Male breast reduction gaining popularity; fastest growing cosmetic surgery in U.K., up in U.S.

Rule Titannia or Moob Britannia.

Women aren't the only ones unhappy with too-large breasts. For the second year in a row, male breast reduction surgery was the fastest growing segment of the cosmetic surgery industry in England, according to the BBC News.

And while such a jump in cases hasn't been seen in the U.S., it's definitely a popular operation here, too, cosmetic surgeons say.

"We've seen an increase," says cosmetic surgeon Dr. Robert Cattani, board member of the American Academy of Cosmetic Surgery. "In the last five years, I personally have done 200 to 300 male breast reductions per year."

The number of breast reductions in England went from 323 in 2008 to 581 last year, which is an 80% increase, according to the British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons.

In the U.S., there were 18,000 male breast reductions for men in 2008, the last year for which figures are available, estimates the American Society of Plastic Surgeons.

Among cosmetic surgery procedures for men in the U.S. breast reduction ranks fourth, after nose "reshaping," eyelid surgery and liposuction, according to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons.

Though the number of male breast reductions in the U.S. in 2008 showed a 16% decrease from the previous year, this could be for economic reasons. Male breast reduction is generally not covered by health insurance.

In England, one surgeon said that the pressure on males to have their breasts surgically reduced came from men's magazines.

"Many men are feeling the pressure from men's magazines that weren't even being published five or six years ago," Rajiv Grover, a consultant plastic surgeon, told the BBC. "In addition, they are just realizing that they can get something done about it."

Excess breast tissue, or gynecomastia, can be due to obesity, says Dr. Malcolm Roth, director of plastic surgery at Maimonides Medical Center.

"Obesity impacts the size of a man's breasts," he says. "I caution any patient before they get surgery to make certain they have exhausted all possibilities to try to correct with other means, like trying to lose weight."

Foget the stiff upper lip.

Go for the perky tits, guys.



That's more like it.