Gynecomastia is the swelling of breast tissue in males caused by a hormonal imbalance. Gynecomastia can be embarrassing and sometimes painful, but there are multiple treatment options to reduce the appearance and discomfort of the condition.

Treatments for gynecomastia

Gynecomastia can be treated in different ways depending on the severity of your condition and its underlying causes. Treatments include:          

• Eliminating the cause of the condition—gynecomastia can be caused by medication or a condition that impacts your hormones, such as hypogonadism, hyperthyroidism, or hormone affecting tumors.          
• Surgery—your excess breast fat and glandular tissue can be liposuctioned away and excised. Excess skin can also be trimmed away if necessary for a flatter chest.          
• Medication—drugs that block the hormone estrogen can help reduce your gynecomastia.          
• Radiation therapy—some men may develop gynecomastia as a side effect of prostate cancer treatment, but light radiation therapy can prevent this.

Recovery

Medication and radiation therapy may have just mild side effects, but can vary. If you have surgery then you can expect a few days to one week of down-time, and about a month for your pain and swelling to completely subside.

Costs

The cost of treating gynecomastia varies significantly depending on the procedure you have performed, your physician, and health insurance coverage. Your physician can explain the costs of your specific treatment.