Surgery
There are no medications that can be taken to reverse breast enlargement in males. Surgery is only undertaken if the cosmetic appearance is emotionally disturbing. If the breast enlargement is small and not problematic, it is best left alone. The two types of surgical procedures used to treat gynecomastia include:
Liposuction can be done to remove all the fat tissue but does not remove the fibrous material. Liposuction can be done under local anesthesia but most people prefer general anesthesia. It is a short procedure and has excellent cosmetic results. It is an outpatient treatment.
Mastectomy is also done to treat gynecomastia. Today various minimally invasive endoscopic procedures have been devised to remove the fat tissue. Again the results are decent.
As a final word, the treatment of gynecomastia after the use of anabolic steroids is conservative. Discontinuation of the drugs will lead to reversal of the breast enlargement. While physicians will push for surgery, this is the last choice and only after 6-9 months have elapsed after discontinuing the steroids. If the breast enlargement is not bothersome, simply leave it alone. Remember surgeons make a living doing surgery which sometimes is completely unnecessary - and gynecomastia is one of those conditions.
Finally, both liposuction and mastectomy are cosmetic procedures and no insurance company will cover the cost of the procedure. So if you go to a physician who recommends surgery as a first choice, then you should always seek a second opinion or better still keep away from surgeons.
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