The Use of Pro-Hormones following Gland Removal - Any Risk of further Gyno?

[Irish-Boob]

Hi there,

Firstly thank you for taking the time to answer questions on this forum, I know I certainly found the advice invaluable!

I am two weeks post op now, my PS removed both my glands and did some lipo contouring, my question pertains
to the use of pro-hormones - Now that my glands are gone is there any chance I can experience any re-occurrence
of gyno following a cycle of prohormones? Also is it necessary to take the usual Post Cycle Therapy medications like Nolvadex or Letrozle to combat estrogen rebound when coming off cycle? I would always heir on the side of caution and include them in my PCT anyway - But I would just like to know some real world opinions from specialized surgeons rather than believing hear say on multiple forums!

Thanks again for your time and contributions :-)

[Litlriki]

The short answer to your question is "yes."  Some gland remains on the underside of your nipple-areola, and that tissue can respond to pro-hormonal stimulation.  

In 1998, I wrote an article on gynecomastia for Muscle & Fitness Magazine (available on my website), and at that time, I spoke with an endocrinologist who specialized in sex hormones.  He was impressive in his understanding of how these hormones were metabolized, and at the time, the products that were then available (DHEA, Androstenedione, 19-nor-androstenedione), were, in his opinion, not likely to cause gynecomastia.  Since then, this unregulated area of supplementation has resulted in new products--"gray market steroids," in essence--which may be more effective in producing results in the gym, but they are also more likely to result in the side effects common to steroids, including gynecomastia.  I have treated an increasing number of these patients, and the most common entities include "Superdrol," and just about anything from Gaspari Nutrition.  That includes one patient who was using an NO2 product from Gaspari, which included "Proprietary Blend" in its labeling.  That means that they might include pro-hormone items in a non-hormonal supplement.  As the admonition goes: Buyer beware.  

Take a minute to look at your overall diet, exercise and supplement regimen.  Your primary focus for gains in the gym should be diet and smart training with adequate recovery. This will account for 99% of your success in the gym, once you've excluded genetics.  Everything else (barring actual anabolic steroid use) is secondary, and if you've gone to the trouble and expense of having your gynecomastia corrected, you'd be crazy to mess with it using unregulated and poorly studied "nutritional supplements" other than safe basics, including protein, flaxseed oil (or other omega fatty acid sources), and maybe creatine, BCAAs and a few of those sorts of things.

I hope that helps.

Rick Silverman

[DrBermant]

Hi there,

Firstly thank you for taking the time to answer questions on this forum, I know I certainly found the advice invaluable!

I am two weeks post op now, my PS removed both my glands and did some lipo contouring, my question pertains
to the use of pro-hormones - Now that my glands are gone is there any chance I can experience any re-occurrence
of gyno following a cycle of prohormones? Also is it necessary to take the usual Post Cycle Therapy medications like Nolvadex or Letrozle to combat estrogen rebound when coming off cycle? I would always heir on the side of caution and include them in my PCT anyway - But I would just like to know some real world opinions from specialized surgeons rather than believing hear say on multiple forums!

Thanks again for your time and contributions :-)

This has been a common question asked here on this forum. The theme is the same, the individual is frustrated with the gynecomastia and wants to know if surgery will make them safe so they can go back to using something known to cause breast growth. The fact is that surgery does not prevent breast regrowth:

https://www.gynecomastia.org/smf/index.php?topic=21576.msg146138;topicseen#msg146138

In that thread you can see real examples of patients who had breast regrowth after surgery and better understand the issues involved.

I have seen quite a few patients complaining that they had breast growth, tenderness, and some even nipple discharge after taking prohormones. Most relate how when they stopped, some swelling went down but fibrotic gland growth will not go away. To assume surgery will protect someone from this or anyone of the many other hormone axis altering substances is unrealistic. Revision surgery tends to be more complex, expensive, and unnecessary if you maintain a stable system that does not encourage new breast growth.

Hope this helps,

Michael Bermant, M.D.
Board Certified
American Board of Plastic Surgery
Member: American Society of Plastic Surgeons and American Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons
Specializing in Gynecomastia and Surgical Sculpture of the Male Chest
(804) 748-7737