How bad is it ?

[nobug]

Hey guys,

I wanted to know your opinion on how bad you think my gyno looks or if it's even present.  I'm not fat, which makes them even more noticeable.  Is this the puffy-nip gyno, or just normal gyno?  Would surgery be a viable option for this?  I've tried to work out but nothing's really changed in the chest department.  I used to be chubby and I guess they kind of stayed since - several family members also have them so it's probably genetic.  

[Raider Fan]

No question....you have gynecomastia.  Looks to be mild, with puffy nipple.  Surgery is the only way to correct it.  It has nothing to do with your weight.

[nobug]

Good to know... I'm going to make a trip to my doctor's office and see what his opinion is then.

[nobug]

Went to the doc, he told me that it's not gynecomastia because I'm not producing milk/fat out of it or something and because there's no little marble-like tissue underneath.  He explained that I should just do these specific exercises and that going surgery is the easy way out and I'll just get a scar and end up not liking something else about my body.  He also said that he can't guarantee that working out, even for a very long time, will actually get rid of them.  Now, while I agree with what he's saying about me exercising (even though I have exercised for a long time with no success doing the very exercises he's prescribed), I don't know if I agree with him on the whole surgery route.  I think I'm going to get a second opinion, maybe from a gynecomastia specialist... Any opinions on how I should proceed?

[Raider Fan]

You didn't say how old you are.  If you're still going through puberty, there's a chance the condition could correct itself.  If that doesn't apply to you, and you've had the condition for more than a couple of years, then there's little chance of your gyne simply going away or improving without surgical correction (based on what I see in your pictures).  

I find it amazing that a doctor (who should know better) would tell you to do exercises to get rid of your gynecomastia. You are obviously not fat or significantly overweight.  These boards are literally full of thousands of guys who have written that they have lost weight and exercised in an attempt to get rid of their gyne, but their gyne remains.  Exercise and weight loss will make your chest look better if you're fat, but no amount of exercise will make developed breast tissue go away.

Another thing I find amazing is that any doctor would tell you you don't have gynecomastia when you clearly do.  What did the doctor think he was looking at if he didn't think your breasts were enlarged?  Did he think you were simply imagining your budding breasts?  The very definition of gynecomastia is "abnormal development of a man's breasts, resulting in breast enlargement".  The term comes from the Greek meaning, "woman breasts".  

What many doctors consider "gynecomastia" seems to be a matter of semantics.  If they feel no hard, pea-sized marbles under your nipple, some doctors will tell you you don't have gyne.  Really? Would they tell this to a man wearing a C-cup bra, too?  Would they tell a man he doesn't have gynecomastia if he has massive breasts but no "marble-like tissue" can readily be felt?  It really gets to a ridiculous point.  The only thing that REALLY matters is whether or not the man has OBVIOUS enlargement of his breasts.....for a MAN'S breasts.  A male's breasts are not supposed to look like a females at ALL!  If they do, then something's wrong, and that something is likely gynecomastia.  

If you're thinking about going to another doctor, you could go to an endocrinologist or simply go directly to a plastic surgeon who deals with gynecomastia to get their opinion on your condition and what they could do for you.  Personally, I think all gyne should be checked out to make sure nothing sinister is going on and/or to make sure that it's not related to some treatable, physical reason. I think all men with gyne should at least have their hormone levels checked.  Most of the time, however, they are fine and it's chalked up to "gynecomastia".

The only thing to decide then is whether to have the condition surgically corrected, or not.  

[nobug]

I'm 19 - but I seriously doubt the condition will get any better with age.  I've noticed it since early high school.  I think like all my body changes from puberty are done.

I agree - I asked him further about the definition and he seemed to kind of move on with advise.  I told him I thought it was apparent when ANY sort of male breast even resembled a woman's and he said that's not the case.

He kind of discouraged surgery.  He said they'll be a scar there and I might just look to another bodily imperfection and the whole thing will continue.  What kind of annoyed me was he said surgery was going the easy way out and working out would be more rewarding and all that (all while after saying that it might never go away).  I think doing what I'm doing isn't going the easy way out - I could've easily just internalized it like I have for 19 years and just let it bother me forever but actually talking it through and being proactive isn't easy at all.

I also told him the psychological side - how this has been a hinder on all of my romantic relationships with girls my age and I can't really get too intimate with them and he reacted by telling me that girls will like you for you and all that jazz.  And yes, while this advise is true - this issue is something that is more about me than it is about them.  I know girls will dig me for me, I'm awesome, but this is something that BOTHERS ME and I NEED TO SOLVE FOR MYSELF.  It's the only thing I can look at in the mirror in the bathroom, it's dictates what clothes I wear, it dictates where I go sometimes, it dictates the extent of my romantic relationships with women... etc.  It's really affecting my life.

With that said - I guess I should see a plastic surgeon and get their opinion.  I guess I'll just google it?  Oh thanks for your feedback btw.

[Raider Fan]

It's really affecting my life.

With that said - I guess I should see a plastic surgeon and get their opinion.  I guess I'll just google it?  Oh thanks for your feedback btw.

You're welcome for the feedback. You're obviously a very intelligent 19 year old guy.  Your statement, "It's really affecting my life" says it all.  Some guys don't let gyne bother them that much.  But for most of us, that's not true.  It significantly affects our lives and makes us unhappy.  And that's not the way to go through life, particularly at your age.  Being young, you've got many years ahead of you where you'll be in situations where you'll need to be comfortable taking your shirt off.  If you can't be comfortable, then you need to do whatever it takes to MAKE yourself more comfortable, and that will involve getting your gyne surgically corrected.  No guy your age should have to go through the heartache and embarrassment of gyne.  The peer pressure of being around other guys is bad enough, but when you add girls into the mix, it's easy to see why the condition is much more hurtful than most people know (including most doctors).  It's much more than just annoying or an inconvenience. 

My advice to you is to do a lot of reading on this site, and pay particular attention to comments made by the doctors/surgeons here.  Also, visit their websites and look for experienced gyne surgeons in your area by clicking on the ad at the top of some pages or going to the home page of gyne.org. 

The plastic surgeon you choose for your gyne correction is VERY important.  Not all plastic surgeons are skilled in gynecomastia surgery, so it is imperative for you to find one that is.  It is a fine art and you need to find a surgeon that has a wealth of experience at gynecomastia surgery, preferably even one that specializes in gyne surgery.  They are out there. 

Are your parents aware of your condition and that you will probably need surgery for it?  Will they be willing to allow surgery and are they able to financially cover the costs of surgery?  In all probability, it will not be covered by health insurance because gynecomastia is not considered a health issue. It's considered a cosmetic issue, therefore, getting it corrected will likely come out of your own pocket.  Think $5,000 to $7,500 as a ballpark range.  The main criteria, though, is to choose the doctor you have the most confidence in and that you like the best. Don't automatically go for the doctor that is the cheapest. This is your body you're talking about, and like most things in life, you get what you pay for. 

Try to find 2 or 3 experienced gyne plastic surgeons and meet with them.  Most importantly, ask to see as many before/after pictures as you can get, and specifically ask the doctor to show you some pictures of former patients who had gyne similar to yours.  The pictures of their work will tell the story, because most likely, what you see in the pictures of others will be the results YOU can expect. If the results in the pics don't impress you, go to another doctor! You are basically interviewing them for the right to do surgery on you, so they must meet YOUR expectations. 

I don't know if you're in college, but if you are, summer would be a great time to try to get this surgery behind you. For your own confidence, happiness and peace of mind, I highly recommend getting the surgery. Then you can go forward with your life and not have to worry about it anymore. 

[nobug]

Yeah I let my Mom know - she's being really supportive and I think she's banking on insurance covering at least some of it.  I told her that that's unlikely but even if that's the case I will get it done.

There's a bunch of surgeons in NY but none in my area... I'll keep looking