Hiding some favoured bits

[Grdn]

I began trying on my mother's lingerie when I was quite young and became "interested in lingerie" from a very early age. During primary school I began to develop gynecomastia. I'm not sure why, but I was asthmatic and my grandmother who was a herbalist gave me a concoction that certainly contained some of the ingredients we now know can contribute to gyno. The doctor said the gyno would go away. It never did. In my early teens Ventolin inhalers came in and revolutionised my life. I could do sports (well), I lost weight, and for a time I could show my chest in public.

By my early 20's I had become a 34B but I tried hard for many years to restrain my desire to wear "girly things". I have raised two kids, been divorced, and over that time I have slowly gained in size. Now at age 54 I easily fill a 38C bra. My new partner doesn't mind me wearing a bra each day as long as it is not evident to her kids or my kids, or others. I usually take my bra off when I get home from work. So far they haven't said anything about it, but I must look very "big chested" at times. I now wear a bra nearly every day in winter but in summer I have a big problem, as I can only wear a compression vest under a shirt rather than a bra as well or instead. This is nowhere near as comfortable as a good underwire sports or minimiser bra, for me.

So with that background, now my research / observations ...

The following observations are what I've gleaned from exhaustive internet research and my own experience (currently 38C) with what seem to be the most popular choices of men who live with full female-like breasts (and nipples / areolas) and what can be done by their owner to hide or conceal them without undergoing surgery. Interestingly it seems that some men who have undergone surgery have re-developed breasts later, and some have been so severely disfigured by the surgery to the point where they would, in hindsight, rather have just kept their breasts and dealt with them. Some post operative surveys have shown a 40% dissatisfaction rate.

A note on bras and men’s shape…. Men generally have broader chests and backs than women, so they often need “bra extenders” at the back and/or to choose a half cup size larger to get more width in front. But then the bra straps are closer to the edge of the shoulder and the straps tend to fall down easily. So it may be difficult for men to find the “right” size bra. (Oddly, they say that 80% of women wear the wrong size bra - and bras are made for women!!!)

In researching many many opinions of men who have boobs, and how they have dealt with or tried to deal with living with them, I have compiled a commentary below on what my research has shown to be the most popular methods from actual men living with breasts, not from third party “experts”. (I can provide a list of reference sites if requested.)

The list below is a compiled commentary on the most popular methods of gynecomastia concealment, to the least popular methods:

Sports bra
Advantages: comfortable, supportive, puts chest back to normal height (i.e. so that the chest doesn’t look like a large old woman without a bra - nipples near waist), plain / less-feminine styles available, good control of movement
Disadvantages: can be hard to hide straps under light shirt, doesn’t reduce visible size of larger breasts by much, if any,
Most suited to: A cups and B cups, small C cups

Gynecomastia vest / compressions vest
Advantages: gives a more masculine shape, without visible bra straps, firm control of movement
Disadvantages: uncomfortable, hot / sweaty (under breasts), can be very itchy, doesn’t hide nipples well, makes chest pointed in front when “squashing” breasts to barrel shape, hard to put effective (i.e. tight) ones on, can be expensive
Most suited to: A and B cups, or small C cups

Minimiser bra
Advantages: reduces visible size of bust by up to one cup size, comfortable, supportive, puts chest back to normal height (i.e. so that the chest doesn’t look like a large old woman without a bra - nipples near waist), good control of movement
Disadvantages: can be hard to hide straps under light shirt, hard to buy without lace (i.e. non-feminine styles)
Most suited to: only available for C cups and larger

Sports or minimiser bra under compression vest
Advantages: comfortable, reduces size by up to two cups, firm control of movement, more masculine shape, hides nipples
Disadvantages: hot, but not as hot as gynecomastia vest alone, can feel tight
Most suited to: C cup and larger

Layers of shirts
Advantages: tends to make a person look overweight / fat instead of breasted
Disadvantages: hot, “low chest”, moving / wobbling breasts, uncomfortable, sweaty under breasts, nipple chaffing
Most suited to: A cups and small B cups

Two bras
Advantages: reduces size by up to two cups, firm control of movement
Disadvantages: lots of straps and tightness depending on bras worn
Most suited to: C cup and bigger - full coverage bra underneath with 1 cup size smaller sports bra on top

Crop top / sports top / camisole
Advantages: comfortable, smooth shape (like a singlet), straps don’t fall down
Disadvantages: less support, some are hard to put on
Most suited to: A cups and small B cups

Jacket / vest / two pocket shirts
Advantages: hides small breasts / nipples well, no tightness
Disadvantages: not suitable for all occasions, hot, “low (old lady) chest”, moving / wobbling breasts, uncomfortable, sweaty under breasts, nipple chaffing
Most suited to: A cups and small B cups

“Trimmers” / shapewear / bandage wrap
Advantages: no bra straps, can give more masculine (barrel) shape, fair control
Disadvantages: very hot, tight, sweaty, uncomfortable, can fall / slide down chest
Most suited to: A cups to C cups

I welcome any feedback or commentary that others may have.