Planning on joining the Navy..need some advice

[titsmcgee]

Hey guys, I'm planning on joining the Navy (I haven't talked to a recruiter yet).  I'm 20 years old, 5'11 175lbs and look perfectly normal....except I have Gynecomastia.  I've had it since I was 12.  It wasn't until I was about 16 that it got to be what I consider bad.  At 16 it evolved from puffy nipples to full blown gyne with big lumps.  I don't think I need to tell you how embarrassed it makes me feel since I'm sure we all know it.  Anyways, I've only recently been able to get the surgery done but I have a little bit of a dilemma.

I want to join the Navy really bad, but I also really want to get this surgery done.  I can't imagine how I'd cope with it in the Navy, I really would like it all to just go away as soon as possible.  However, I'm afraid if I get the surgery done that I'll be disqualified for having it done (I know they can DQ ppl for a lot of weird things).  It would absolutely crush me if I were disqualified.

If anyone knows if I can get this surgery done without being disqualified from joining the Navy I would REALLY love to hear from you. 

[PBC]

I can't say for sure, but I don't think they would not accept you because of a reduction surgery. Hell, I wouldn't even tell them, by the time I was a year post op, not even a doctor could tell I had anything done. A good surgeon can do a masterful job of making scarring nearly non existant. In this day and age, I can't see any branch of the armed force being THAT picky. On second thought, nix that part about not telling them,u should never lie to the government!!

[DrBermant]

Hey guys, I'm planning on joining the Navy (I haven't talked to a recruiter yet).  I'm 20 years old, 5'11 175lbs and look perfectly normal....except I have Gynecomastia.  I've had it since I was 12.  It wasn't until I was about 16 that it got to be what I consider bad.  At 16 it evolved from puffy nipples to full blown gyne with big lumps.  I don't think I need to tell you how embarrassed it makes me feel since I'm sure we all know it.  Anyways, I've only recently been able to get the surgery done but I have a little bit of a dilemma.

I want to join the Navy really bad, but I also really want to get this surgery done.  I can't imagine how I'd cope with it in the Navy, I really would like it all to just go away as soon as possible.  However, I'm afraid if I get the surgery done that I'll be disqualified for having it done (I know they can DQ ppl for a lot of weird things).  It would absolutely crush me if I were disqualified.

If anyone knows if I can get this surgery done without being disqualified from joining the Navy I would REALLY love to hear from you. 

I have operated on many men who are already in the Navy, Marines, Seals, Army, Air Force in the US and from other many other countries. None have ever told me that the surgery was any problem for their careers.  Actually the opposite has happened, they frequently tell me how getting their chest contoured made them much more comfortable in a job that can require no shirt at times.

Hope this helps,

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

[Dr. Elliot Jacobs]

Agree with Dr Bermant.  I have operated on many men in the US military for gyne and also many men who wanted to have their gyne surgery before signing up to serve.  None of these men have had any problems either continuing to serve or in being admitted to the military.  Having gyne is one area of potential teasing and embarrassment, as we all know.  And the military is no exception.  Many of my patients report a significant increase in self confidence after the operation.

Dr Jacobs

[headheldhigh01]

i always look at it like this.  they want you.  you want an op.  leverage it.  don't give yourself away for free.  

the military has medical care as part of its operation.  they're desperate for guys to get in the service.  they've got quotas and low interest with all the elective military adventuring we've been doing.  

tell them you're willing to join IF they're willing to get a competent, qualified, gyne-familiar surgeon.  do NOT take a generalist, who won't care how he slices you up or why he should try to hide the scars.  maybe they're even willing to hire a competent private sector ps to do it for them.  

it's in THEIR interest, not just yours, to have you in good morale with no hazing or harrassing going on in the barracks, it's bad for order and discipline.  

if you want to do this, fine, but they want you more than you want them.  stand up for yourself and at least make them pay the price of your admission.  they'd spend more than that on trying to get one more head in the door anyway.  

you're not the first guy with gyne who's had this problem and you won't be the last. 

[headheldhigh01]

you're the army guy, not me, but i'd figure no harm in trying, which is why mentioned the idea of asking about the private option.  i wonder if their quotas aren't lower now just because they couldn't meet them before, that's why all the stoploss and raiding the guard stuff is going on.  the stories i saw suggested guys were thinking twice about it. 

of course if it's that much of a buyer's market where they figured they completely called the tune (and apparently can change it retroactively too), i might be thinking twice about joining myself, but that's a whole other topic too.   

[titsmcgee]

Thank you all for the responses, I'm going to start looking around for a surgeon within the state. Thanks once again everybody, its good to know there's a community of people just like me