"Male breasts" are the result of excess fatty or glandular tissue in a man's chest area. The medical term for this condition, especially in the case of enlarged mammary glands, is gynecomastia, and it can cause considerable stress and social distress in men who suffer from it. If you suffer from gynecomastia, here are some tips to learn how to control or eliminate it.
Steps
Method 1 of 3: Quick Fixes
Step 1. Purchase a power t-shirt, which looks like a regular shirt but actually acts like a torso
There are many brands on the market, one of the best known is Chest FX - you can also buy their products online.
Step 2. Check your shirt size
You may not have the time or money to fix gynecomastia permanently at the moment. If that's the case, the best thing you can do is hide it with a large shirt and make it less noticeable. If your breasts are too large, this remedy won't work, but in most cases it will be an acceptable short-term solution, for meetings and other short public appearances. Start by making a note of your size.
- You probably already know your size, but write it down anyway.
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Using tailor's tape, measure the circumference of the neck to get the size of the shirt collar. Write this number down because it can be useful to you at the store. To convert centimeters to a size, follow this general rule:
- 42-45: Small
- 45-47, 5: Medium
- 47, 5-50: Large
- 50-52, 5: Extra Large
- 52, 5-55: Extra Extra Large
- Above 55: XXXL, or special sizes not commonly available in stores.
- Measure the circumference of the abdomen and the length of the chest. If these numbers are high, you may need a tall-cut (long) or wide-cut (baggy) shirt. They are generally available in specialty stores in plus sizes, and in well-stocked clothing stores.
Step 3. Buy a collared shirt
Choose a garment that fits you well. It should be reasonably wide in the sleeves and loose enough for easy buttoning, even if you won't be buttoning it.
- Avoid "work" shirts, because they are not meant to be worn unbuttoned and usually have a tail that goes into your pants and it would be strange to see it dangle since you won't.
- Avoid items with overly flashy prints or patterns, such as flames, dice, or skulls. They would be very conspicuous and are probably not suitable for the occasion you are presenting yourself to.
- Try out different patterns and colors to find the ones that fit you best. Silk and other tight-fitting fabrics will not hide your breasts as well as stiffer fabrics, so choose a shirt made from these materials only at your own risk. Consider gingham, plaid, striped or Hawaiian shirts - anything you like and doesn't clash with the rest of your wardrobe.
Step 4. Put on your shirt
Make sure it's unbuttoned and not tucked into your pants, and wear it over a shirt (the shirt can fit inside or outside your pants, as you like). The shirt will help you conceal gynecomastia with reasonable effectiveness during social functions.
If the shirt alone is not enough, you can consider using a containment band. While not pleasant, wrapping the breasts with a tight linen bandage or similar material is a very effective way to reduce their profile. By combining a bandage with a shirt, all but the most severe cases of gynecomastia can be concealed temporarily but effectively
Method 2 of 3: The Fitness Method
Step 1. Commit to losing weight
If you have male breasts and are overweight, then the best long-term option is to burn fat and lose weight. When you start to lose weight, you will burn fat throughout your body, including the chest area. There is no guarantee that losing weight will heal your gynecomastia, especially if it is a problem with glandular tissue and not fat, but it is a much cheaper method than the next and will still make you feel better about yourself.
Step 2. Prepare a schedule
At the basic level, weight gain and loss are controlled by calorie intake. If you burn more calories in a day than you consume from eating and drinking, you will lose weight (and vice versa). This means that any weight loss program to be successful must combine a healthy diet, controlled portions and abundant physical activity.
- Aerobic exercise, such as running, swimming, and martial arts, burns more calories per hour than strength exercises (weight lifting). But gaining muscle mass with strength training will allow your body to burn calories faster, especially when doing aerobic activities. It is best to integrate both types of training into your schedule.
- Forget about targeted weight reduction. Bench presses, push-ups and other similar exercises, while important, do NOT guarantee "targeted reduction" of chest fat. Remember, fat is only burned when the body needs more energy than you ingested with food and drink. Focus on burning more calories than you eat, and you will be able to shed fat.
- Maintain a food balance. When you control and reduce the amount of calories you consume, it's easy to rely on a few foods and overlook balance in your diet. Conversely, the less energy you take in through food, the more careful you need to be to ensure that your body receives balanced nutrition. You can find information on recommended levels for different nutrients on the internet and follow those guidelines. Alternatively, a dietician can prepare you a personalized diet that you can follow.
Step 3. Follow your schedule
Do not deviate from the routine you have decided on. It's super easy to form bad habits, but it can take months to make your new healthy lifestyle a habit. Be hard on yourself and go through the difficult transition period until your new lifestyle becomes second nature to you. As you become fitter and leaner, excess fat will be slowly shed, your breast size will be reduced and your self-esteem will grow.
- Be patient. It takes time to be truly fit. There are no healthy shortcuts. Extreme diets will only cause your weight to swing, so make sure you avoid the temptation to achieve short-term results and end up in a worse state than you started with.
- Work on yourself. It is important to be rigid and not to deviate from the established schedule, but if it happens, do not feel depressed and do not give up. Instead, promise not to do it again and pick up where you left off.
Method 3 of 3: Surgery
Step 1. Save money
Cosmetic surgery is the most effective and permanent way to get rid of gynecomastia forever. Breast reduction surgery is called reductive mammoplasty in the medical environment. A skilled surgeon can operate the breasts, examine them, and remove excess tissue. Unfortunately, gynecomastia is not a life threatening medical condition, which means you will have to pay for the surgery yourself. The intervention will cost at least € 5000; consult your doctor for a more accurate estimate.
Step 2. Understand the risks
For many men with gynecomastia, surgery is the only way to get rid of it completely. Nonetheless, it is important to understand that male breast reduction surgery, like all surgeries, has risks. Talk to your surgeon and make sure you are informed about potential complications during and after surgery. Follow all the advice he gives you to the letter to minimize the risks.
Step 3. Undergo the surgery
The surgery will begin with anesthesia, and then take one of the following directions.
- Liposuction: If the source of gynecomastia is mainly a fat deposit, you will be subjected to liposuction to remove it and reduce the size of the breasts.
- Excision: In cases where the mammary glands are causing the condition, the excess tissue will be carefully removed with a scalpel.
Step 4. Recover from the surgery and enjoy the results
Recovery from a reduction mammoplasty generally takes some time, as the incisions will need to heal and heal, and any accumulations of fluid beneath them will need to be drained. However, this surgery is not considered particularly invasive, so hospitalization will be minimal. Your surgeon will give you precise instructions regarding recovery; follow them to the letter. Keep in mind that the surgery will leave slightly visible permanent scars, usually under the chest area.
