Help Me Help My 14 year old son

[Worriemom]

Let me start with saying I had no idea as many people had this issure.

Hello, My son is 14 and weights about 198 he's chunkie but not really big, he has puffy boobs like 2 inches wide and 2inches thick right at the nipple part. He started a diet has lost 6 lbs in 1 week and now I want to help him with a workout to try to get the breast to go away I need some help with what he should try to do to avoid surgery.
Can anyone help me
worriemom

[Worriemom]

Thank you and yes it does help it is very hard for a mother to know this hurts her son. He is a very shy and quite person and I want to make his life better not put him throught hell. So yes it answers my question pretty clearly now.
Worriemom

[DrBermant]

Let me start with saying I had no idea as many people had this issure.

Hello, My son is 14 and weights about 198 he's chunkie but not really big, he has puffy boobs like 2 inches wide and 2inches thick right at the nipple part. He started a diet has lost 6 lbs in 1 week and now I want to help him with a workout to try to get the breast to go away I need some help with what he should try to do to avoid surgery.
Can anyone help me
worriemom

There can be a great deal of emotion and stress living with gynecomastia as you can learn about by watching the video I posted on that link.

Being patient helps, in most cases puberty gynecomastia goes away on its own. Gynecomastia that has not resolved by two years typically does not go away.
 

Weight loss before gynecomastia surgery can be a major factor.  Weight loss before is typically better than weight loss after surgery.

Check out my Teenage Gynecomastia Gallery.  Here you can find pictures before and after my gynecomastia surgery performed on teenagers and adolescent males.  The small image here will link to its much larger image - you can click on the details about this patient, the problem, surgical solutions, and results.

Here are some specific examples:

Male Breast Reduction in 16 year old Teenager

Male Breast Reduction in 17 year old Teenager with Klinefelter's Syndrome

Gynecomastia Male Breast Reduction in 15 year old male with Klinefelter's Syndrome

"How old should you be before considering Gynecomastia Surgery" are very common questions.  What age depends on many factors. 

We have many patients, family members, and parents who have raved how a compression garment can really help while waiting for surgery or until stabilization of a problem.

Body shaping garments are a good temporary contouring solution.  They do not help remove or treat gynecomastia.  When the garment is removed, the gynecomastia is still there.  They can provide an emotional band-aid for the stress of contour issues and bouncing tissues.

There is a theoretical advantage for the person losing weight.  Scars that evolve under pressure do better than scars without pressure.  These garments are designed to help with pressure and scar evolution.  With weight loss, there is the issue of skin shrinkage.  Pressure may help.  However, there are no studies to evaluate such issues.  Trying to desing such a study is difficult if not impossible.

You can see actual examples of Compression Chest Contouring Without Surgery for different types of gynecomastia here:

Compression Contouring After Massive Weight Loss

Body Shaping for Puffy Nipples

Body Shaping Compression Contouring for Overweight Male - This one shows the Black Vest in use.

Body Shaper Compression Garment for Severly Obese Male

Check out the multiple views for each patient. Clink on the links to see other views of the garment and features of this design I prefer.  We have tried many other brands and none seem to come close to what this one offers.

After surgery compression garments do not do well in pool water or sea water.  The salt or chlorine can damage the fabric.  There are Sun Protection Clothing Options designed for water use. 

A wet suit can also help.  Using a thin neoprene like Microprene can flatten the chest in water like a compression garment can help on land.  The after surgery garments do not work well in water, the wet suits do.  Both can be hot to wear, that is why I prefer a very thin garment.

Hope this helps,

Michael Bermant, MD
Learn More About Gynecomastia Male Breast Reduction

[Paa_Paw]

Dear Mom,

I can only hope that your son appreciates your concern and insight. The bad news is that weight loss and physical conditioning will have little or no significant impact on your sons condition. If the breasts have been essentially unchanged for two years or more, There is very little chance that the condition will regress. There are many remedies touted on the internet. They are all scams and will reduce only the size of your wallet. This leaves surgery as the only option to living with the condition.

Safe and effective Cosmetic surgery of this type took a quantum leap a little over 20 years ago and it has been improving constantly since then as well. The days are long past when surgery was considered the last resort. You'll want to be sure you have a properly certified surgeon, but the procedure itself is as safe as surgery can be.

Grandpa Dan

[Dave_8]

Depends on how long he's had it. If he's had it more than I think a year, surgery will get rid of it.

[troy]

My mam was exactly the same as you. I was about the same age when i started to noticed that i had breasts. my mam took me to the doctors and i was told it was part of puberty and would go away. I am now 20 and it hasnt gone away. I am now in the proccess of getting an operation but to do so i need to be at my correct weight, so need loose a stone. which is not much over weight. Your son should keep up the exercise as it is very good for him and will also make him feel good about him self. However you need to be careful what you say to him. When i was 15 my mam told me to loose weight to help my breasts go away. I went to the gym twice a day and ate very healthy. It took me about 3 months to loose two and half stone putting at my correct weight, however i still had breasts. I cant explain how angry i was. I now am very insecure now about my breasts and cant wait for the surgery. If it doesnt go away go and see your doctor and see about surgery. I know it might be a young age however this condition has destroyed my life. Dont let it get too late.

[changedone13]

hey im a  thirteen year old kid who just had my surgery a week ago. so ikno exactly what hes going through and i kno its hard. this is what i did, my mom did tons of resurch and all that and then read about a doctor that specilizes in this surgery and he just happend to have done work on her friend and im sooo happy with wht he did and it wasnt that painfull after word. so if i were u i would consult a surgern near you and ask him if he thinks the surgery is needed in my case it wasnt going to goaway and if you dont feel comftorbal with the surgen or if he seams like he  just wants to doit for the money then keep searching. oh and tell him hes not the only one and there are kids every were that gpo through it so dont be ashemed.







also our insurance coverd the surgery and the doctor said that they almost always do

[DrBermant]

Depends on how long he's had it. If he's had it more than I think a year, surgery will get rid of it.

Gynecomastia that has not resolved by two years, typically does not go away by itself.

Hope this helps,

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

[mezwell]

if you can definately nail it as gyno ,such as hes had it for a few years and it wont go away after slimming down ,the hormones are all over the place at that age ,but id say if its on your sons mind then see a profesional ,an experienced dr in this field will need to see him.