Telling Parents About Gynecomastia: What Can Happen

We often write posts about teens with gynecomastia, like the one we published several days ago offering articles to convince parents that male breast reduction can be a valid option for young guys.

The fact is, there’s a special place in our hearts for adolescents with gynecomastia, especially those who struggle to broach the subject with their folks. Some need resources, which is why we wrote the recent “articles” post. Some need a huge dose of courage. For that, there are no better words than those written by as 25-year old patient several years ago on gynecomastia.org. In an effort to get other guys to “man up,” this patient told his story and included a few short rants:

You say you’re a complete social outcast because of this, but talking to the people closest to you somehow won’t work.

You wear sweatshirts in the summer and you think they don’t notice? You sit at home in your room while others go to the pool? And they have no idea…RIGHT…

We do understand that telling parents about your struggle with enlarged breasts is not a walk in the park. The condition is horribly embarrassing for most, and some parents aren’t easy to talk to. But whatever your particular situation, if you’re a teen with man boobs and you’d like treatment while you’re young, you’ll need to talk with them. We mean this in all seriousness: what’s the worst that can happen?

Let’s take a look at the possibilities.

Ridicule or Dismissal

We’re aware that a few parents, unfortunately, ridicule their son’s condition. Adding parental abuse on top of inevitable teasing from peers can be devastating for an adolescent.

Equally hard to take is dismissal, as it denies the very real and negative impact of man boobs on a young guy’s self esteem at a critical time of life. We’ve witnessed the pain this can cause when we meet teens with gynecomastia in our consultation room.

If your parents refuse to believe you should have male breast reduction—whether they have failed you by being mean-spirited or simply ignorant—you’ll have to take care of your own needs. (With parents like these, you may be used to doing this already.)

We recommend you start preparing for your new life now. Save every dollar you can for gynecomastia surgery in the future. We also urge you to seek support from an adult you can trust—a counselor, teacher, coach or friend. It can make all the difference to have someone on your side.

No Financial Help

In some cases, parents are sympathetic about their son’s condition, but unable to fund surgery. Some realize their son is suffering but have other priorities for a tight budget. If you are firm in your resolve to have the procedure, start saving money. Your parents may be impressed by your determination and find some ways to help.
As you make progress, we would welcome you in for an appointment. We see many teens with gynecomastia in their preparation phase, and who knows? When you bring your parents in to see us, the additional education and reassurance about the procedure they receive may help them get on board.

Unexpected Support

Think your parents will not understand what you’re going through? That there’s no way they will support you to have man boob surgery? Read this quote by a young guy:

I thought she’d laugh, but I forced myself to tell her, all I can say is, whatever your parents are like, TELL THEM.

Start getting ready now. Join gynecomastia.org and browse the forums—you’ll find many others with experiences similar to yours. Read through the section on teen man boobs on this website, and the many blog posts we’ve published on the subject. Print out some articles and leave them on the kitchen table. Write your parents a letter if that’s easiest. Realize that talking to them may very well be the hardest part of your journey, and it’s a key first step. TELL THEM!

What’s the worst that can happen?