Later in life onset of gynecomastia

[Cisco]

I like so many other men developed breasts as a teenager and carried the emotional baggage for years.  I finally came to terms with my gynecomastia in my 50's.  My experience sounds similiar to many other men who developed gyno as a teenager.  However it appears that guy who have a later in life onset of gyno especially after 40 seem to have less difficulty in handling the issue of growing breasts and quickly adapt to their new development.  Is this true?  Comments from guys who developed gyno after 40 would be especially interesting.

[Raider Fan]

I think the acceptance by older guys depends on what kind of gyne it is.  For instance, I think pseudo-gynecomastia is going to be much more accepted by your average (probably overweight) middle aged male than true glandular gyne is.  For one thing, I think fatty gyne not only looks different than real gyne, but also FEELS different.  One is just fatty boobs, while the other is true glandular growth.  And there's a big difference in that in the minds of most guys.  I think it's due to the fact that, in middle age, the rest of the body doesn't look so great either, so what difference does having fatty boobs really make?  Most guys can accept fat, but not real boobs.  

I also think there's a psychological difference in the minds of most guys between pseudo and true gyne.  It's more accepted and expected that middle aged guys will gain weight and their chests will not look as good as they once did.  But it's a whole other thing to develop female-like boobs.  One is expected and even semi-acceptable, the other is not.

And finally, I think there's a big difference in the minds of most guys on whether they THINK they could get rid of their gyne if they really WANTED to.  A guy "could" decide to go on a fitness program and really get in shape.  And fatty (or pseudo) gyne would respond to the exercise if he chose to do it.  So just BELIEVING you can do something about a problem is important when it comes to accepting the condition.  

This reminds me of people who smoke.  A lot of smokers THINK they could quit if they really wanted to, and that's a comforting thought (regardless of whether or not it's true).  Just THINKING they can quit makes them feel better.  But some smokers HAVE tried to quit and have failed.  And the REALIZATION that they might not be able to quit is very problematic to them.  These smokers might be much more worried about their smoking than smokers who think they could quit if they wanted to.

So I think it makes a lot of difference if men simply THINK they can do something about their fatty gyne, regardless of whether or not they ever actually try to do so.

On the other hand, as we all know, true gynecomastia does not respond to exercising or working out.  If it's glandular, nothing's going to change that.....except surgery.  

There's a certain comfort in the minds of a lot of guys with pseudo-gyne that they "could" get rid of their fatty gyne if they really wanted to.  Whereas, the guys with true gyne know they CAN'T get rid of it unless they elect to have surgery.

[jdb]

I have a different opinion here.  I am nearly 60 and I have true gyno. I am not overweight and only had these breasts for about 5 or 6 years.  To me they are large and obvious and I go to some length to hide them to avoid ridicule.  They are fully formed female type breasts, totally different to man boobs as seen on overweight men.  Do I accept them? Well, I don't want them but I am not going to chase surgery.  My doctor has offered to have me referred to a surgeon and he thinks that I am a severe enough case to get it free here in the UK but I just do not feel motivated enough to take all the risks associated with surgery. I would have to have to have skin reduction and there would be the associated scaring.  My wife is happy to accept what ever decision I make and as I have no desire to walk about topless on beaches anymore. I do not feel I am missing out to badly on life.

I do understand that if I was younger I would feel very different and I am sure I would have surgery but now I just don't care enough.

[Raider Fan]

I do understand that if I was younger I would feel very different and I am sure I would have surgery but now I just don't care enough.

Interesting, jdb.  So basically you're thinking that no matter what kind of gyne an older guy has, he's more likely to just live with it?  I suppose I can understand that since most older guys know they don't look that great anyway, so why bother?  What difference does a little boob make when the rest of your body doesn't look good either?  LOL.....I suppose that's the thinking. It's understandable that older guys just don't care that much anymore. Maybe it comes down more to the severity of it, even for older guys.

Even if I lived by myself and nobody ever saw me without my shirt, I think if it was severe enough I would opt to have the surgery....especially if my boobs truly looked like a females. I don't think I could even stand to look at myself in the mirror if that was the case, and that's no way to go through life.  So if it was bad enough, I think I would have to do something, regardless of my age (within reason).  If I was 80 something I might not care.   

[Anon E Mouse]

I started growing breasts due to hormonal problems. Testosterone replacement combined with heart and blood pressure medications are why they continue to grow. Now, if I was 25, I would be freaked-out! However, at 52 it's just part of life. The difference? When I was young, the man I appeared to be was everything. Now that I'm old, the man I truly am is what matters. It's a change in priorities. The truth is, gravity wins. Physical appearance fades, and physical prowess wanes. It's the character of a man (if he invests in it), that continues to grow.

Anon

(Edit: Changed chance to change.)

[jdb]

I don't think it is severity as Raider Fan suggests, it is just an attitude of mind.  By what I've seen on the photos section mine is as severe as it gets.  Quite honestly, judging by some of the photos posted it seems that some of the younger generation are so uptight about it that they seem to imagine that perfectly normal chests look like double Ds in their mind.  Also, I do not think that it is about letting ones self go as you get older, it is just a matter of accepting who and what you are; just as one has to accept going gray losing your hair and a spreading midriff.

[gotgyne]

However it appears that guy who have a later in life onset of gyno especially after 40 seem to have less difficulty in handling the issue of growing breasts and quickly adapt to their new development.  Is this true?  Comments from guys who developed gyno after 40 would be especially interesting.

Cisco, to me this is true. I developed my gyne at the age of 45 and I'm completely at ease with it. I wear a bra too.

John

[Paa_Paw]

I think that our priorities change over time and what was or would have been a major issue in our early twenties does not count for much a few decades later.

[Cisco]

Over 150 views and only 7 replies...based upon other postings there are many men who don't develop gyno until later in life i.e. after 40. We suspect their experience is different than a teenage boy. It would be great to read their comments on their reaction to growing breast and coming to terms with it or not.

[Paa_Paw]

I think you are looking at it wrongly, I've seen threads with less than one comment per 100 viewings. I think the response here was actually quite good.

As to the relative effect of gynecomastia at different ages on onset. In our teens and twenties, we are often proving ourselves. By the time we are in our 50's we are pretty comfortable with ourselves and do not feel the need to prove ourselves to the same degree. I will agree that this is probably an over simplification, but I think it is a valid point.