Male Breast Reduction

Male Breast Reduction For Pseudogynecomastia

Men with breasts that are larger than “normal” and not due to increased muscle mass, have either gynecomastia or pseudogynecomastia.

Gynecomastia is the medical term used for when there's an increase in breast gland tissue that's causing breast enlargement, and pseudogynecomastia is the term for breast enlargement that's due purely to excess fat.

Gynecomastia occurs when an increase in estrogen activity causes the proliferation of breast gland tissue in men. Males and females have both testosterone and estrogen hormones, but there are much higher ratios of testosterone to estrogen in adult men than women.  During adolescence about 65% of boys develop mild breast tissue excess due to hormonal changes that usually disappears within a year or two. In adult men, multiple factors can cause gynecomastia to occur, including: 

• Anti-androgen medications used to treat prostate enlargement and prostate cancer, with examples including flutamide, finasteride (Proscar, Propecia) and spironolactone (Aldactone).
• Muscle building steroids and testosterone
• Some AIDS medications.
• Some psychiatric medications such as Risperdal
• Kidney or liver disease
• Alcohol abuse
• Radiation treatment of the testicles
• Klinefelter's syndrome
• Tumors of the testes, adrenal or pituitary gland
• Hyperthyroidism and hormonally active tumors

Gynecosmastia can be improved with the use of certain medications or surgery, but not with fat reduction treatments, since they don't decrease the glandular tissue causing the enlargement.

Pseudogynecomastia, also crudely known as “man boobs”, is due to an accumulation of fat rather than glandular breast tissue. Pseudogynecomastia can occur at any age but becomes more common among aging men as they produce less testosterone. Also, since fat cells convert circulating testosterone to estrogen, men with excess fat at any age may get pseudogynecomastia, even though they may have normal levels of testosterone.

Patients with pseudogynecomastia can successfully remove or shrink excess breast fat to produce a more masculine appearing chest with general fat reduction and/or spot fat reducing treatments, like CoolSculpting, Injection Lipolysis and Ultrasonic Cavitation.  

Call us today at 727.571.1923, for a complimentary consultation to find out if you're a good candidate for reducing pseudogynecomastia with one of our treatment options.