Gynecomastia’s Bogus Cures
I have often said — and written — the only cure for true gynecomastia is surgical excision of the underlying breast tissue.
But it seems like the words of a mere plastic surgeon with 25 years experience treating gynecomastia doesn’t count for much, judging by the tons of advertising that feature a quick and cheap — but worthless — fix.
Some are real knee slappers!
I heard from some patients who were told that acupressure removes gynecomastia.
Acupressure — a blending of “acupuncture” and “pressure” — is a complementary medical technique using pressure put on the acupuncture points by the hand, elbow, or with various devices.
Sorry, guys; it just does not work. Ditto turmeric and flax seeds.
(I was delighted to see that the turmeric and flax seed commercials for curing gynecomastia were in the right section. The companion ad was “The Truth about the Nevada Triangle.”)
All the herbal cure ads alone would fill several box cars. I notice such products are always billed as safe and “natural”. We may have encountered an oxymoron here because, while snake bites are also 100 percent natural, they are far from safe.
I’m not naming the products due to the lawyers lurking around the corner and because:
- It would take all day to create such a list and require more space than the Internet offers.
- I would love the opportunity to debate herbal manufacturers on the science of their claims but, that would also take far too much time away from my patients who need actual treatment for their condition.
So let’s just go with the basic, ultimate consumer-beware statement: no pill or herb removes true gynecomastia. Surgery is the only treatment.
Various work-out programs are also often put forth as a way to remove gynecomastia in teens and young men. One program that advertises, “Lose Man Boobs Now” offers lots of sympathy and even starts to cover some of the same ground we’ve walked by telling how teens and men hide their condition. (Read our post on how some guys conceal their man boobs.)
One online Chinese herbal store (http://hnmrc.net) located in London, England, offers nine herbs which taken individually and in various combinations will allegedly cure gynecomastia.
The proof? “11 total cases observed; 11 Fully recovered”.
But that’s all the site tells you about the cases. Let’s at least hope those nine herbs are also natural!