I am 16 years old and suffering gynecomastia. Is plastic surgery a good choice?

Thank you for your question.While there is no “youngest age”
to undergo #gynecomastia #surgery, it is best to make sure that #teenage
patients have had gynecomastia for at least two years and have no other
identifiable causes for their gynecomastia.Up to 2/3 of boys going through puberty develop some form of gynecomastia.  In up
to 75% of boys who develop pubertal gynecomastia, it will disappear without
treatment within 2 years. In 90% of boys with pubertal gynecomastia, it will
disappear without treatment within 3 years. So deciding who needs #surgery is
very important in this age group because a majority of these boys will not need
any intervention.

Ideally, gynecomastia surgery is delayed until full development, around age 18 after adolescent hormonal influenced breast development ceases. Sometimes it will resolve to a degree afterwards. Also if your child is overweight, often the breasts will diminish with weight loss once in the normal range. However I have operated on several adolescent males to develop gynecomastia for those stigmatized and traumatized by the size of his breasts in severe cases with good results. Yes it is possible they will grow again and another procedure may be required for best results, Discuss the risk vs benefits with your board certified plastic surgeon that has experience in this age group.

Many boys develop some degree of gynecomastia as they go through puberty due to hormonal changes. For most of them (90%) it will resolve on its own but if you have had gynecomastia for more than 2 years it most likely is permanent and you could be a candidate for male breast reduction surgery. If it is affecting you socially and emotionally and you have the support of your parents, there is no reason to wait. Good luck.

Gynecomastia (or “man boobs”) is a condition affecting some men in which the male breast enlarges to resemble an underdeveloped female breast.
Its important to know that male breast enlargement is not permanent and is surgically treatable. It commonly occurs in three age groups – Infants, Pubertal (Adolescent) & Elderly.
Surgery is the Gold Standard treatment for correction of an enlarged male breast. Medication to reduce oestrogen levels have been tried without much success. “Lipoplasty” has been accepted as the standard procedure in correcting Gynecomastia with consistent satisfactory result.
My advice would be to look for a board certified, well experienced & highly rated cosmetic surgeon in your city and visit him / her for a consultation.

Yes it is a good choice. It is not uncommon to see some degree of breast enlargement early in puberty. Often the onset of puberty can be as early as 12 years of age. When the breast increases in size at this age the enlargement is usually temporary and often returns back to normal in 1-2 years. The usual finding in this case is a firm fibrous mass just below the areola. This may be accompanied by an increase in the surrounding fatty tissue. When this is noted early in puberty it is reasonable to delay treatment for 1-2 years anticipating a return to normal. Commonly the hormonal imbalance stabilizes at approximately 15 years of age. Gynecomastia persisting beyond this age can be considered for surgical correction. Very often even small to moderate amounts of gynecomastia can result in social withdrawal during the teenage years. When persistent gynecomastia and noticeable social withdrawal is present at this age it is reasonable to proceed with surgical correction.Treatment for gynecomastia depends on the extent of the condition. Sometimes the excess tissue is relatively small and concentrated under the nipple areolar complex. In this case simple excision intended to recontour the breast is sufficient. If the excess tissue is more fatty in its consistency liposuction may be a good option. Very often a combination of direct excision and liposuction is employed. If the breast enlargement is quite large it may be necessary to re-tailor the overlying skin envelope.

Gynecomastia in the teenage years can resolve within one year. If after one year Gynecomastia persists more than one year then surgical excision is indicated.