Of Moobs, Marijuana and Making Changes

If you’re considering surgery for gynecomastia and you smoke marijuana, you’re facing an interesting challenge. You probably know that although a firm connection between pot and moobs has not been scientifically established, most plastic surgeons believe that the two are linked. And most will advise you to stop smoking marijuana when you have male breast reduction to ensure your moobs don’t return.

It goes without saying, however, that habits are not easy to break, pot smoking included. Here are some tips that may help:

• Change activities: Habits are often associated with pastimes, so it can be helpful if you break the connection. If you often smoke pot while watching TV, for instance, you may want to take time away from the “moob tube.”
• Replace activities: As you give up or suspend pastimes, find other things to do that don’t fuel the urge to smoke pot. Add a new form of exercise, start a journal or try a new hobby.
• Change routines: Habits are associated with routines as well as with leisure activities-you may need to modify some of your daily procedures. As an example, if you’re a student you might be accustomed to smoking pot after an evening of hitting the books. You could try studying in the morning or afternoon instead.
• Address symptoms: Some people who quit smoking marijuana do not notice any adverse physical effects, some do. You may experience symptoms such as anxiety or restless sleep. Consider consulting your primary care physician if advice is in order.
• Make hard decisions: One of the most difficult aspects of quitting marijuana use is deciding how to handle friendships. If your buddies occasionally smoke pot, you might ask them to refrain when you spend time with them, or you may need to see them less often for a while. If pot is an integral part of your current social scene, you might need to cultivate new acquaintances.

You are more than welcome to come in to see us for a gynecomastia consultation, whether or not you have made decisions about surgery and/or marijuana use. Consultations are designed to be an exchange of information and ideas between people in the know. We are the experts on man boobs and male breast reduction surgery; you are the expert when it comes to your body and your life.

According to the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, nearly 25,000 men elect male breast reduction surgery annually. That number may rise if more states legalize marijuana, and in the not too distant future researchers will surely uncover incontrovertible evidence that smoking pot can trigger moobs. But until then, if you’re planning surgery for gynecomastia, marijuana should not be part of your future.