One increasingly common type of cosmetic procedure among men is breast reduction surgery, with growing numbers opting to go under the knife to get rid of excess breast tissue that has built up over time. This condition is also known as man boobs – or moobs!

There are various reasons why this breast tissue may have developed, whether it’s because you’ve lost a significant amount of weight and have been left with excess skin as a result, or perhaps it’s just because of a natural part of the ageing process. It could also be because of steroid use and testosterone for bodybuilding.

You may even have developed excess tissue during your teenage years and puberty, which is certainly not uncommon, and this tissue may have lingered as you got older.

Other possible causes for this excessive tissue growth include hormone imbalances. If your testosterone levels drop too low or if your oestrogen levels climb for some reason, gynaecomastia can be triggered. Certain medications can also have a similar impact because they involve changing your hormone levels.

And, of course, as with anything your lifestyle can have a big impact on your appearance, so if you are worried that your shape is changing, you may want to consider the amount of alcohol you’re drinking, as well as any recreational drugs you’re taking.

If you know it’s not lifestyle factors that are causing your concerns, it’s definitely worth seeking medical advice, because some health conditions such as tumours, hypogonadism and hyperthyroidism can also trigger gynaecomastia. Finding out the root cause is essential, especially if it’s something potentially life-threatening that’s causing your symptoms.

How can you treat gynaecomastia?

While gynaecomastia isn’t a serious cause for medical concern, it may have a significant impact on your confidence, self-esteem, mental health and emotional wellbeing. As such, you may be compelled to do something about it… and the good news is that male breast reduction surgery is both a well recognised and effective procedure.

The treatment takes around 90 minutes to complete, with the excess breast tissue, fat and sagging skin removed to help reduce the soft tissue bulge on the chest area and give you a more aesthetically pleasing chest silhouette.

The procedure itself is performed under either local or general anaesthetic.

Note that although the surgery is usually performed as a day case, you may need to stay at the hospital to rest and recuperate before you can go home. You will also need to wear a pressure vest for four weeks. You can continue working if your job doesn’t involve weight lifting or is physically laborious. Computer-based work, for example, would be fine.

Don’t worry if your chest is swollen and bruised for a few weeks, as this is entirely normal. To help reduce the swelling, you can wear an elastic pressure garment. Complications are thankfully rare with this procedure but you may see some red and lumpy scars afterwards, although these should fade with time.

If you need any further information or if you’d like to find out whether you’re eligible for this kind of surgery, get in touch with the MACS Clinic team today.