We’ve already discussed how gynecomastia causes extreme embarrassment, social withdrawal and can ruin a person’s self-image, making him feel worthless.

Truth be told, there is plenty of pain to go around!

On one website supporting a petition asking insurance companies to cover gynecomastia surgery, you can see lives being held back.

For instance, Bruce blogged:

“I opted out of a promising military career because I would not disrobe…I suffer from depression and often isolate myself. (Health) insurance will pay for tummy tuck and breast reduction in women but not for gynecomastia. Would somebody explain why?”

Mark B. wrote:

“The emotional impact can lead to feelings of hopelessness, depression and thoughts of suicide…there is pain and tenderness when jogging..gynecomastia plastic surgery has nothing to do with cosmetics. All we want to do is live normal and productive lives.”

Giovanni V. added:

“It is not normal to have breast tissue if you are a man!”

Louis P shared:

“Having gynecomastia as a teen, I put on a lot of weight because I thought I could hide it…I’m now 40 and trying to lose the 100 pounds I put on…An adolescent boy should not have to suffer through what I did!”

Porta S. wrote:

“At age 15, my son’s breasts are larger than mine; he can easily fill a size B bra. This otherwise healthy, athletic boy has to deal with kids gasping in horror when changing clothes in gym.”

Chase, 18, blogged:

“I have not led a full life due to my gynecomastia and it kills me! I try not being depressed but I can’t help it. Insurance coverage would give me the second chance I so desperately need.”

Jim, 48 said:

“In high school, my girl friend said ‘What the hell is this?’ while we were swimming. To this day, I won’t take my shirt off in public.”

Dedan L. wrote:

“I developed gynecomastia at 13. Whether I was 135 or 235, it made no difference. Even at my largest and leanest, 215 and 8 percent body fat, I still wore a rash guard (a spandex athletic shirt) to the beach.”

Karen added:

“My 13-year-old son has gynecomastia; it’s heartbreaking to see him worry so much about how much breast shows through his shirt.”

56-year-old Paul blogged:

“I have considered taking razor blades and performing surgery on my man boobs. My entire life has been affected by gynecomastia.”

Some patients have heard about this item in passing but became really well acquantainted with it immediately after the operation…..by living with it 24/7!

It’s the compression garment. I include them in the surgical fee because the garment is actually a medical grade piece of clothing. Moreover, it’s absolutely essential for a good outcome of the surgery.

Although the incisions in your skin for routine gynecomastia surgery are tiny, a lot of injury takes place under the skin.

Thus, the body’s reaction to an operation is swelling, oozing blood and bruising.

Plastic surgeons discovered long ago that many operations besides male breast reduction require a compression garment.

For most men, I used a double strap binder (pictured) that covers the body from above your  navel to the level of your armpits. The garment puts constant pressure on the surgically treated area, reducing the swelling and bruising while making it heal better and faster.

If you’ve played sports, it’s the same concept as tightly wrapping a sprained ankle in an Ace bandage.

For guys who are at,  or near, their ideal weights, the double strap binder fastens with Velcro and can be changed to accommodate  many patients.

But there is a slight downside: the binder is purposely tight and, frankly, a pain in the neck to wear for up to four weeks. But it’s necessary for optimum healing and the outcome of your chest’s new appearance. (However, it can’t be spotted under your clothing.)

I’ve found that virtually all gynecomastia patients will gladly suffer the compression band in return for a flatter chest!

If I operate on a gentleman who has a barrel chest or is over his ideal weight, I put him in a vest compression garment. That fastens down the front with hooks and eyes plus a zipper. This approach has a small downside, too.

While it’s more comfortable, slightly more swelling takes place because the vest doesn’t apply as much pressure.

So the tradeoffs are: the vest is more comfortable but the binder does its work better.

Torsoplasty patients are put into a one-piece body suit compression garments which also closes with hooks, eyes and zippers.

I’ll blog about Torsoplasty later!

Remember our recent post about gynecomastia and shirts off and shirts on guys?

Julian, a handsome 24-year-old black dude, is very much a shirts-on guy AND a jackets on guy, to boot.

Even on a hot day at the beach, he wears some kind of a jacket to hide his huge, sagging breasts.

His man boobs are so large, the areola (the brown skin surrounding the nipples) have been stretched out.

Moreover, it is verboten for his lovely girlfriend to touch his chest. So Julian, tired of hiding part of his anatomy, saves his money until he can afford the attention of a board-certified Newport Beach (California) plastic surgeon.

While the story is told on a YouTube segment, it was actually filmed for the old Plastic Surgery: Before & After, a program that aired on the Discovery Channel before its host, Dr. Jan Adams, ran into extremely serious trouble over the death of Donda West and a subsequent D.W.I.

(Later on, we will post a blog about why Ms. West’s death could have been prevented by a physical before plastic surgery.)

Dr. Adams’ show depicted actual surgery which starts with liposuctioning of as much of Julian’s breast fat as possible.

The  surgeon makes a small incision on the bottom side of Julian’s areola and then removes the actual breast tissue – yes, like woman have – which doesn’t yield to liposuction.

Julian receives a bonus on healing when he discovers his areolas are smaller.

And he may go back to the surgeon in three to four months to remove some excess, sagging skin on his now flatter chest.

The final frames hold a lesson for many plastic surgery procedures.

Julian is thrilled to take his shirt off in public — for the first time ever! — but  his chest is still a little swollen.

The lesson? Final results often take more months than patients like.

Plus, the lady in his life is thrilled that his chest is no longer off limits!

Watch the gynecomastia video – which may also remind you how much Plastic Surgery: Before & After is missed!