puffy nipples

[baller22]

hey im 17 and ive had man boobs and puffy nipples for 4 years the moobs im pretty sure i can deal with since i just started working out im not fat or anything and i was wondering if theres a way other than surgery to get rid of the puffy nipples?

[DrCALOCA]

Be Careful, Only Surgery can remove the excess glandular tissue that usually causes Puffy Nipples. It is a simple procedure that can be performed even under local anesthesia in some cases. Feel free to send me your digital photos.

[Dr. Elliot Jacobs]

I agree with Dr Caloca.  If you indeed are thin and have puffy nipples, then this is caused by excess breast tissue beneath the areola.  There are no remedies other than surgery to correct this.

Careful examination must be made pre-operatively to determine the extent of your gyne -- there may be more excess tissue surrounding the areolas as well.  Be sure to consult a plastic surgeon who is experienced in gyne surgery.

Dr Jacobs

[Dr. Cruise]

"Puffy Nipples" to a gynecomastia plastic surgeon implies fullness directly under the areola with a projecting nipple and areola. It also implies that the rest of the chest is OK meaning the problem is essentially only under the areola. This is uniformly glandular tissue not fatty tissue. "Puffy Nipples" respond particularly well to removal of this glandular tissue because the overlying skin is usually tight and quite elastic - ready to snap back. In addition, as Dr. Caloca pointed out, removal of this highly localized glandular tissue can often be done under local anesthesia in the hands of an experienced plastic surgeon.

Aside from surgery, there is really no way to remove this glandular tissue. In my patients who have "painful" puffy nipples I will inject Kenalog (a corticosteroid) into the inflamed puffy nipple and this does a good job of getting rid of the inflammation. This however, is often a temporary solution.

[DrBermant]

hey im 17 and ive had man boobs and puffy nipples for 4 years the moobs im pretty sure i can deal with since i just started working out im not fat or anything and i was wondering if theres a way other than surgery to get rid of the puffy nipples?

There are many possible Causes for Gynecomastia. If there is an underlying problem, having that stabilized first can make a major difference.  Gland that is still being stimulated by hormones tend to be larger.  When that stimulation stops, some shrinkage typically happens.  Some of the gland that has grown, will not go away.  If the contour problem is from fat, weight loss before gynecomastia surgery can help with the fat component, but not the gland.

Unfortunately, Puffy Nipple Gynecomastia that has not resolved by 2 years typically does not go away by itself. 

How Old Before Gynecomastia Surgery is a common question and something you will need to explore with your parents and a knowledgeable doctor comfortable with young patients for surgery.

There are No Surgery Body Shaping Garments that can help on land.  For water, there is neoprene and compression swim wear that can contour the chest.

Hope this helps,

Michael Bermant, MD
Learn More About Gynecomastia and Male Breast Reduction