Gynecomastia treatment

The breast appears in some men larger than normal in a way that affects their self-confidence because they feel very embarrassed about it, to the point that they avoid taking off their clothes in front of anyone. Upon trying to follow natural ways to overcome this problem by losing weight or practicing breast exercises that improve its shape, the problem of gynecomastia remains, thus requiring surgical intervention to solve its roots.

Gynecomastia appears in the form of a large breast, such as women's breast, with saggy skin. It is due to an imbalance in testosterone and estrogen hormones, which leads to an increase in the branching of the breast ducts and glands and the formation of lumps around the nipple. This condition may appear in one of the breasts or both together.

Apart from the fact that the size of the breast in men causes them to feel embarrassed, it is not only a cosmetic problem. It can even cause a decrease in their sexual desire. Among the reasons that help the emergence of this symptom in men are:

• Having some cancerous tumors.

• Addiction to alcohol and nicotine.

• Excessive intake of some types of medications, which among their side effects is the appearance of gynecomastia in men.

• Obesity or excessive weight gain.

• Imbalance in some hormones such as estrogen and testosterone.

Gynecomastia begins to appear in men starting from puberty or upon gaining excessive weight and may appear immediately after birth as a result of a large amount of estrogen from the mother, but it does not last for a long time and disappears within a month of birth.

In gynecomastia, the size of the breast varies from one case to another. The types of gynecomastia in men are divided into four degrees:

1. First-degree gynecomastia: The breast size is somewhat large but can be controlled by taking some medications and doing some exercises for tightening, without the need for surgery.

2. Second-degree gynecomastia: The breast is larger than first-degree gynecomastia so the swelling around the nipple increases more but without the appearance of sagging or excess skin around the breast. This case is mostly due to weight gain and fat accumulation in the breast area. Gynecomastia disappears once these fats are suctioned out under medical supervision while taking some medications for hormonal disorders, and then the breast shape returns to normal.

3. Third-degree gynecomastia: The breast is greater than that of the first and second degrees, so that the size of the large breast is visible when wearing clothes, so the person feels very embarrassed about his figure. In this case, the surgeon surgically removes these excess tissues from the breast, and then gynecomastia is resolved, and self-confidence returns.

4. Fourth-degree gynecomastia: The size of the breast is greater than the first, second, and third degrees so that the size of the breast itself is closer to the size of a woman’s breast. This condition can only be resolved through surgical intervention to remove these enlarged tissues. Post-surgical follow-up and taking some medications help reduce post-surgical swelling and treat the main cause of gynecomastia at that stage, especially estrogen and testosterone hormonal disorders.

The treatment of gynecomastia with Prof. Dr. Ahmed El Sherifa surgically depends on making some surgical incisions around the nipple in a way that enables the removal of any fibrous, fatty tissue or excess glands in the breast so that the breast returns to its normal size. After that, the case is controlled by taking some medications which act by increasing the male hormone testosterone and decreasing the female hormone estrogen, in addition to doing exercises to tighten the breast and improve its shape. 

• Your health state.

• Any medications that you are taking regularly.

• Your family history and any inherited disease.

• You will be asked to perform some laboratory tests to ensure that your health condition is suitable for the surgery and that it is the ideal solution for your gynecomastia type.

• You are advised to stop smoking, drinking alcoholic substances, or taking antithrombotic medications, at least two weeks before the surgery.

• Placing bandages on the breasts for two to three weeks after the surgery with changing them constantly.

• Wearing a medical corset dedicated to the breast after the surgery to tighten the breast and reduce the consequent swelling as much as possible.

• Obligation to empty the drainage tubes that are still attached to the surgical incisions; to get rid of any excess blood or fluid in the specific way that the doctor will advise you.

• Observing the feeling of pain in the breast or the emission of any unpleasant odors, or the exposure to an unbalanced heartbeat to inform him immediately.

It is difficult to treat all cases of gynecomastia without surgical intervention, except first-degree gynecomastia, which is due to hormonal imbalance, as this disorder can be controlled by taking some medications without going for surgery.  If the condition develops or the cause is different, it is difficult to treat it without surgical intervention. Sports can also play an important role in case of the first-degree gynecomastia.

• What medications should you take before or after surgery?

• How long will the recovery period be after the surgery?

• Do you have another option to treat gynecomastia without going for surgery?

• When will you return to your daily life after the surgery?

• What are the post-surgical instructions that you must follow?

• Will the surgery leave an obvious scar? When will it disappear?

• How long will you stay in the hospital after the surgery?