News Broadcast Discusses Body Shaping Garments - Tone could have been better.

[DrBermant]

Guys are wearing girdles WHAS11.com Louisville, Kentucky misses the point of stress and emotion of living with deformity. I wonder if that station would do a segment on a cancer or trauma victim who lost their nose and was wearing a prosthetic nose piece that fell off into the soup bowl during a formal dinner?

Here is a response I posted:

Gynecomastia male breast enlargement is a contour issue with a strong emotional component. Those with it can be teased and tormented and tend to hide their deformity from the public with multiple layers of clothing, not participating in activities, hiding their breasts by hunching shoulders. You can listen to the emotion of living with gynecomastia here:

The Emotion and Stress of Living with Gynecomastia

After major weight loss, the skin may never shrink. The folds of flesh are a painful reminder of the mass that used to be there. Tissues bounce, the fold of extra hanging skin needs to be "packed in" when sitting down and gets in the way of many activities. These individuals can also be very stressed out and emotionally sensitive. You can see several examples here.

Loose Skin After Weight Loss

Both problems can force people to seek solutions before they are ready. Gynecomastia patients may need stabilization of their problem before considering surgery.  They may need to lose weight first.  Weight loss patients may have more to loose before they are done. Surgery too soon with further weight loss can result in more loose skin. Being patient helps.

Several years ago we started cheating in our office.  After Gynecomastia Compression Garments can reduce swelling and discomfort after surgery. A Second Stage Compression Garment can help with evolving scars. This second stage garment looks like a compression gym shirt but really stabilizes the body and contour issues.  We let our patients who were very stressed out try on a Second Stage Garment to help while they were waiting for their problem to stabilize or loose further weight.  You should have seen the expressions on their faces.  The transformation was instantaneous.  They would not take off the garments.  You can see the effect these Body Shaping Garments have with both before and after pictures. Movies show the effect of bouncing and bending of these Body Shapers. I call them an Emotional Band-Aid.  What the garments offer is a temporary contour solution, dignity, relief of stress, and the ability to live life again and be patient until the problem stabilizes. Surgery can then deal with a more stabile situation and achieve better results.  We have patients wearing these garments around the world, even in the hot tropical latitudes and those in hot desert environments.  When they come back for their surgical sculpture, they relate how the compression garments helped them emotionally, relaxed them while they enjoyed the gym, playground, or even going out to dinner with less stress.  Yes, the garments are only a temporary fix, just like a prosthetic nose covering a defect.  When they come off, the problem remains.  But as an emotional band-aide, these Body Shaping Garments are a phenomenal tool to reduce stress and tension while waiting until Gynecomastia Surgery, Male Mastopexy Chest Lift, Tummy Tuck Abdominoplasty, or Body Lift Surgery can offer a better solution.

Hope this helps,

Michael Bermant, MD
Learn More About Plastic Surgery

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looks like they edited it down a little on the site, but still gives the reader the basic useful info.  i must have missed any ref to moobs in the story, probably most people would assume they're for weight without knowing their other uses. 

it's pretty funny how it slimmed up those guys' figure though