Anyone out there like me?

[combatwombat]

I'm 18 and I've got puffy nips and it bothers me a lot, but i havent told my parents.  Im not exactly worried or scared about what they would say, it would just be real real awkward, because i dont talk to them much.  Thankfully my gyne isnt too visible through my shirt, as long as its not white, so i think right now the game plan is to wait until i move out on my own and pay for it myself with them not even knowing. 
Any thoughts? or others like me?

[TheOregonKid]

I have a good relationship with my parents yet they havn't been supportive of my upcoming surgery.  They think it is a 'vanity procedure' and they oppose my decision to borrow money to fund it.  Nevertheless, I don't regret sharing my struggle with them and believe that pressing forward despite their objections is part of being a man.  It is important to remember that they aren't the ones who have to live with the burden of gynecomastia.
If it really bother you, I think you should have surgery regardless of their opinion, even if you have to borrow the money.  Who knows, maybe they or a grandparent will loan it to you.  Most Americans borrow in order to purchase a car but I assure you that you will be much happier driving an inexpensive ride and being gyno-free than you would be rolling fancy wheels.  I'm almost 30 and really wish I had pursued the surgical option much sooner so that I could have enjoyed my 20's more.  In the interim, I would consider a quality compression garment to wear when you want to sport a shirt that shows your gyno.  I recommend the kind that is a cotton blend as the all synthetic ones are really uncomfortable.  You will only need the lowest compression level.  I also suggest getting the tank-top type.  They give you more movement in your arms and are more comfortable when wearing throughout the day.

Good luck.

-The Kid

[Paa_Paw]

Many parents would be supportive if they were approached. Sometimes a parent will not open the discussion because they do not wish to cause you discomfort or embarrassment. Some parents have opinions about surgical risks etc. that are a bit out of date. For many of my generation there is a negative image of cosmetic surgery. You really have no idea what kind of reaction you will get until you open the discussion and see what happens.

Realistically, you have nothing to lose but potentially a lot to gain.

Long ago I observed that it takes a real man to deal with this condition. My opinion has not changed. A sissy will simply suffer in silence.

[TheOregonKid]

When you bring it up with them I would use the term "corrective surgery."  In my opinion, gynecomastia surgery is more akin to reconstructive surgery than to 'plastic' surgery because you are correcting a medical disorder in an effort to have a chest that is normal and masculine.  It's not like you are getting a facelift to defy the natural aging process or trying to enhance your attractiveness through some sort of implant.  I think it is those types of surgeries that people have a negative impression of.  The only thing 'plastic' about gyno surgery is that it is best performed by a plastic surgeon.  This of course is the best choice because they are trained to achieve a cosmetically normal chest...which is the goal of surgery.  A general surgeon or endochronologist may be competant enough to excise the gyno tissue but they will likely have little training in augmenting the chest to look normal after that excision.

[mortx15]

Im 21 and my mom was the first person i told. Maybe she took it seriously because i always tend to avoid serious conversations, but id recommend talking to them about it. My case sounds something like yours. mines not too noticable and after i told my mom she was surprised because she could never tell i was embarassed about it. But im just sayin that because I told her in August and in weeks I was set up for surgery and had hers and my dads full support and it was really agood feeling....plus it woulda kinda sucked goin to all those doctors alone

[Paa_Paw]

I would disagree with the idea that the condition is a "disorder." Likewise it is not a disease, at least not usually.

Many, even in the Medical profession, consider the condition to be "normal" unless there is some kind of Pathology. A condition that is shared by anywhere from 30% to 60% of all men (depending on which liars you find the most believable) Would have to be considered statistically "Normal."

In a more realistic world, we would tease the guys that are totally flat chested because of what they lack.

But the world is what it is and the condition is an embarrassment, for some it is so bad that it causes severe Psychological problems. As a result, the Surgeons have worked hard and developed reliable methods of making the condition seem to just go away.

Think how Fortunate you are to live in such a time.

[Grandpa Bambu]

Long ago I observed that it takes a real man to deal with this condition. My opinion has not changed. A sissy will simply suffer in silence.

That's not a fair statement to make Dan...  The word 'sissy' is a tad harsh don't you think?

When a guy grabs a m(o)(o)b and says very loudly in a room full of co-workers, "Look at the t.i.t.s on this guy!!!"... and then everyone stares and laughs...  I mean what's a guy to do in that situation? Don't let the fact that a room full of co-workers just stared and laughed at your m(o)(o)bs bother you? All you want to do is to crawl under a rock and die...

Public Humiliation is very powerful... How can someone just 'shrug-off ' being publically humiliated? Public humiliation is so powerful, that years ago (and not so long ago), it was used to humiliate those who had committed crimes and to deter them from committing crimes in the future...

Mel Gibson was quoted in a newspaper about a year ago... "What we all fear the most, is being laughed at"... FEAR...  Fear makes people do things and 'think' things they normally wouldn't....

We are all different... we all handle our feelings differently... Yes, I'll admit that I SUFFERED in SILENCE for 31 years... I suppose that makes me a 'sissy'?

I did 'try' once tho... many years ago, a g/f and I went to the beach with her family. She wanted me to take off my t-shirt layers. I was reluctant to do so but wanted to 'man-up'... so the top came off... I had to endure all the stares, smirks and comments the entire afternoon... What a horrible experience!!!

Anyways... what I am trying to say is that we must be respectful of each others feelings. As the saying goes... 'To each his own...'

I'm not trying to dis you here Dan... I just feel that using the word 'sissy' is a tad harsh...  

GB...

[Paa_Paw]

Perhaps the problem is the difference in the way we define words. I do not think that the word sissy is particularly extreme.

Then again, you must keep in mind my age, current usage may be considerably different than what I grew up with. I recall many years back when a young friend of mine confided that he was Gay. I had no idea what he meant, he seemed quite serious and sober to me. My definition of Gay was synonymous with words like happy and jovial; It carried no sexual connotation at all.

A sissy, to me, is someone who will not stand up for themselves but allows themselves to become victimized. At different times in my life, with that definition, the word could have even been properly applied to me. In that context, all a person needs to do to get over being a sissy, is to grow a backbone and stand their ground.

I realize that the term could have many different meanings in modern parlance. 

If my choice of words was offensive to anyone, I'm truly sorry. We get more than sufficient trouble thrown our way, this should be a safe place for us.

[Paa_Paw]

I just spent some time on line reading a number of current definitions of the word "sissy."

I found it to be a bit shocking to say the least. I can easily see why the word would be considered a bit over the top.

As I previously noted, the term has been assigned a whole new meaning, and certainly not the meaning I was intending to convey.

[gyneco_1001]

the term has been assigned a whole new meaning

Yeah... we tend to re-write the cultural english dictionary every few years now... the utter fact that bad now means good reflects the complete 180 of today's society.