humiliated, ashamed and insecure of having enlarged breasts. On the other hand, not all enlarge breasts can be considered as gynecomastia. A male’s breast may look enlarged because of the fats accumulated on the chest. This usually disappears with diet and exercise although in some cases, treatment is needed when these chest fats will not respond to diet and regular exercise. But, exercise and diet does not work with true gynecomastia. On the brighter side, gynecomastia disappears even without treatment within two to three years. However, if it persists, medication or male breast reduction can help.
Causes of Gynecomastia
* Hormonal Changes
Sex hormones control and maintain the characteristic of every gender. Estrogen is the female sex hormone that controls female character which includes breast growth. Likewise, testosterone is for male that controls the male character which includes body hair and muscle mass. It’s quite unusual but men also produce small quantity of estrogen, yes, the female sex hormone, and once the estrogen levels in men are more than the testosterone levels, gynecomastia occurs. Some male infants have enlarged breasts as a result of the estrogen from their mother but disappears within three weeks of birth. In puberty, hormonal changes are common on this stage and inflamed breast tissue usually disappears from six moths up to two years. Gynecomastia is also prevalent among older men from 50-80 years of age.
* Medications
Several medications can also trigger enlarged breasts which include antibiotics, antidepressants, androgens and anabolic steroids; cancer treatment, heart, AIDS and ulcer medications; heart medications and anti-androgens which are commonly used in treating prostate cancer.
* Alcohol and illicit drugs
Substances can also cause gynecomastia which includes amphetamines, heroin, methadone, and marijuana.
* Health conditions
Some health conditions can cause hormonal imbalance resulting to enlarged breasts such as aging and hyperthyroidism; tumors especially involving the pituitary gland, adrenal gland and testes; cirrhosis, liver failure and renal failure as well as malnutrition.
* Herbal products
Some herbal products usually in the form of lotions, soaps or shampoos that contain plant oils like lavender or tea tree has also been associated to cause gynecomastia because of their poor estrogenic behavior.
How to Get Rid of Gynecomastia?
Oftentimes, gynecomastia eventually disappears without treatment. But, if underlying health problem causes it, such as cirrhosis and malnutrition, then, treatment is required. Besides, if you are taking some of the medications mentioned above to cause gynecomastia, then, your physician may substitute it with another medicine. In teenage boys, regular re-evaluation is required to figure out if gynecomastia improves without treatment. However, if improvement is not noticed over time and the condition is now accompanied by considerable pain or tenderness or even embarrassment, then, treatment is necessary. Here are some ways on how to get rid of gynecomastia.
Medications – for some, prescription drugs that are used in treating breast cancer can help in treating gynecomastia. Although their use in treating gynecomastia has been approved by FDA, but they are not totally recommended or approved for this purpose.
Surgery – this is the finest option to get rid of enlarged breasts usually through male breast reduction surgery. Before going through the male breast reduction surgery, the physician will figure out first if it is appropriate to the condition. You will qualify for male breast reduction surgery if the development of your breast has stabilized; have normal weight, healthy and with reasonable expectations; then, you are set for surgery. But, if you’re on a weight loss program and use drugs you will not qualify for male breast reduction surgery.
Cost of Gynecomastia Surgery
If you qualify for the male breast reduction surgery, the next question that bothers you now is the cost of gynecomastia surgery. Typically, the cost includes hospital and surgical facility bills, surgeon’s fee, anesthesia fees, prescription medication as well as post-surgery garments. Records show that gynecomastia surgery will roughly cost around $4,000. Oftentimes, gynecomastia surgery is not included in any insurance policy, yet of course, policies differ from one another. Therefore, read your policy carefully to be able to figure out the insurance coverage. Many surgeons, however, offer favorable financing plans to their patients so make sure to inquire about that, as well.
Your Choice of Surgeon for Male Breast Reduction
It is of prime importance that you choose your surgeon sensibly. Go for reputable and qualified surgeon with extensive experience in performing gynecomastia surgical procedure. Although board-certification does not necessarily warrant best results, but it does require precise and meticulous surgical education as well as training in order to perform the surgery well and reduce odd results of the gynecomastia surgery.
Precautions before going for male breast reduction surgery
Just like any other surgical procedure, male breast reduction surgery has some risks; some are minor while some are life-threatening and even result to death. That is why it is very important to discuss everything with your surgeon about the benefits and risks of going into surgery and weigh whether or not surgery is the best option.
Gynecomastia Before and After Pictures
The cost of Gynecomastia Surgery may be well worth it, if you go to a good doctor who can give you good results on the above lines, as you see in these male breast reduction before and after pictures.
