BREAKING NEWS: Does Santa Have Gynecomastia?

This must be true—I read it on Twitter! According to Santa’s personal physician, Dr. Nick Weihnachtsstrumpf, Santa may be suffering with gynecomastia—also called man boobs, moobs, and other unfortunate terms. Is this possible??

Gynecomastia is often tied to obesity, and we know that Santa is carrying a few extra pounds. But did you know that gynecomastia is also linked to other health issues, such as endocrine (hormone) imbalances, drug use (particularly steroid use) and certain prescription drugs? Although enlarged male breasts are not an indication of serious medical problems, gynecomastia should be checked out by a family physician or endocrinologist just to be certain that nothing untoward is afoot prior to consulting a cosmetic surgeon.

You may be surprised to learn that a high percentage of teen boys and grown men experience enlarged breasts. Even infants have them—due to the high level of estrogen in the mother. While baby boys lose their enlarged breasts as the maternal hormones dissipate, and most teen boys will outgrow the condition, those who suffer with it can experience significant emotional distress. Gynecomastia is embarrassing for any teen boy or grown man. Friends in the locker room often ridicule teen boys and enlarged breasts can make them a target for friends and foes alike. Further, just when a teenaged boy is learning to relate to teenaged girls, the embarrassment of excess breast tissue can stunt the normal emotional growth needed at such a tender age.

Now, we aren’t certain that Santa wants to get rid of his man boobs, but we do know that most teen boys and adult men do! So, what are the options?

Treating Gynecomastia

Once medical and pharmaceutical reasons are ruled out, the most frequent treatment for gynecomastia at my Dayton cosmetic surgery practice is liposuction. For the rare patient who would likely have sagging after fat removal is performed, excising the excess skin is an option, as is Laser Lipo Plus, which tightens skin while simultaneously removing extra fat in the breasts. It’s a simple outpatient procedure that takes only a couple of hours and, after healing, provides nearly spectacular results. Recovery is short and, other than some bruising and swelling, is fairly rapid. Most of my gynecomastia liposuction patients take only one or two days from work, if that.

I don’t expect Santa to call my Dayton cosmetic surgery office to schedule an appointment to treat his gynecomastia anytime soon, but if you or someone you love wants to eliminate the embarrassment of man boobs, call me at 937-839-4681 to schedule an appointment, or complete this online cosmetic surgery consultation request form. During the consultation, I’ll complete an examination and offer up all the possible solutions to help us decide on the one that’s best for my patient.