January 15, 2026 | Gynecomastia
6 minute read
Gynecomastia is a condition characterized by the enlargement of breast tissue in men. This condition can be embarrassing and cause emotional distress, yet some patients are resistant to surgical solutions. This blog discusses the if and when gynecomastia resolves on its own, and when surgery is necessary.
Table of Contents
- What Is Gynecomastia?
- When Will Gynecomastia Go Away On Its Own?
- The Best Cure for Gynecomastia: Surgery
At Greenberg Cosmetic Surgery and Dermatology, Stephen T. Greenberg, MD, FACS; Dr. Jason M. Weissler; Dr. Stephanie A. Cooper; and Dr. Jacqueline Ross have helped thousands of patients restore their figures with gynecomastia surgery. Contact our office to learn more about how gynecomastia surgery can provide relief:
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What Is Gynecomastia?
Gynecomastia can be difficult to detect because of common misconceptions about the condition. True gynecomastia is the enlargement of breast tissue in men, not fat. While an excess of fat can appear like enlarged breasts, and some degree of fat can accompany the glandular tissue, the primary issue is the excessive growth of the breast tissue.
To understand the possibilities and challenges in treating gynecomastia, it’s important to understand its causes.
Possible Causes of Gynecomastia
Gynecomastia is caused by an imbalance of male and female hormones in the body. When estrogen levels are too high, it can cause the body to generate breast tissue in men and boys. So anything that affects hormones can cause this type of imbalance, resulting in gynecomastia. This means that the cause of your gynecomastia can be a number of issues, and for many men, it is a combination of issues.
Common causes of gynecomastia include:
- Certain medications like anti-androgens, ADHD medications that contain amphetamines, anti-anxiety medications, tricyclic antidepressants, some antibiotics, opioids, chemotherapy, and heart medications.
- Recreational and illegal drugs like anabolic steroids, amphetamines, marijuana, and heroin, as well as alcohol.
- Certain conditions that affect the balance of hormones include hypogonadism, hyperthyroidism, kidney failure, and liver failure.
- Obesity, as fat cells produce more aromatase, an enzyme that converts androgens (e.g., testosterone) into estrogen, can lead to hormonal imbalances.
- Aging, as male hormones decrease with age, a surplus of estrogen can increase the development of breast tissue.
When Will Gynecomastia Go Away On Its Own?
There’s really only one instance in which gynecomastia will resolve on its own: when it affects boys during puberty. About 50–60% of adolescent boys will experience some degree of gynecomastia as their hormone levels fluctuate during puberty. This completely normal process usually improves on its own after hormone levels regulate, about one to two years after puberty.
However, this is the only case in which gynecomastia resolves spontaneously.
Can Diet and Exercise Cure Gynecomastia?
Once they notice the excess growth of breast tissue, many men initially turn to diet and exercise as a solution. The logic comes from an incorrect assumption that their enlarged breasts are caused by fat. While obesity can exacerbate gynecomastia to an extent, the real underlying issue is an excess of glandular tissue.
That’s not to say that diet and exercise are useless in the treatment of gynecomastia—quite the opposite. In fact, a commitment to a healthy diet and exercise routine is a contingency of gynecomastia surgery, because it primes the patient for a safe procedure and ensures that their enlarged breasts are not primarily caused by fat. But diet and exercise alone, in a vast majority of cases, cannot cure true gynecomastia.
The Best Cure for Gynecomastia: Surgery
Treating gynecomastia takes more than diet and exercise, and more than just surgery. To achieve optimal results, patients should work with their physicians and plastic surgeon to first determine the root cause of their condition and develop a plan.
If, for example, your gynecomastia is caused by a combination of anabolic steroid use and age, you’ll be instructed to stop using the steroids before you can move forward with treatment. Similarly, if an obese patient seeks treatment for their gynecomastia, diet and exercise will be the first step in improving the condition and preparing them for surgery.
Treating gynecomastia always begins with an accurate and honest assessment of the patient’s overall health and medication history, including the use of any recreational substances, to provide conservative (non-surgical) treatment first. In order to be a candidate for gynecomastia surgery, you’ll have to take a look at your lifestyle habits and medical history and be honest with your physician to get the best possible results.
How Does Gynecomastia Surgery Work?
Once you have safely addressed the outside influences that may be causing your gynecomastia, like adjusting medications with your primary care physician if possible, and improving your health by limiting recreational drug and alcohol use, and adopting a good diet and exercise routine, you’re on your way to being an ideal candidate for surgery.
Gynecomastia surgery is customized to the patient’s needs, just like any other cosmetic procedure. Your plastic surgeon will examine your chest to evaluate how advanced your gynecomastia is, and to determine how much of your breasts are a result of fat versus glandular tissue. Next, they will create a surgical plan to address your needs.
Gynecomastia surgery is an outpatient procedure that typically uses general anesthesia. Your surgeon will make two small incisions around your chest: typically, around the dark skin surrounding the nipple to hide any scarring, or underneath the breasts in a horizontal line (inframammary fold). The placement of your incisions depends on the level of necessary revision, as a certain amount of glandular tissue requires a longer incision for your surgeon to be able to adequately access and remove it. Additionally, excess skin is addressed and removed during the procedure.
Some patients have a combination of excess fat and excess glandular tissue. In this case, your surgeon will use liposuction to remove the fat cells. In rare cases when the patient only has excess fat, called pseudogynecomastia, liposuction alone can be sufficient.
Learn More About Gynecomastia Surgery in Long Island, NY
Call Greenberg Cosmetic Surgery and Dermatology today at (888) 680-2090 or complete the contact form to learn how our expert surgeons can design a treatment plan that restores your chest to its masculine appearance.