Male breast enlargement can be the result of various conditions, and if those conditions are treated the breast enlargement may be reversed. If you are experiencing sudden enlargements, you should talk to your family doctor about trying to figure out what is going on.
Various medical conditions can cause this to happen, and if they resolve, you breast will shrink without surgery.
However, if you are otherwise healthy, have not medical conditions or hormonal imbalances, then surgery may be your only option.
Male breast enlargement may involve enlargement of the breast glandular tissue (yes even men have breast tissue) or accumulation of fat (usually with weight gain). The surgical treatment is to remove the glandular tissue and fat.
25-34 Year Old Man Treated With Male Breast Reduction By Doctor Kahlil Andrews, MD, Cedar Rapids Plastic Surgeon
In some cases the male breast is almost female-like in that it hangs and has a lot of excess skin. In such conditions the excess skin must be removed as well and in the most extreme cases the surgical procedure is no different than a breast reduction used for female breasts.
In mild breast enlargement, the reduction can be performed through a very small incision under the arm and with the help of liposuction. (Martin Jugenburg, MD, Toronto Plastic Surgeon)
Exercises Do Not Significantly Impact Male Breast Size
Unfortunately, there are no exercises that significantly impact breast size. The breast tissue and subcutaneous fat set on top of the muscle and are not impacted by exercise.
Exercise and diet may occasionally result in weight loss and subsequent decreases in breast size in cases of obesity.
Breast Reduction Surgery Is An Option For Men With This Condition
In contrast, exercise may increase the size of the pectoralis muscles and lower body fat percentages and make gynecomastia more noticeable. In the majority of patients, surgical intervention will prove to be necessary in cases of gynecomastia.
If gynecomastia is an issue, consultation with a board certified plastic surgeon may be necessary. (Richard J. Bruneteau, MD, Omaha Plastic Surgeon)
Gynecomastic is more common than you think. It sounds like your “chest” is getting bigger. If it is the soft tissue on top of the muscle, it may be gynecomastia. (Jeffrey J. Roth, MD, FACS, Las Vegas Plastic Surgeon)
If the shape change is more projection under the nipple it is likely stimulated breast tissue.
Remember that bulking up or working out will shape your chest by defining the pec muscles. (Jeffrey Ditesheim, MD, FACS, Charlotte Plastic Surgeon)
Gynecomastia Is A Medical Condition Marked By Enlargement Of A Man’s Chest
If you are experiencing male breast enlargement and would like to know if surgery is the best option, it is advisable to seek a consultation. There is a difference between weight gain, which can cause the chest to change shape, and the growth of glandular breast tissue.
The latter breast enlargement, referred to as gynecomastia, may occur due to hormonal factors or may be the result of medication. A breast reduction or body contouring can be done in either case, but the underlying issue is distinct and could affect any surgical plan. (Miguel Delgado, MD, San Francisco Plastic Surgeon)
Reversing male breast reduction surgery
The only way to reverse gynecomastia is to stop the source of the gynecomastia. This may be stopping certain medications or supplements. This will stop the gynecomastia from getting worse and may promote reduction. If the tissue does not go away after doing so, removal by a plastic surgeon via direct excision or liposuction is the next step. (Remus Repta, MD, Scottsdale Plastic Surgeon)
Male breast enlargement is sometimes reversible. If it does reverse itself, this usually occurs within the first two years.
What can you do to reverse it?
- Stop any marijuana or body-building drugs/supplements
- Lose any excess weight
- Visit your doctor or an endocrinologist to see if there is a treatable cause such as medications that you are taking or a hormonal imbalance
If the enlargement persists after two years and doing the above things, see a qualified plastic surgeon to discuss other options. (George Sanders, MD, Los Angeles Plastic Surgeon)
The only effective treatment for true gynecomastia is surgery
The first step is to figure out why your chest is growing. You should see your primary care physician to help you with this. If you have true gynecomastia where there is an excess of fatty tissue and breast gland, then the only effective treatment is surgery which involves using liposuction to remove the fatty tissue and direct excision for the breast gland.
Doctor Steven Teitelbaum, MD, Los Angeles Plastic Surgeon Male Breast Reduction
Weight loss can improve the shape of gynecomastia but in my experience with our patients here in NJ, most remain unsatisfied as the breast gland tissue remains prominent and make them feel uncomfortable or self-conscious. (Parham Ganchi, PhD, MD, Wayne Plastic Surgeon)
True established gynecomastia (male breast tissue excess) requires surgery.
There is no exercise to reduce breast tissue. Therefore if gynecomastia is established (not peri-pubertal), surgery is the only choice. (Vincent N. Zubowicz, MD, Atlanta Plastic Surgeon)
Exercise and weight loss are an important component of a healthy lifestyle and can help improve gynecomastia. If you have been medically checked out (endocrinologist) — and there are no medical causes, then plastic surgery is a very solid option to address this area of concern.
The key things are to make sure that this is not a hormonal or medically addressable problem. (Navin K. Singh, MD, Washington DC Plastic Surgeon)
Dr. Bruce E. Genter, MD, FACS, Abington Plastic Surgeon Male Breast Reduction
Exercise Cannot Remove Breast Tissue That Causes Gynecomastia
Gynecomastia is caused by excess breast tissue causing larger, more feminine looking breasts. Although exercise can reduce breast size by eliminating fat, the only way to remove the excess breast tissue is through gynecomastia surgery, otherwise known as a male breast reduction.
Before rushing to get surgery, I would check with your primary care physician to see if there is any underlying cause, such as a hormone imbalance, that could be causing this issue. (Tarick K. Smiley, MD, Beverly Hills Plastic Surgeon)
The combination of a rigorous exercise program and the liposuction is a great one. Well exercise program will help tone the underlying pectoral muscles and create a great foundation. Ultrasound liposuction may then be used to sculpt the overlying fact to help accentuate the pectoral shape. (Pat Pazmino, MD, FACS, Miami Plastic Surgeon)
The majority of gynecomastia is not an endocrine problem. Usually it is due to a fatty chest. On the other hand there are some that fall into the “overactive hormone” group. This is best evaluated first by an endocrinologist. (Steven Wallach, MD, New York Plastic Surgeon)
Exercise vs. plastic surgery for man breasts or gynecomastia
The vast majority of Man Breasts (Gynecomastia) cases cannot be ascribed to any medical condition. The rest can be caused by MANY drugs and supplements as well as certain medical conditions. If you absolutely want to know the cause for your breast cause you should see an endocrinologist and have a work-up for Gynecomastia.
A cause MAY be found out but in most cases, none is discovered. While exercise will build muscles it will NOT get rid of the breasts above them and will not effectively treat gynecomastia. The surgical treatment of Gynecomastia is extremely effective.
35-44 Year Old Man Treated With Male Breast Reduction By Dr Sean T. Lille, MD, Scottsdale Plastic Surgeon
Which procedure is done is totally dependent on the extent of the problem. In most cases VASER Lipo selection / Liposuction will flatten such breasts, in other cases it needs to be combined with a small incision around the nipples through which breast gland tissue is also removed.
In a small minority of cases, when the breasts are long and deflated, we would need to perform mastectomies and graft the nipples on the flat chest. (Peter A. Aldea, MD, Memphis Plastic Surgeon)
Gynecomastia is a common diagnosis in men. The incidence of gynecomastia peaks in three age groups; young children, adolescents, and seniors. A thorough history and physical is important in the workup of gynecomastia. Physicians look for physiologic causes of gynecomastia by performing a physical examination of the liver, adrenal glands, pituitary, and testicles.
Gynecomastia Treatment Options
Further lab tests will reveal hormonal or endocrine abnormalities. The good news is that the workup for gynecomastia is usually normal. If that is the case, most physicians will wait 12 months before recommending surgery. The surgical options are liposuction or surgical excision.
The decision to pursue surgery is based on three factors:
- The position of the nipple
- The amount of skin redundancy
- The amount of tissue excess (Raffy Karamanoukian, MD, FACS, Los Angeles Plastic Surgeon)
While the majority of gynecomastia is an isolated issue, there are some cases in which gynecomastia is a sign of another underlying issue (testicular issues, hormone imbalance, or even side effects of medication or drugs).
You need to first be checked out by either a Board Certified Plastic Surgeon, or even a good Internist who knows what to look for.
Assuming there are no other medical issues to be addressed, it is unlikely that true gynecomastia (presence of breast tissue, not just fat) that has been present for a year or more will just go away on its own.
There are multiple good options for surgical correction that can give you the results you’re looking for. The key is to find a Board Certified Plastic Surgeon in your area, sit down and chat with him or her and get a sense of their plan for your procedure. (Shahram Salemy, MD, FACS, Seattle Plastic Surgeon)
Assuming you are not overweight and fit, sounds like you might have some glandular breast tissue, that will not respond to excercise / weight loss. (Vishal Kapoor, MD, Beverly Hills Plastic Surgeon)Males who notice breast enlargement that is not from exercise or weight gain should see their doctor for an evaluation.
Certain medications, testicular problems, hormonal imbalances, and marijuana use can cause potentially reversible breast enlargement in men.
True gynecomastia usually appears in early teenage years and generally requires some surgical intervention for treatment such as liposuction or open excision depending on the nature and amount of the tissue. (Richard P. Rand, MD, FACS, Seattle Plastic Surgeon)
Usually only surgery is effective
Although there a multiple number of causes of gynecomastia, most of the time there is no known cause and surgery is required. If it is not too severe, ultrasonic liposuction or Smartlipo can work well- though both risk under-correcting.
I have found surgery very effective. a very small incision through the lower half of the areola leaves an almost invisible scar. The surgery is done under GA but as an outpatient (smartlipo can be done under local anesthesia alone). (David E. Berman, MD, Sterling Plastic Surgeon)