Male Breast Reduction Surgery
Syracuse (WSYR-TV) - It appears men and boys want to get something off their chest, quite literally. The American Society of Plastic Surgeons reports that more men are getting breast reduction surgery. That includes Central New York.
The study shows that last year nearly 14,000 boys ages 13 to 19 underwent surgery to reduce the size of their breasts.
That represents 70% of all male patients who had this surgery. That's an increase of 21% over the previous year for that age group.
Rock-hard abs and chiseled chests. It's not difficult to imagine why boys and men want to look that. Let's face it; poor body image isn't just a female problem.
It's hard for men to look their best if they have a condition called gynecomastia, or enlarged male breasts.
It's not about being overweight. It's about hormones. During puberty, if young men get just enough female ones, they grow breasts. Older men on hormone therapy, for prostate cancer for instance, will experience the same thing.
Plastic Surgeon Dr. Denis Branson says, "Girls will talk and compare notes, guys are embarrassed and keep it hidden under the rock and not talk about it. It's about being aware, I don't have to live like this."
Dr. Denis Branson has performed 50 breast reduction surgeries on men. One 17-year-old boy came to him with between an A and B cup breast size.
Psychologist Dr. Alan Andrews says, "If it's really gonna help a young men feel better about self in society, why not?"
Dr. Andrews says the teasing that kids with gynecomastia endure can be brutal. While the decision for surgery isn't an easy one, it should be a family one.
Dr. Branson says male breast reduction surgery can cost between $1,500 to $6,000 depending on the extent of surgery. Insurance doesn't cover it, it's considered cosmetic, not functional.
The acceptability of gynecomastia as a medical disorder was recently addressed on Long Island. A man sued his insurance company to have his son's surgery covered and he was awarded $5,000.