Surgery/Lipo at 56

[davewe]

I have had gynecomastia since I was a teen. I remember over 40 years ago a doctor telling my mother and me that surgery was an option if my condition bothered me. It did but I wouldn't admit it. Same as when i became an adult. I pretended it didn't bother me but...

So here I am well into middle age wondering whether I should deal with this. Are there any further considerations I should have at my age? I'm in good heath so I presume I won't die during the procedure!!

Opinions?

[NIN0808]

You only live once! go for it. Just find a good doctor!

[badcase]

I did it at 51 i am still healing just over 2 weeks post op and happy, with it just dealing with swelling and this darn vest. Suffered way to long.

[rick57]

I'm also 51 and the only regret I have is that I did not do it sooner. I'm about 10 days post op, the only draw back is the doc said that at my age the skin is not as elastic and I might not have as flat a chest as I hope for. It does not matter, however it turns out it will be better than what I had!

[i_dont_know]

It'll be harder to heal at your age, but it's still a very realistic possibility.

However, I always wondered how gynecomastia effected someone over 50. I would feel like at that point, you've been through the real tough years of dealing with it (teens through 20's) where your peers would be most critical or where you'd be the most self-conscious.

I'm only 24 and I decided that after 10 years, I just had to get it removed for my own mental well being. I couldn't live these years of my life after wasting an entire decade, having to hide it all the time.. not being able to enjoy summers.. hating the beach, etc..  I'm slim and my gynecomastia was the only thing really keeping me back from doing a lot of things I wanted to do in warm weather.

It's hard for me to say what it'd be like at age 56.. I feel like maybe you'd just have gotten used to it after all this time and decide that after dealing with it through the hardest times, that you don't even need the surgery.

In the end you have to do what makes you happy. But hey.. if you've gone this long with it, maybe you don't really even NEED to get it surgically removed.

[Paa_Paw]

If you are in good health, why not?

It kind of depends upon what your situation is in life. If it is still troubling you and you can afford the surgery, there is no reason not to do it.

I married late at the age of 36. By the time I reached your age I had 5 children so something like surgery for me personally was low on the list of priorities and it simply could not be afforded. Most men have their families pretty well raised by that age so it would not be at all selfish to do something for yourself.

If you put it off, age and various health problems may make you a poor candidate for elective surgery.

[revrusty]

I'm 52 and just had surgery less than a week ago. Took me three years to finally make the decision and save the money but I'm so glad I did it now.