The masculine physique usually consists of a strong and toned build. Men generally aim to have large arms and a muscular chest. For some men, however, this can be a tough goal, especially when they have enlarged tissue in the chest.
Puffy nipples and breasts that are bigger than what a man should have are relatively common problems among male populations around the world. One study finds that up to 70% of older men have gynecomastia, but in most cases, the condition is asymptomatic. The increased size of the breast tissues may also not be visibly noticeable in some men.
In most cases, puffy nipples or an enlarged breast size in men are not considered medical concerns. Still, there are many individuals who feel unattractive and self-conscious about these bodily features.
If you find yourself in this situation, don’t feel down, there are treatment options available. We take a closer look at how to get rid of puffy nipples for males. We also consider a few common questions and help you gain a better understanding of puffy nipples syndrome.
Table of Content
Puffy Nipples: Are They A Sign Of Gynecomastia?

Gynecomastia is a condition that is associated with excess tissue being present in your breasts. This condition is found among the male.
Men generally find that this excess tissue causes the nipples and surrounding areas to look like the breasts of a woman. Puffy nipples will often be a sign that you have some level of gynecomastia. Even when other areas of your breasts are not affected, it can still mean that you have gynecomastia. In such a particular scenario, the gynecomastia tissue grows just at the area of your nipples and areolas.
When looking at puffy nipples and gynecomastia, it is important for men to understand what the causes are. There are different factors that can contribute to excessive tissue growth around the areolas. Some of these factors involve personal lifestyle factors, while others are related to imbalances in certain bodily chemicals.
Related: Best Estrogen Blocker for Gyno to Prevent Puffy Nipples
In terms of treatment, numerous options are available. This allows a man to explore various treatments that can help them experience an improvement in the appearance of their chest region.
The treatment that works for you depends on why you developed gynecomastia and puffy nipples. Healthcare providers can carefully assess your situation. There are also a few tests that can help determine the possible reason behind these symptoms. Once the healthcare provider identifies the cause, then they can develop a treatment plan that addresses the underlying factors.
What Causes Puffy Nipples After Gynecomastia Treatment?
There are many cases where men undergo gynecomastia treatment, but still have puffy nipples afterward. This common concern has only a single cause. Men should understand why this can happen. The cause also provides an explanation of why it is so important to choose a trusted surgeon to perform the procedure.
The excess size of the breasts is caused by the development of what is known as gynecomastia tissue. This tissue usually develops below the area where the areola is situated. As the tissue continues to grow, the man’s breasts become larger.
When you opt for surgical treatment, this excess tissue is removed in the process. If the surgeon successfully removes all of the gynecomastia tissue, then your breasts should have a more masculine structure afterward.
Causes And Treatment Of Puffy Nipples In Men
When you develop puffiness in your nipples, it is important to understand the reason. Treating this problem largely depends on why you have puffy nipples, and whether or not gynecomastia is involved.
You should consider seeing a doctor help you determine the causes behind the issue. A doctor can perform a physical examination. This is also a good way to rule out the possibility of a potentially harmful growth in your breasts.
Even when the doctor determines gynecomastia is the reason behind the puffy nipples, there are still several causes behind this condition.
Overweight and Obesity
In a large number of men, the reason for the enlargement in the breast relates to recent weight gain.
Overweight and obese men have a much higher risk of developing gynecomastia. This is because fat in your body is distributed to various parts – including the chest. As fat accumulates inside your chest, the size of your breasts starts to increase.
If the problem is related to excess weight in your body, then you should not consider surgery as a treatment option. Undergoing a surgical procedure to reduce fat accumulation in your breasts would not affect the excess weight in other areas of your body. This, in turn, creates an imbalance in your body composition.
Related: Why Do Fat People Waddle?
This is where you should ask how to reduce male puffy nipples without surgery. When overweight or obesity are the reasons behind gynecomastia, then weight loss is the preferred treatment method.
You can work closely with your doctor to develop an effective weight loss program. This puffy nipples syndrome treatment works by reducing the accumulation of fat in your body. In turn, you find that the fat that collects in your breasts starts to fade too.
There are multiple strategies that you can use as a means of addressing excess weight in your body. You need to ensure you focus on all of these factors to effectively lose weight.
Related: Is Treadmill Good for Weight Loss?
Diet and exercise are the primary factors that help you reduce your weight. If you have a very high BMI and experience medical problems, then your doctor may help you by prescribing a short-term dieting drug.
This is where energy balance comes into the picture. If you eat more calories than you exert each day, then you will gain weight. Thus, you should aim for the opposite to create a caloric deficit lifestyle. This means you will eat fewer calories than the number you burn.
Hormone Imbalance
Sometimes, men develop puffy nipples even when they are not overweight. In this case, the cause may lie with their hormones instead of their body weight. Even when you are slightly overweight and have puffy nipples, it is still a good idea to undergo tests to determine if your hormones are in balance.

If hormones are the cause behind the symptom, then you should look at two specific ones. These include estrogen and testosterone. These are both sex hormones. In the male body, testosterone is the main sex hormone.
Estrogen, on the other hand, is the primary sex hormone in a woman’s body. If there is too much estrogen in your body, then you can develop features that are generally associated with the female body. This often includes the development of larger breasts – leading to gynecomastia, as well as puffy nipples. Similar effects can happen if you have a low level of testosterone in your body.
There are medical treatments that can help with a hormone imbalance. The first step is to undergo a test to determine levels of various hormones in your blood. Your doctor will collect a blood sample from you. A laboratory then uses the blood sample to test for estrogen and testosterone hormones.
Testosterone therapy is an effective medical treatment that can help men in these situations. This is a good option if your testosterone levels are significantly lower than the general guidelines.
In addition to testosterone therapy, your doctor may also choose to determine the reason for the low hormone levels. There are a few reasons why men can experience a decline in their testosterone levels. If you experienced a direct injury to your testicles in the past, then consider this a possible factor.
Orchitis, a term that refers to an infection affecting your testicles, can also result in reduced production of testosterone. Other causes for low testosterone include hemochromatosis, undergoing chemotherapy treatment for a cancerous disease, and the presence of certain metabolic disorders.
Steroids as A Contributing Factor
Steroid usage still remains relatively common in the general population. A large number of men turn to steroids as a way of increasing muscle mass over a short period of time. Unfortunately, steroid use comes with a number of adverse effects.
Related: Is Steroid for Abs is a Good Option for Your Health?
Apart from the effects on the cardiovascular system, steroids can also cause problems with fat distribution in your body. This usually happens due to the impact that steroids have on the balance of hormones in your body.
One study confirmed the relation between steroids and gynecomastia. In this particular study, researchers focus on two particular cases. In both cases, men reported symptoms of gynecomastia following steroid usage.
The men experienced an inflammatory effect at the nipple, as well as the surrounding regions. This causes the breasts to increase in size; thus leading to the development of gynecomastia.
The first step to treating gynecomastia caused by steroids is for the male patient to stop using these substances. This will usually not result in the symptoms fading on their own.
After the man stops using the steroids, they can then start to focus on improving the balance of estrogen and testosterone in their body. This can take quite some time. If the man has a serious deficiency of testosterone due to the use of steroids, then they may require medical treatment to assist with their recovery.
Unidentified Causes
While it is often possible for a doctor to determine the cause behind puffy nipples and gynecomastia, this is not always the case. Sometimes, a man presents with these symptoms, but they are at a healthy weight and have a normal level of testosterone and estrogen.
In these cases, the doctor can recommend a number of medical procedures to help reduce the size of the breasts. There are both surgical and nonsurgical options. You should ensure you discuss all of the procedures with your doctor or surgeon.
This will help you identify the procedure that is most suited to your scenario. If you do not have a significant amount of excess tissue, then non-invasive procedures can be an effective option for reducing the swelling in your nipples.
Tips On How To Get Rid Of Man Boobs And Puffy Nipples
There are a few home remedies that you can try when you have “man boobs”. This, however, only accounts for situations where you determine the cause behind this to be related to your weight. If you have a BMI over 25, then it means you are overweight. A BMI over 30 means you are obese. Both of these situations can cause fat to collect in your “boobs”; thus creating the typical characteristics of gynecomastia.
Active Lifestyle
A sedentary lifestyle leads to excessive weight gain. This often goes coupled with an unhealthy diet that is high in calories. If you can relate to this, then lifestyle changes are the most effective way to get rid of those man boobs.
Even with small puffy nipples, you should still consider implementing a program to help you reach a healthy BMI. This type of strategy will affect more than just your large puffy nipples. A healthy BMI, combined with the right diet and exercise program, holds several other benefits for your wellbeing.
Lose Weight
Losing weight is the most effective way to reduce the appearance of your man’s boobs. Being overweight or obese generally means a person spends a significant amount of time in a sedentary position – whether that is sitting or lying down.
When looking at puffy nipples syndrome treatment male Reddit on Google or another search engine, you will likely find several recommendations related to weight loss too. For a large number of men, weight loss is the initial method to reduce the symptoms. If this strategy fails to work, then you can start to consider alternative tips or treatment options.
Anti-inflammatory Drugs
If inflammation is behind the enlargement of your breasts, then certain anti-inflammatory strategies may also work. A large number of men report turmeric reduces puffy nipples. This, however, relates only to the scenarios where there is actual inflammation causing the puffiness.
How To Get Rid Of Puffy Nipples With And Without Surgery
There are several procedures you can opt for when trying to get rid of puffy nipples. If standard or first-line treatments fail to work, then you can consider a medical procedure. This process starts with a visit to your doctor. Your doctor can take a closer look and perform a physical examination.
Most people ask how to get rid of man puffy nipples without surgery. Make sure you start by exploring the less invasive options first.
Supplements For Puffy Nipples
Some men experience improvements when they take certain supplements. When choosing supplements, look for ingredients that can help to increase the amount of testosterone your body produces. It is important to note that there are many supplements that claim to boost testosterone.
Unfortunately, a majority of these do not work at all. Studies are very limited when it comes to whether or not herbal supplements work. There are a few studies that show certain ingredients may stimulate testosterone production.
Related: Bodybuilding Without Supplements: Is It Possible?
Some ingredients that you should look for include fenugreek seed, Tribulus Terrestris, and ashwagandha. It is important to note that these usually do not work effectively on their own. If you decide to try a supplement, use it as a way of enhancing your physical performance. There is more evidence that suggests resistance training can help to increase testosterone.
Non Surgical Medical Procedures
When supplements are not able to do the trick, then you should start to look at medical procedures that may be helpful. This does not necessarily mean you need to undergo a surgical procedure. Several non-surgical options are available, and can still give you great results.
Fat reduction with lasers is an effective option. This can help if you do not have a severe case of gynecomastia. In this case, a laser is used to help reduce the amount of fat stored in your breasts. Sometimes, the doctor uses special technology to freeze the fat cells instead.
While more invasive than lasers, liposuction is another option you can consider. In this case, the doctor will use a cord to remove excess fat in your breasts. You should note that this procedure does not involve the removal of breast tissue, but rather just fat. If you have gynecomastia that is not related to weight, then liposuction is unlikely to be a significant help.
Surgery For Reducing Puffy Nipples In Men
Sometimes, gynecomastia causes a large growth in the breasts. If this is the case, then the nonsurgical procedures may not work effectively. This is when you should start to consider a surgical treatment instead. Puffy nipples syndrome surgery cost is significantly higher compared to other procedures. This is why surgery is considered a treatment if other options do not offer efficient results.

Your surgeon may suggest a tissue excision procedure. This procedure is not as invasive as other options, but there are limits in terms of how much tissue the surgeon can remove. With this procedure, the surgeon makes a relatively small incision at the breast region. The surgeon uses this incision to access the excess gynecomastia tissue in your breast. Since the surgeon makes a small incision, you have a reduced recovery time.
For cases where the person has a severe level of excess tissue related to gynecomastia, your surgeon may advise a procedure known as mastectomy. In this case, the surgeon will make bigger incisions on your breast. The goal here is to remove a larger amount of tissue from your breast. The procedure requires a longer recovery time but can be highly effective and provide instant results. If the surgeon removes a lot of tissue, they may need to develop a plan to avoid hanging skin following the procedure.
FAQs
What Do You Do If You Have Puffy Nipples After Gyno Surgery?
There are some cases where a man undergoes gynecomastia treatment, only to end up with puffy nipples afterward. Puffy nipples are a very common sign of gynecomastia. Men generally find the appearance of these nipples unpleasant, and it can significantly affect the individual’s self-confidence.
There is only one reason for puffy nipples following this type of surgery. If you have puffy nipples afterward, then it means all gynecomastia tissue was not removed during the procedure. This causes the tissue to continue growing again. In turn, you find that your nipples appear larger and puffy. In these situations, you will find that the areolas are also appearing puffy. This is the area that surrounds the nipple.
How To Get Rid Of Puffy Nipples In Males Without Surgery?
A large number of men think that surgery is the only way to reduce the appearance of puffiness in their nipples. While there are cases where surgery is the solution, nonsurgical options exist as well. Men should consider trying the nonsurgical options before proceeding to a more invasive option.
If testosterone levels are low, you should consider methods that can increase the concentration of this hormone in your body. This may include testosterone therapy. Sometimes, simple lifestyle changes can also make a big difference. This includes adjusting both your diet and physical activity program. In addition to improving testosterone, these lifestyle changes also help with weight management.
How To Get Rid Of Puffy Nipples In Men Permanently?
The most effective permanent solution for gynecomastia and puffy nipples often involves undergoing a surgical procedure. During this procedure, a surgeon removes the excess gynecomastia tissue that developed in the breasts. When the surgeon is able to remove all of this tissue, it can provide a permanent solution.
What Does It Mean If You Have Puffy Nipples?
If you experience puffiness in your nipples, then it is likely a sign of gynecomastia. This generally refers to a benign growth that develops in the breasts of men. Most men with puffy nipples also find that there is excess tissue in their breasts. This can cause the man’s breasts to gain a similar appearance as a woman’s breast.
There are different reasons for men to develop puffy nipples. An imbalance in the levels of estrogen and testosterone hormones can cause this particular problem in men. It is also possible for signs of gynecomastia to develop if a man is overweight or obese.