What should I ask the Dr.?

[Momtryingtohelp]

Hi everyone.  Gynecomastia runs in my husbands family (he only recently confided in me, I swear it never bothered me or that I ever even paid attention to it).  He confided in me because of our son who is almost 13 and I have now realized has struggled for at least two years with it.  I noticed he had become self-conscious but couldn't figure it out.  We talked with him and although he was embarrassed I think he is glad that we understand.  I have an appointment in a couple weeks with a plastic surgeon but I am afraid he won't consider surgery at his age.  Any advice?  What should I ask him?  P.S.  If all else fails my Dad's best friend is a plastic surgeon in New Jersey and if we travel to see him I am fairly confident he will do the surgery.   He would even waive his fee so maybe this is what we should do anyway.  Thanks in advance for any help!

[Chicago]

Why wouldnt you want to wait and see if normal nature takes its course instead of surgery?

I wouldnt put myself (or my child) under the knife and anesthesia unless it was the last choice.

[gyneco_1001]

Has your son's gyno been stable for the last 2 years or has it been growing? If it hasn't been stable then the doctor will not consider surgery... The longest you should wait after his gyno stabilizes is 2 years... after that the gyno is there to stay... and I personally would not want my own son to go through what I had gone through so I would definitely consider putting him under the knife.

[DrBermant]

Hi everyone.  Gynecomastia runs in my husbands family (he only recently confided in me, I swear it never bothered me or that I ever even paid attention to it).  He confided in me because of our son who is almost 13 and I have now realized has struggled for at least two years with it.  I noticed he had become self-conscious but couldn't figure it out.  We talked with him and although he was embarrassed I think he is glad that we understand.  I have an appointment in a couple weeks with a plastic surgeon but I am afraid he won't consider surgery at his age.  Any advice?  What should I ask him?  P.S.  If all else fails my Dad's best friend is a plastic surgeon in New Jersey and if we travel to see him I am fairly confident he will do the surgery.   He would even waive his fee so maybe this is what we should do anyway.  Thanks in advance for any help!

How Old Before Considering Gynecomastia Surgery is a frequently asked question. Gynecomastia should be stable before considering surgery. During puberty the hormone imbalance can cause gland swelling. When the swelling goes away, residual gland can remain causing contour issues. What has not gone away by 2 years usually will not. Living with Gynecomastia Can Cause Emotional Stress. Forcing a 13 year old with stable gynecomastia to wait years later can cause a great deal of resentment. However, rushing into surgery on someone who is still tender and not out of the swelling phase may be risking surgery on someone who may not have needed it in the first place.

That is why picking a surgeon who has experience with young gynecomastia surgery patients is so important when seeking advice on this matter.

No Surgery Body Shaping Garments are a fantastic temporizing measure while waiting for issues to stabilize.

Hope this helps,

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

[Dr. Elliot Jacobs]

If your son's gyne is stable for over two years, it is unlikely that it will disappear spontaneously.  I have operated on many youngsters, from age 12 - 18, and not one has had a recurrence of his gyne after surgery.

But the youngster must be motivated as well -- one would not want to push him into an operation.  I often meet with the youngster alone -- with the parents asked to step outside -- in order to assess the maturity of the youngster and his motivation for surgery.  If either of those qualities makes me doubtful, I will always suggest waiting a bit longer.

On the other hand, some of the happiest notes that I have received are from the youngster's  parents who have stated that we have given their son's life back to him.

Dr Jacobs

[Raider Fan]

Is your dad's best friend skilled in gynecomastia surgery?  Does he perform gyne surgery frequently?  If the answers are yes, great.  If the answers are no, I would not use him.  Even if he's a friend and the cost would be right, there's simply no substitute for experience in this surgery, and you certainly want the best for your son.  The more experience, the better.  And I would still ask to see before and after pictures of his work.