Why more men are getting breast reductions than ever

Brian Lewis Gonzalez spent most of his life trying to disappear. Growing up in Brooklyn, he slouched and layered clothing to disguise the excess breast tissue that made him a target for schoolyard taunts. During brutal summer heat waves, he wore two shirts just to feel comfortable enough stepping outside, even when he wasn’t significantly overweight.

A devastating breakup in his early 20s triggered weight gain that pushed him to 300 pounds, intensifying his deepest insecurity. The additional weight made it much worse, creating what looked very much like a pair of women’s breasts. Socializing became torturous. Even after shedding over 100 pounds, his chest still sagged, a stubborn reminder of the gynecomastia he’d battled since puberty.

In 2021, Gonzalez finally pursued the solution he’d dreamed about for years. The 44-year-old porter took out loans and paid $10,000 for male breast reduction surgery to remove the excess fat, glandular tissue and skin caused by his condition. It changed my life, he said. I had to get used to walking with my chest out and having confidence. Before, it felt like I was carrying around a big bag of rocks.

The surge in male breast reductions

Gonzalez represents a growing movement of men seeking surgical treatment for gynecomastia, which affects at least half of all men at some point in their lives. While many cases occur during puberty and resolve naturally, an increasing number of men are choosing permanent surgical solutions.

Dr. Claudia Kim, chief medical officer and lead cosmetic surgeon at New Look New Life in Manhattan, has witnessed dramatic growth firsthand. Since 2020, I’ve definitely seen a steep increase in men doing consultations and going forward with gynecomastia surgery, she told The Post.

The procedure is now the most popular plastic surgery among U.S. men, according to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons. Doctors performed 26,430 male breast reductions in 2024, up from 20,955 in 2019, representing a 26% increase in just five years.

Kim credits the rise partly to social media, where men increasingly share their struggles with gynecomastia and document their surgical solutions, normalizing conversations that were previously shrouded in shame.

The hidden toll of enlarged male breasts

Kelbin Ramirez first noticed excess breast tissue around puberty, a common phase for gynecomastia development amid hormonal fluctuations. There can be an imbalance of hormone levels where it actually stimulates the male chest to form more glandular tissue, Kim explained. That’s the most common cause.

The condition can also stem from certain medications, drugs like marijuana and alcohol, obesity and other medical conditions. For the 32-year-old radio personality, developing what he called man boobs coincided with wrestling with his sexuality, a complicated period that devastated his self-esteem.

Shopping became emotionally traumatic. I would go into the fitting room and get so emotional and frustrated because no matter what I wore, they were still so prominent, Ramirez recalled. Growing up in South Florida, he avoided removing his shirt at beaches or pool parties, keeping his jacket on even during summer to conceal his chest.

He explored surgical options in high school, but the steep price tag, often not covered by insurance, left him struggling with the insecurity into adulthood. Despite radiating courage on air, Ramirez was a shrinking violet in daily life, avoiding strangers and struggling to build community after moving to Charlotte, North Carolina. He finally paid out of pocket for surgery at age 30.

Understanding the surgical approach

Doctors tailor the operation based on the type and severity of gynecomastia. Cases mainly caused by excess fat deposits, often called pseudo-gynecomastia, typically require only liposuction. However, if the condition involves overgrowth of firm, glandular breast tissue beneath the nipple, doctors generally make an incision around the areola to remove the mass.

Kim noted many men have both glandular and fatty tissue, necessitating both liposuction and excision. Ramirez woke from his excision procedure with drainage tubes sprouting from his chest, where they remained for a week collecting excess fluid. Reaching for things was uncomfortable, but nothing was unbearable, he said. He returned to work after about eight days of rest.

The impact proved almost immediate. Now comfortable at the gym, Ramirez started working out and learning about fitness, transforming both physical and mental health. I never really understood confidence until this year post-surgery, he said. Now I wear whatever I want. I’m not crying in fitting rooms anymore. I go up to people and introduce myself. It has completely changed everything.

Weight loss isn’t always the answer

While gynecomastia can worsen with weight gain, slimming down isn’t necessarily the solution. If the issue involves purely fat deposits, weight loss typically resolves the problem. However, glandular tissue overgrowth persists regardless of body fat percentage.

It can get smaller if you lean out because you’re decreasing the fat in your chest, but it won’t completely go away because the glands are unaffected by your body fat percentage, Kim explained.

DeShawn Pennix, 33, assumed the enlarged breast tissue he developed during adolescence resulted from being overweight. The social worker from the DC area eventually grew to more than 350 pounds, with weight concentrated in his upper body. I honestly can’t remember what it’s like to have a masculine-presenting chest, he said.

He lost more than 120 pounds through lifestyle changes and GLP-1 medication, yet the gynecomastia remained. Last month, Pennix underwent comprehensive surgery involving liposuction, skin removal and excision, costing $10,208 out of pocket. It was absolutely worth it, he said, noting bearable pain levels. I’m pleased with what I see right now.

After their surgeries, Gonzalez, Ramirez and Pennix shared similar sentiments: Your body is yours. If you need to make a change to feel good in it, do it, but for the right reasons. Don’t be afraid to be yourself, regardless of imperfections, Gonzalez advised. If you do the surgery, do it for you. At the end of the day, it’s all about how you feel about yourself.

Story credit: New York Post