Pseudogynecomastia reduction can be achieved through a variety of treatment options. While plastic surgery is one option, there are also other non-surgical treatments that can decrease the chest size. Unlike gynecomastia, which occurs through excess breast tissue growth, pseudogynecomastia occurs through excess fat in the chest. Losing weight is one of the many alternatives you can consider to treat your condition. Here are some alternative non-surgical treatments you can try for pseudogynecomastia.

Weight loss

As mentioned in the introduction, since pseudogynecomastia is caused by excess fat in the chest, weight loss is one alternative to treat the condition. Diet and exercise are the main components of losing weight. It’s important to decrease the number of calories that you get in a day from food and beverages. It would be best if you wrote down all your current food intake details. Once you have them written down, review the number of calories listed on the labels for the products you eat and drink. 

Consider cutting or reducing your consumption of the foods that are highest in calories. In particular, reduce the foods you eat, which are high in sugar, as sugar can cause excess body fat to build up. Be sure to pay close attention to added sugars listed on food labels. These meals can be replaced with lower-calorie options that are healthier, such as whole-grain foods, lean proteins, fruits, and vegetables.

Exercising

The second most important component of weight loss is exercise. It’s important to be regularly active, as a sedentary lifestyle tends to be one of the main causes of excessive weight gain. When you work on adding strength to the muscles in the chest, it can increase the number of calories you burn in a day. One of the simplest chest exercises you can do to strengthen the chest is push-ups. You can also try doing weightlifting exercises such as bench pressing. 

Be sure to find instructions to do these workouts properly, or have a personal trainer instruct you. Proper form is what makes these kinds of exercises more effective, and it also prevents you from causing yourself any injury. When doing weightlifting, be sure to use low weights and do high repetitions, rather than high weight and low repetitions. The former will be more helpful with losing fat, while the latter will cause your body to bulk up. It’s better to reduce the fat around your chest first before bulking it up. 

In addition to performing strengthening exercises, it’s wise to also do cardio exercises. Running is one of the more common workouts that are effective in burning fat. It’s estimated that a 5-mile run can cause an individual to lose up to 295 calories. Other exercises that can cause a high loss of calories include bicycling, swimming, hiking, dancing, and walking. It’s recommended that all adults trying to lose weight should do at least 150 to 200 minutes of a moderately intense exercise a week. As you lose more weight with your exercises, you reduce the amount of fat built up in your breast tissue, which can help to fully treat pseudogynecomastia. 

Applying topical creams to treat pseudogynecomastia

Some men use topical creams as a treatment for their pseudogynecomastia. They apply it to their chest, which reduces the amount of fat in the area. The creams use the same ingredients found in anti-aging creams that help tighten wrinkles to tighten the chest’s skin. The creams are applied regularly for a couple of months before any results are seen. You can ask your doctor if they can recommend any topical creams that you can try using. 

Wearing a compression shirt 

The most immediate treatment that can be used to treat pseudogynecomastia is wearing a compression shirt. The compression shirt is designed to compress the fat that’s around your chest area. As the fat is compressed, it gives your upper body a leaner appearance. It can help men feel more comfortable and confident while wearing different clothing, such as dress shirts or t-shirts. In addition, they can also help to reduce fat. It has been found that the shirts can increase blood flow in the chest area, which can support the breakdown of fatty acids. 

Does gynecomastia go away with fat loss? 

As noted in the introduction, excessive breast tissue growth causes gynecomastia, as opposed to the excessive fat that causes pseudogynecomastia. Therefore, fat loss won’t make gynecomastia completely go away. It can only improve the appearance of the area around the chest. Other non-surgical treatment options that can be effective in treating gynecomastia include hormone balancing, reducing drugs that are causing your breast tissue growth, or topical creams. You can discuss these options with your doctor to see if they might be helpful for treating your excess breast tissue. 

How do I know if I have pseudogynecomastia? 

A few symptoms can be indicators of pseudogynecomastia. If you recently gained a significant amount of weight, feel a firm feeling around your breast tissue, and one breast seems larger than the other, these can be signs you’ve developed the condition. Additionally, you should be mindful of whether you’ve recently been having more mood swings or feeling a lack of sex drive. The best way to know if you have pseudogynecomastia is to visit your doctor and have them evaluate you. They can perform tests such as a mammogram or a biopsy to confirm a diagnosis. 

Many alternative non-surgical options can also be considered for treating pseudogynecomastia . Since the problem is the excess fat in the chest region, you have more possibilities of fixing it without surgery than if you had gynecomastia. Male breast reduction surgery should ideally be the last option you consider if no other treatment has been successful. Be sure to thoroughly research all of these treatments before you start trying them. Discuss them with your doctor to make sure you choose the best course of action for treating your pseudogynecomastia.