How do I Tell if my Gynecomastia is Caused by Fatty Tissues or Breast Tissues?

Enlargement of the male breast known as "gynecomastia" is most often a combination of both glandular tissue and extra fatty tissue. An examination  by a Plastic Surgeon can usually sort this out but occasionally imaging studies such as ultrasound, Xray or MRI can be useful. If you have a very lean body with firm or nodular tissue directly behind the nipple only then chances are this is mostly glandular tissue. By far the majority of men who we help with this condition have this glandular tissue as well as a disproportionate amount of fatty tissue on the chest.

The first step in correcting this is to be near your ideal weight and rule out any medical issues that may be treatable without surgery. Medically reversible causes of gynecomastia are uncommon so the best treatment then becomes surgery. Results from surgical management done by a Plastic Surgeon are highly successful and satisfying for most patients. Good Luck!

Dr. Mosher

Although it is not always clear if a specific patient’s gynecomastia is due to excess breast tissue or fatty tissue, typically excess fatty tissue feels softer to touch. Unfortunately, gynecomastia is a stubborn condition, which is resistant to diet and exercise. The only way to have a handsome, masculine chest is for the patient to undergo the gynecomastia procedure. This is a quick procedure that I frequently perform in my New York City practice. Most importantly, I am able to perform this surgery without putting the typical scar on the nipple/areolar complex. For best results, please visit a board certified plastic surgeon who specializes in gynecomastia surgery.  

In all honesty, it's not always possible to tell if gynecomastia is related to fat tissue or breast tissue.  Most patients have a mix of the two accounting for the overall appearance.  Some patients are more likely to have more "gland" than others, especially those who have developed the condition as a result of medication or anabolic steroid/pro-hormone use.  In these patients, it's often possible to feel harder or firmer lumps within the fatty tissue.  Alternatively, some relatively lean men may have very full chests with tissue that is relatively homogeneous.  In these patients, while it may seem that the tissue is mostly fatty, it sometimes turns out that nearly all of the excess is more like breast tissue, making liposuction relatively less critical during the procedure.  This may not be obvious pre-operatively, but at the same time, it's not all that common either. Most fatty breasts feel fatty, and most with gland have a firmer feel to them.