By Ece Yalcin • Medical review by Soner Tezcan, MD on March 02, 2021

What is Gynecomastia ?

What Is Gynecomastia?

When an imbalance occurs between androgen and estrogen, male breasts enlarge, and this is called gynecomastia. It is the most common breast issue of men. Gynecomastia may occur during early childhood, puberty, or older age. Most of the male babies and boys have enlarged breasts due to hormonal changes. And, men older than 60 may also suffer from gynecomastia for the same reason as babies and young boys at puberty. Other than these age groups, gynecomastia can be observed in adult men because of many reasons.
There is another situation which is called pseudogynecomastia that causes enlarged male breasts. This situation is a result of obesity and before maintaining a healthy weight, surgery is not recommended.  

What Causes Gynecomastia?

Gynecomastia occurs as a result of an imbalance between the two of the major hormones: estrogen and androgen. Other than the imbalance between hormones, some health problems such as liver disease, testicular tumors, and hyperthyroidism, or drugs like steroids and amphetamines can cause breast growth in males. Even overuse of alcohol can be the reason for gynecomastia. 

How Long Does It Take For Gynecomastia To Go Away?

Enlarged male breasts are considered normal in early childhood and puberty. In most cases, the problem goes away without treatment. For adults, there is no certain time to tell how to get rid of gynecomastia. Although there are some medical treatment options, surgery is the most accurate way to reduce enlarged male breasts. 

What Are The Signs And Symptoms Of Gynecomastia?

The primary symptom of gynecomastia is the enlargement of either one or both breasts. The other two are tenderness and nipple discharge. 

How Is Gynecomastia Diagnosed?

To diagnose gynecomastia, doctors give a physical exam to their patients. And then, patients tell about their medical history for an evaluation in detail. After these, some tests need to be done to have a certain diagnose: 

  • Blood tests
  • Urine tests
  • Mammography
 
In some cases, patients are recommended to visit an endocrinologist to see how their hormones work.  

What Drugs Are Used For The Treatment Of Gynecomastia?

Even though there are some medications including breast cancer drugs to treat gynecomastia, the most effective solution is obtained with surgery. 

Gynecomastia Surgery

Generally, gynecomastia doesn’t require treatment since it is a benign enlargement of male breast glandular tissue. But in some cases, breast growth can cause anxiety and discomfort. If the medication doesn’t fix the problem, patients should consider surgery after consulting a doctor. Gynecomastia surgery consists of removing the excess fat and glandular breast tissue by using surgical techniques and, liposuction if needed. 

How Much Does A Gynecomastia Surgery Cost?

The price of gynecomastia surgery varies due to the type of procedures. The location of the health facility and most importantly, the experience level of the doctor will also affect the cost of the surgery. 

What Happens During A Gynecomastia Surgery?

There are two methods for removing the unwanted tissue and excess fat in the chest area: liposuction and mastectomy. Both of the options require a short recovery time because they are less invasive. Before the surgery, your doctor plans which of the methods will be performed on your breasts. Depending on the type of the procedure, the surgery takes 1 to 3 hours. 

Liposuction: Performed under local anesthesia. Excess breast fat is removed by liposuction. No need to stay in the hospital. Patients can go back home on the same day. 

Mastectomy: Performed under general anesthesia. The doctor makes small incisions to remove excess glandular tissue. The incisions are traditionally oval-shaped surrounding the areola and the skin near to armpit. After removing the tissues, the doctor may change the position of the nipples if it is necessary. The incisions are closed with stitches and surgical drain tubes are placed near the incisions to remove blood or other fluids. 

The Advantages Of Gynecomastia Surgery In Turkey

Turkey is one of the top destinations for health tourism. There are many reasons what make the country so popular for foreign patients. Among these reasons, affordable prices come first on the list. Turkey’s healthcare system is full of advantages. There are plenty of high-quality health facilities that are fully equipped to run the most complicated surgical procedures. The prices are less than any European cities’ healthcare units while the quality of the service is superior to all of them. Because many skilled surgeons are living in the country, thousands of foreign patients prefer this location to undergo surgeries. And, gynecomastia surgery is a very common procedure in Turkey. You can choose the best surgeon from a long list of doctors. Besides, the staff of the health facility will be well-educated and experienced to make your treatment process flawless. Apart from all of the reasons above, there is no waitlist in Turkey as in Europe and the US. You don’t have to wait for months to get a procedure scheduled. Two weeks at most will be enough to get your appointment. 

The Advantages Of Gynecomastia Surgery In İstanbul

İstanbul is not the capital city of Turkey but the most renowned city in the country. The populated and developed city offers many opportunities to every business area including the medical world. Most of the doctors choose to practice in İstanbul which makes the city more attractive for all patients. The popularity of the city attracts many foreign patients every year. As a natural result of this attraction, competition occurs between health facilities. Thanks to this competition, the quality of the clinics and hospitals became world-class and premium. In addition to the high-quality clinics and famous doctors, foreign patients come to İstanbul for holiday. Since the city is full of cultural and historical treasures and has the best places to eat, it is an exquisite destination for tourists. 

How Much Is A Gynecomastia Surgery In Turkey?

The average price of gynecomastia surgery in Turkey is about $1500. Prices change in every city due to the quality of the clinic. The reputation of the doctor also affects the price. In Turkey, some high-quality clinics offer all-inclusive packages. In that case, the price may be over the average number because it may include airport transfers, accommodation, surgery and, even a translator. 

Written on 01/01/2018

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Last Update: 28/07/2022

Gynecomastia Before & After Photos


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