What do I do?

[jonoc330]

Hi guys,
I've had gynecomastia since I was about 15, now 19. It's been a bane of my life for the past four years. I've shaped what I wear, what I do and what I think people think of me for the entire time i've had it. I'm not an overweight person - in fact I exercise five times a week and i'm a good solid build.

Slowly, over time, i've become accustomed to it. Not in a good way though. Without thinking, I constantly readjust my shirt, wear clothes that hide it even if it's inappropriate for the weather or proper attire in a situation. I hunch sometimes to hide it as well.

I'm not a shy person, and I still tend to take off my shirt when i'm around my close friends. But never unless i'm in the pool or somewhere where my chest is (slightly) obscured haha.

I can't see myself ever properly giving up this kind of bad habit, and I can't see this ever going away in adulthood as my father has had it for his whole life.

What should I do? Do I get a cosmetic surgeon to help me out?

[Poland2012]

You sound exactly like I was. I had adapted to it and tried not to let it affect me too much, but I hated the constant self-consciousness.

Surgery by this point is your only option, so I suggest that you start researching experienced surgeons. I left it a little later than you did, and wish that I hadn't waited the few extra years. Get it done as soon as possible if it's affecting your life.

[Alchemist]

Hi guys,
I've had gynecomastia since I was about 15, now 19. It's been a bane of my life for the past four years. I've shaped what I wear, what I do and what I think people think of me for the entire time i've had it. I'm not an overweight person - in fact I exercise five times a week and i'm a good solid build.

Slowly, over time, i've become accustomed to it. Not in a good way though. Without thinking, I constantly readjust my shirt, wear clothes that hide it even if it's inappropriate for the weather or proper attire in a situation. I hunch sometimes to hide it as well.

I'm not a shy person, and I still tend to take off my shirt when i'm around my close friends. But never unless i'm in the pool or somewhere where my chest is (slightly) obscured haha.

I can't see myself ever properly giving up this kind of bad habit, and I can't see this ever going away in adulthood as my father has had it for his whole life.

What should I do? Do I get a cosmetic surgeon to help me out?

Hi Jonoc,

Well, there is another alternative to surgery or putting up with it and hiding.  I became a nudist and lost the body shame bit.  I can take my shirt off and it somebody doesn't like it, that is their problem.  With your father and more than half of all men by their 60s developing gynecomastia, it is the very definition of normal.  It can run in families as can all sorts of other aspects of physique.  My body never has met the standards of beauty of the 1% beautiful people.  Chopping my breasts off wouldn't change that at all.  Nothing I can do or a surgeon can do will ever change me into any kind of ideal.  Instead I would have more scars which, whatever you may be told about them fading over time, will be forever visible.  Surgical scars are one of those items people fear being seen at the nudist club before they actually try it.  When a person isn't hiding under clothing everything is visible, including a lifetime of accumulated scars.  So when a guy has breasts, since there are so many that do, they attract no specific attention.  Scars on the other hand have people wondering what awful diseases or accidents you were in and attracts more attention.  Every scar tells a story.  Then of course down the road after the first set of scars, it can happen all over again.

For those who loose a lot of weight, they either have that collection of loose tissues or they have a huge set of scars.  Either way they are known as formerly fat forever.  This is a societal problem, this fear and shame of our own bodies that we both teach and encourage culturally.  So there are more possibilities than you might think.  The knife is final and sometimes can go very wrong or be caught up in a series of revisions.  Consider carefully and do what will make you happiest.  Be in good health.

[TigerPaws]

Surgery is always and should be your choice but remember there are risks and after allowing someone to cut you open you may not be any happier with the results.

Surgery is a serious step and while there are many success stories there are an equal number of horror stories in the forum.

Tread carefully and try not to let your emotions control your actions.

[person2345]

hey jonoc, firstly i would like to say that i disagree with 'alchemist's' statement of being once a fat person always a fat person and that the so called idea body type is something only available to the 1% so you should just give up and learn to live with it. this is completely untrue. never give up. an 'ideal' body type is achievable by virtually anyone. my first tip for you is to try and lose as much weight as possible. try to get your body fat percentage down to less than 10% and from what you have said i imagine u are not really skinny already but you're also not extremely overweight. my personal case is more of a puffy nipple type now because i have successfully lost weight and improved the rest of my body. always remember that your condition is only related to your chest. in no way is it preventing your from having toned arms and ripped abs. at the very least you will have a ripped body with a strange looking chest and if you dont like it then you will have already made any surgeon's job way easy and saved your self a whole lot of scars. send me a message if you need any tips on weight loss brother

[Dr. Elliot Jacobs]

Surgery is a serious step and while there are many success stories there are an equal number of horror stories in the forum.

Sorry, Tiger Paws -- I completely disagree with you.  Yes, you can find some horror stories on this forum and you can also find some folks who post about post-op problems which are actually quite minor, but it is NOT TRUE that the number of horror stories equals the number of successes.  What is true is that the guys who have had successful surgery go on with their lives and, with the exception of only a few, will no longer follow this forum because they no longer have gynecomastia.  These satisfied guys far far outnumber the fellows who have poor outcomes.

In the vast majority of gyne operations, when performed by experienced surgeons, the outcomes are quite satisfactory and the patients are very happy.

Dr Jacobs

[Alchemist]

To be fair, I would have to say I haven't heard any horror stories at all.  I have heard dis-satisfactions about less than perfect results and so on, but none at all that I have read that qualify as horror stories.  And those I have more than a comfortable acquaintance with in other contexts.

[pDiddy2]

Hey bud,

Your story sounds extremely similar to mine. I had my surgery 9 months ago (which I consider a success), but still contribute to this site from time to time. I know the feeling of googling 'gynecomastia' and meticulously study before and after pictures.

The message i want to convay to you is that absolute perfection after a gynecomastia procedure is possible, but is not entirely necessary to rid you of your problem and change your life. I had some scar tissue issues and mild cratering, BUT I am still extremely happy w/ the results and love my new look. Not to sound conceded here, but between the surgery, exercise, and a healthy diet, I look pretty damn good   Not having to adjust my shirt and worrying if someone else is looking is an inredible feeling.

My advice to you is the following: if u make the decision to have surgery, select a highly recommended surgeon. I've done sooooo much research and can tell u that Dr Jacobs and Dr Baxt are extremely talented. Their techniques - both surgical and after care -  are safe a highly affective. If you've tried everything to get rid of gynecomastia naturally (diet and exercise), but haven't had any luck, then surgery is an option. It changed my life.

Best of luck to you.

[Paa_Paw]

Some things that we do to hide our condition are not only ineffective, but actually draw attention to us in the wrong way.

Slouching or stooping causes back pain (voice of experience here) and simply makes us look sloppy. Stand tall and smile. A great attitude will attract the best of girls while Gyne will only turn away the ones you really don't want anyway.

Heavy out of season clothing draws attention to you in a negative way too.

Tees and knits show off your shape more than you might like, but woven fabrics cover better. Some shirt styles like Guyabera are meant to be worn loose and they do not show your shape all that much.

OK, here is what you do, Go to a local mall. Stop by the food court and get yourelf a very big drink. Now go sit in the mall somewhere and watch the guys on the mall. About 1/3 have Gyne. Some are obvious and some you would never know it. See how people are dressed and draw your own conclusions.

Some guys can live with it and some have surgery. The choice is yours alone.

[joltera]

If it bothers you to the point of depression, or you feel like it is holding you back in life and altering your outward ability to be successful and happy? I'd say go for it. If it's something that you dislike and are somewhat self consciousness about, but it doesn't really bother you to the point of mental instability, and you feel as if it will not seriously alter the successes in your life? I'd say live with it. I have friends who have gyno and live perfectly normal lives, are very social, have girlfriends, and go swimming. People might say "heyy nice boobs!" and he'll respond "heyy f*ck you!!" and then everyone proceeds to not care ever again. At the same time I have guy friends who DON'T have gyno but are scared to take their shirts off because they have a large gut, or girls who never wear flip flops because they think they have ugly feet. Very few people are physically perfect. Surgery will give you scars, gyno will give you impressions in your white T-shirts. It's your decision to choose which is better for you. Good luck!

[McGilli]

I lived with it for 25 years. I wish I had gotten it taken care of 20 years ago. At least. I learned to unconsciously adjust my clothes in certain situations, or even depending on which way the wind was blowing. But it affected me very badly and I thought I learned to live with it.

But, I never really did. I recently had the surgery and am glad I took that step.

If it's bothering you the way you say, then, look into it seriously.

SOme people just don't care about their body. Like, what they look like. And in some ways I envy those people. They just don't mind. I can't do that. The anxiety is brutal.

Best of luck whatever you decide to do.

[jazzer]

I echo the above sentiment. Go for it if you have the money. You don't want to be my age (59)and live much of your life with it. I had mine done last year and am a new person. Take care. 

[twoshirts]

My first post.  The ole shirt tug....family doesn't know I have gyne, they just think its funny I'm always tuggin on my shirt.  I agree with the poster before me, dont wait.  I'm 35, surgery scheduled for April 29.  Wish I would have done it at 19.

[jamalvender]

I am just 23 years old at the moment. When I was 19 years I had some gyne problem with myself but I don't know how surprisally it resolved. Now I have a same gynecomastia problem with my younger brother, so therefor I am looking for surgry for that. I should wait for a while or not for surgry.