Gynaecomastia can be caused by an imbalance between the sex hormones, testosterone and oestrogen, the latter causing breast tissue to grow if it is elevated. Being very overweight (obese) is a common cause of gynaecomastia as these patients are more likely to have excess fat that can enlarge the breast tissue. For some people losing weight may not always improve their condition. As men get older, they produce less testosterone and have more body fat, and the combination of both of these factors often leads to this condition occurring.
Gynaecomastia surgery can be done under either local anaesthetic, conscious sedation or general anaesthetic, depending on the scale of surgery required and patient preference. Typically, the procedure involves making a cut around the nipple and removing excess fatty tissue or using liposuction, a combination of both techniques is commonly used to achieve the best result. If a significant amount of tissue is removed, then the nipple will be re-grafted to a new position on the chest.
