Am I Too Old To Have My Gynecomastia Fixed?

Q:  I am 54 years of age and have dealt with large breasts since I was in high school.  I exercise daily, diet and nothing makes them go away. Even though my wife says it doesn’t bother her, it bothers me a lot. I have still not psychologically gotten  over being told in high school gym class that I had bigger boobs than the girls! Is 54 too late to have something done? I hate taking off my shirt at the gym or anywhere else, including the doctor’s office.  I actually had them liposuctioned and they were flat for a few days but now that are big as ever. Please advise.

A: Age has nothing to do with whether gynecomastia can be surgically treated. It is only about how much the problem bothers you, there is no age limit for gynecomastia surgery. Gynecomastia, however, comes in many different sizes and the surgical techniques used to treat it are different. By your description and the fact that you had an unsuccessful liposuction experience indicates that your chest problem is just as much about too much skin as it is about too much breast tissue. In other words, when the chest starts to or has the appearance of an actual breast mound, the reduction technique must be more like a female breast reduction to be successful. This means that skin has to be removed which will result in visible scars on the chest wall. To be able to get you a lot flatter, you will have to accept the trade-off of scarring. That, rather than age, is the real rate-limiting consideration at your or any male age.

Dr. Barry Eppley

Indianapolis, Indiana