As I was sitting on the beach with my family on vacation in Cancun recently (with sunblock on and in the shade!), I couldn’t help but reflect on how much my gynecomastia surgery has changed my life. I had the procedure three years ago, and I have never, ever regretted it.
I had gynecomastia for most of my adult life. Like for most men, there was no known underlying cause. I was not taking medications, I did not have an endocrine tumour, I wasn’t using marijuana, and I had no other known risk factors. I just had it.
Before my surgery, I hated beach vacations. Even though I have always been a fit guy, the thought of walking around shirtless at the pool or beach was frightening, and I just didn’t do it. My chest was too full, too fat, and it made me feel bad. No one loves the beach more than my wife and kids, so imagine the conversations we had when it came to vacation planning!
As I looked around the resort this holiday, I saw men of all ages with fat, floppy feminine looking breasts. Some of these men were in good shape. Some of them were not. I knew they hated how they looked, and I know how easy and safe it would be to help them. Who could know better than me? I have performed the surgery hundreds of times, and I had the surgery myself!
At The Cosmetic Surgery Clinic we are doing more gynecomastia surgery than ever before. Why? As I tell my patients, it’s not because more men have it; it’s because more men are sick and tired of living with it, and hiding it.
The operation is so simple to do. It’s a 60 – 90 minute day surgery procedure. The technique I use is virtually scarless. The recovery is fast. When I had my procedure, I took exactly ONE Percocet tablet, and I was back working in the operating room exactly one week later with no pain and no restrictions. After speaking with dozens of my own gynecomastia patients, I know that my post operative recovery story is almost always the case for everyone.
So, to the men out there with breasts who hate their chests, listen to me: stop hiding. Stop worrying about the guys in the locker room making fun of you. Stop worrying about wearing a tight T-shirt. Stop worrying about the way your kids mock your chest. Stop making excuses when your family wants to go to the beach. Just come in for a consultation with me. Like me, you won’t ever regret it.
To the women out there who love men who hate their chests: support your boyfriend or husband or son in this decision. Encourage them to get help. Part of the reason they don’t pursue treatment is because they are worried about what you will think.
The time for men to stand by, hating their bodies while women undergo aesthetic procedures in record numbers is over.
If you want to learn more about gynecomastia and your surgical options, reach us at [email protected] or (519) 746-1132.
