Success stories??

[ivanvaldez79]

i was wondering if there are any success stories of getting rid of ur man boobs by just working out?? everyone talks about surgery here but no one ever talks about gettin it done without surgery which i thinnk is possible unless u have a sever case!! i believe surgery shiukd be the last option not the first

[DrBermant]

i was wondering if there are any success stories of getting rid of ur man boobs by just working out?? everyone talks about surgery here but no one ever talks about gettin it done without surgery which i thinnk is possible unless u have a sever case!! i believe surgery shiukd be the last option not the first

Actually I have commented about this many times over the years.

Bodybuilding is great for shaping muscles and can help with weight loss. Exercising will not deal with gland and you cannot pick where the fat comes from. You can see a few of the many Bodybuilders with Gynecomastia in this Gallery who tried using working out to deal with their gynecomastia. The common complaint was as they built their muscles, what sat on top of the muscles just got pushed out further.

How much gland is a factor varies from individual to individual. For some, even a tiny amount of gland can ruin the cut look during competition such as this bodybuilder complaining about puffy nips.

Hope this helps,

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

[Dr. Elliot Jacobs]

When gyne is present, it is either fat, gland or usually both. 

Exercise can certainly build muscle and burn fat.  The problem is that fat which is deposited on the chest (and the abdomen and love handles on men) is the first to appear on these areas and the last to leave.  Unfortunately, when humans lose weight, we cannot tell our bodies to take it off just in the areas we desire.  Rather, our bodies are perverse -- one could lose fat from the face and look terribly gaunt before one loses fat from the chest, for example.

If you have breast tissue (gland) on your chest -- it will not be magically removed by exercise.  However, the fat component of your chest may diminish, thereby resulting in an appearance of a smaller breast.  However, in comparison to a now thinner body, there still is a disproportionately "larger" breast present.

Dr Jacobs

[Paa_Paw]

Anecdotal success stories are frequently used by people to promote various exercise gizmos and worthless remedies. These stories lack objective evidence and are not verifiable. The people who use these methods to promote their products capitalize on the hopes of their victims. I admire your optimism, but caution is advised.

"A fool and his purse are soon parted."

[Fatboyslim]

Well, I suppose this is as good as any place to post my first post (been putting it off for ~2+ years). 

It was my sincere hope that I could lose a considerable amount of weight (113 pounds) by changing my eating habits and adhere to an exercise routine (I went from running 10 yards to running the Boston Marathon nonstop in 10 months), to the point that some of my friends have deemed it  "obsessive", and I have come to the very sad realization that it does not work.

At some point, hopefully I will get the nerve up to post the pictures from my transformation to help others realize that no matter how much you exercise or weight you lose, surgery is the only option. 

[Paa_Paw]

A weight loss of 113 lbs is a great success story. As you have found out, it does not usually reduce the size of the breasts nearly enough to satisfy. Even so, keep up the healthy living. You've probably found ways to conceal the condition, so I won't cover that here. There is not a single right or wrong answer that fits everyone regarding surgery or simply living with the condition. There obviously is only one answer that will be right for you. Good Luck and Welcome Aboard.

[wantridofgyno17]

Weight loss will do NOTHING to sort the gland, yes it's a good idea to get your BF% down and will likely make you happier with your result when you do have the operation, but having the operation is the ONLY way to truly fix the problem that is Gynecomastia. So please don't try and preach false information when you really are mis-informed!

[DrBermant]

Well, I suppose this is as good as any place to post my first post (been putting it off for ~2+ years). 

It was my sincere hope that I could lose a considerable amount of weight (113 pounds) by changing my eating habits and adhere to an exercise routine (I went from running 10 yards to running the Boston Marathon nonstop in 10 months), to the point that some of my friends have deemed it  "obsessive", and I have come to the very sad realization that it does not work.

At some point, hopefully I will get the nerve up to post the pictures from my transformation to help others realize that no matter how much you exercise or weight you lose, surgery is the only option. 

Congratulations on your weight loss!  Does it not feel much better with that weight off?  113 pounds is an amazing amount of weight loss!

Weight Loss Can help with the fat of gynecomastia, but not the gland. Remaining fat, gland, and sometimes the skin can be residual contour concerns.

Weight loss before surgery is usually much better than weight loss after surgery. Weight loss is a coarse tool, Plastic Surgery is better reserved for refinement. This is especially true when tissue sagging is a factor.  Why lift sagging tissue, lose more weight, and see that tissue sag again from further deflation?  

Weight loss and surgical sculpture is a series of compromises. What suites any one individual will vary.  Ideal sequence that I recommend my patients:

• Get to a weight you are comfortable living with.
• Let the skin adjust as much as it will. It can take from 6 to 18 months for skin equilibration after a gastric bypass and major weight loss.
• After Massive Weight Loss, Consider Tightening Lower Tissues First. There is little sense to lift the chest and then have a tummy tuck, lower the chest result, requiring a revision chest lift.
• Then Address the Chest.
• Use No Surgery Body Shaping Garments as emotional support not to rush the process.

Bouncing redundant flesh also can be a major emotional factor stressing any patient trying to lose weight.  That is why I posted Videos of Compression Garments dealing with gynecomastia and stabilization.

For those planning further weight loss, the remaining fat and sagging can be stressful for a work in progress, being patient, finishing off the weight loss first is a better option.

Hope this helps,

Michael Bermant, MD
Learn More About Male Mastopexy Chest Lift for Drooping Tissues

[Eric Robertson]

Unfortunately, like many have said already, working out is NOT necessarily a cure for gynecomastia. However, it is great to see that you are healthy and still working out despite the fact that you have the condition.

-Eric