People have been fascinated by breasts for centuries, and what they represent has continued to change to fit the current cultural and societal norms. Besides their practical purpose, many cultures view breasts as symbols of femininity, fertility, nurturing, and sexuality, and this ongoing infatuation with breasts has been expressed through art, literature, and more.
Most people appreciate that breasts are beautiful and deserve the attention they get when they are on a woman, but on a man… not so much. Research reports that approximately 70% of all males experience enlarged breasts during their lifetime, but most of the time the condition is only temporary. If you are a man suffering from breast enlargement, you are not alone. In fact, many men, including celebrities, have struggled with this condition.
Today, we are going to talk about two conditions that result in male breast enlargement; gynecomastia vs. pseudogynecomastia. We will describe the differences and talk about treatment for these conditions.
What Is Pseudogynecomastia, And What Are The Signs?
When a man develops true breasts, the underlying cause is an imbalance in hormones. Both men and women have natural hormones that their bodies produce including estrogen and testosterone. While we think of testosterone as a male hormone and estrogen being a female hormone, every person has a combination of these two hormones present in their body. That being said, when their hormones are in a correctly balanced state, men have a higher level of testosterone and women have a higher level of estrogen.
Sometimes, a male’s hormone levels become out of balance with estrogen becoming dominant, which can cause the formation of breast tissue and a condition called gynecomastia. This happens to about 75% of adolescent boys while they are going through puberty and older men who are going through andropause. The condition normally resolves on its own for teenage boys, but older men may require surgery to correct the condition.
Pseudogynecomastia looks very much like gynecomastia, but the breasts that form are not genuine breast tissue but instead are accumulations of localized fat. Pseudogynecomastia vs. gynecomastia is not painful and usually will respond to diet and exercise.
It is fairly easy to tell the two conditions apart by how the breasts feel when you press on the upper chest. In cases of true gynecomastia, the tissue will be harder and more fibrous, and the breasts are usually firmer and more rounded, similar to a woman’s breasts. Breasts caused by pseudogynecomastia tend to droop, do not have a defined, rounded shape, and are soft and pliable to the touch.
| Gynecomastia | Pseudogynecomastia | |
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| Causes | Excess estrogen resulting from puberty, medication, or a medical condition. | Excess body fat accumulates in the upper chest area and around the nipples. Normally it is attributed to unhealthy eating habits and a sedentary lifestyle |
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Can You Get Rid Of Pseudogynecomastia?
Treatment for pseudogynecomastia vs. gynecomastia is easier and less invasive. Since pseudogynecomastia is caused by excess fat, diet and exercise can usually take care of most of it. Residual fat that remains in the chest area can be removed using liposuction or some other non-surgical cosmetic procedure, such as BodyTite.
The type of treatment used to correct the aesthetics of a man’s upper chest will depend on the amount of fat located in the breast area and whether any loose skin will remain once this fat is removed.
Liposuction Treatment
During liposuction, a special fluid is injected into the treatment area, and then the cosmetic surgeon will use a thin metal straw-like instrument inserted under the skin to suction out the unwanted fat. The surgeon can also use this instrument to define or sculpt a flatter-looking chest that is more contoured and masculine.
Skin Removal Surgery
If an abundance of excess fat has accumulated in the upper chest area, there may be loose, saggy skin left behind. A cosmetic surgeon can perform a male breast reduction and surgically remove any loose excess skin to create a more well-defined and manly chest. Remember, pseudogynecomastia vs. gynecomastia does not involve genuine fibrous breast tissue, so there is no need to surgically remove any tissue. Liposuction should be sufficient to eliminate all the offending fat.
Non-Surgical BodyTite
BodyTite is a minimally invasive procedure that is done to reduce localized fat and tighten skin at the same time. It uses heat from radiofrequency to melt away fat and shrink the surrounding skin during the same procedure. A special hand-held wand is used, with part of it placed under the skin and the other hovering above it. Radiofrequency passes between the upper and lower portions causing the fat under the skin to liquify and the skin above it to contract. The dissolved fat is removed using suction, and the body’s natural collagen production is triggered into action. When used to correct pseudogynecomastia, it flattens out the upper chest, and loose skin becomes tighter.
Pseudogynecomastia treatment can usually be done without surgery, but in cases of extreme weight loss, it may be necessary to surgically remove any extra-hanging skin.
If you are embarrassed because excess fat located on your upper chest resembles breasts, you can have liposuction for pseudogynecomastia at SurgiCare Arts & Aesthetics. Dr. Angelina Postoev, a triple board-certified cosmetic surgeon, can help create a masculine-looking chest and effectively treat both gynecomastia and pseudogynecomastia.
SurgiCare Arts & Aesthetics offers liposuction, BodyTite, and surgical interventions to remove feminine-looking breast tissue and restore a manly-looking physique. Contact us today to learn more about treatments to eliminate pseudogynecomastia.
