Does this look like gynecomastia?

[indestructible]

I've provided some pictures below. Anyway, I'm 23, about 5'1", around 140-150 pounds; I don't think I'm "overweight" (I'm about the same size, or even smaller, than a lot of people I know), perhaps somewhat out of shape. I feel like I've always had a "puffy" chest, though. I'm not sure if my case is bad enough where surgery is the best option... I don't know, but I just wish I could finally get rid of it... Anyway, here are my pictures.

[hammer]

First of all welcome to the forum, and yes it looks like you have gynecomastia! This is the right place to be, as you are among  friends, with the same problem.

[Supersonic123]

Bad case of gyne im afraid. And stop beeing in denial, you sir, are overweight. Start loosing the overweight and then go under the knife if you cant live with man boobs. Good luck

[indestructible]

Bad case of gyne im afraid. And stop beeing in denial, you sir, are overweight. Start loosing the overweight and then go under the knife if you cant live with man boobs. Good luck

Eh, I don't think I'm in "denial"... I mean, sure, I'm a little chubby, but like I said, it's not really noticeable. If I look it in the pics, that probably has more to do with the fact that they were taking way up close, and with no other frame of reference. I'm okay with the way I look, except for the "man boobs". My weight doesn't really fluctuate much, anyway. I usually gain a little around winter time, but in summer, when I'm a little more active, I tend to hover around 140, which I don't think is horrible for someone like me (I've looked up ideal weight for someone my age and height before, and I seem to be just under the "overweight" classification).

Anyway, I kinda figured surgery would be the only real option. The idea of surgery always kinda freaks me out, to be honest. I can only ever remember being under the knife once (when I was a kid, having my tonsils removed), but the idea always makes me nervous. Not to mention, my biggest concern is, what if I were to have the surgery and somewhere down the line, they come back? It seems like a pretty pricey operation, and I don't want to waste that kind of money for something that's only going to work for a little while.

[hammer]

Take the time and look around the forum and read what others that have posted about their surgeries have to say. I have had a lot of surgeries more complicated then gynecomastia and survived them with no problems at all, just do what needs to be done, such as follow post op instructions to the letter.

As you take the time to read other post it wouldn't  hurt to spend a little time in all areas including acceptance to get another perspective on how others deal with this. I am not saying that you should not get surgery, just another perspective.

As far as weight, not everyone can look like Ken and Barbie, and if we all did it would be a very ugly world as they are not examples of reality!



Bob aka Hammer

[indestructible]

As you take the time to read other post it wouldn't  hurt to spend a little time in all areas including acceptance to get another perspective on how others deal with this. I am not saying that you should not get surgery, just another perspective.

As far as weight, not everyone can look like Ken and Barbie, and if we all did it would be a very ugly world as they are not examples of reality!

Thanks for the input. Just to add to my posts, I don't want any of you to get the wrong idea, this isn't something I plan to make a rash decision about. Truth be told, I've been researching gynecomastia, and my options in dealing with it, for a very very long time. I think it's bothered me way too long for me to ever "accept" the condition, unfortunately. I just really hate being so uncomfortable with it. Honestly, for as long as I can remember, I've never taken my shirt off in front of anybody. It's just too embarrassing.

One option would be to really go all out with dieting and exercising, but I'm too comfortable with my way of living to really do that. Even then, I suspect it wouldn't cause any noticeable change, which would make it a lot of work for nothing. Besides, I've tried to force myself to exercise and change my eating habits, and I've just never been persistent enough to follow through.

Then of course there's the surgery. I suppose it does seem like a "quick fix", but I wonder if anything else would even give me the noticeable results I'm looking for? On the other hand, like I said, my biggest concern with this option is whether it's a permanent fix. I'd hate to spend thousands of dollars on a frivolous plastic surgery only for the condition to return shortly after.

So, I don't know where that leaves me. I just wish I could figure it out and be done with it.

[hammer]

Believe me, you are not the first nor will you be the last with those feelings! It my behoove you to take the time to read the stories that others have posted. This could help give you some perspective as to how others learned to handle this condition, including myself.

I also had it as a child, though 11 years of the service and at 54 have learned to live with double DD breast! I am not alone as there are many more right here on the forum that deal with the same thing and once thought that they could never accept this or go under the knife to correct it.

I would also ask you to read what I have posted in the loung area "putting thing into prospective". When you really do put things into prospective, and have to learn to live with other problems or situations, gynecomastia may become nothing more then a hang nail as it has for me. If you read "my story after all these years"  you may understand why I can say that!
 
All I can say is that I wish you all the luck the the God has blessed me with, and you can do what ever it is that you need to do.


Bob aka Hammer