BOCA RATON, Fla. – Gynecomastia is an increasing problem affecting about 40 percent of men in this country. Enlarged male breasts can be caused by weight gain, estrogen, drugs, medications, and steroids. Now, one plastic surgeon has perfected a procedure that removes the breasts without leaving any scars.
32-year old Ted Schuhle developed enlarged breasts when he was just 11 years old.
Recommended Videos
"When I was a child, my mother told me, ‘I wish there was a pill or something we could do for you,'" said Schuhle.
Dr. Daniel Man has developed a special two hour surgical procedure to treat gynecomastia. He uses a laser and suction to first remove the fat.
"We remove 2,000 cc's, that's a lot. That's going from a C cup to a cup A," explained Dr. Man, a Board Certified Plastic Surgeon in Boca Raton, Florida.
He lifts the chest with specially suspended sutures that are removed without leaving any scars.
"The embarrassment of having breast tissue is gone," Man said.
Before surgery Schuhle tried everything including triathlons to reduce his weight to reduce his breast size. It was so embarrassing for him, it even affected his dating.
"During intimate times, she would not want to touch my chest. Most women prefer a nice hard chest that has muscular features to it," Schuhle explained.
Three months after surgery, Schuhle's chest finally looks normal and he is engaged to be married.
Man says he has taught about 20 plastic surgeons around the country his gynecomastia surgical suspension technique. His procedure costs about $5,000 and has a five-day recovery. Sometimes insurance may cover the procedure.
Additional Information:
It is becoming more common for men to have breast surgery in the U.S. In 2011, there was a 6 percent increase of men who were going under the knife for breast reductions. "Moobs" is a term used to describe man boobs and is more common than we think. Man breasts form in two cases; clinical gynecomastia and excess fat. Clinical gynecomastia is a condition that defines male breast enlargement. This may stem from increased estrogen levels and decreased testosterone levels or a hormonal imbalance. In the situation that a male were to accumulate more fatty tissue, this is a sign that the excess fat in the breast is causing "moobs". (Source: http://news.menshealth.com/banish-your-man-boobs/2012/02/06/)
TREATMENT: In some cases, gynecomastia may go away on its own, but in others, medications and surgery are needed. After consulting with your doctor, ask which treatment option is best for you The medication that is prescribed to men with this condition is used for breast cancer treatment. If surgery is your next decision, then you are given a choice of a liposuction or mastectomy depending on the situation. The liposuction procedure discards the fat in the breast but not the tissue and a mastectomy will remove the breast gland tissue. A mastectomy is a less invasive surgery and does not require much down time. (Source: http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/gynecomastia/DS00850/DSECTION=treatments-and-drugs)
NEW PROCEDURE: Florida surgeon Dr. Daniel Man created a surgery for patients with gynecomastia. The procedure is performed through laser and suction tactics that extract the fat in the breast. To do so, a cannula is placed under the skin and connects to a vacuum-like machine that removes the excess fat from the breast. The procedure is conducted under anesthesia and requires 1-2 weeks of recovery. Little maintenance is needed to change dressings for the first couple of days and bed rest is recommended. This surgery is said to be life changing and it provides patients with a new sense of confidence! (Source: http://www.drman.com/breast-procedures/gynecomastia-2/)