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Puffy Nipple

Puffy Nipples and Gynecomastia

Puffy Nipples are a very common type of gynecomastia Dr. Cruise sees in Los Angeles, Beverly Hills, Palm Springs, and Orange County. These differ from Classic Gynecomastia in that the nipple and areola are cone-shaped, causing the areola to protrude and appear “puffy.” With an ideal chest, the areola lays flat with the surrounding chest skin. When this condition is present, the areola projects outward. Many men complain that their protruding nipples become worse in warm and hot temperatures. Oftentimes, men are unable to wear light-colored or thin shirts because the puffy nipples show through, causing them embarrassment and humiliation.

Most of the patients Dr. Cruise sees are thin and fit. Men with puffy nipples and other symptoms of gynecomastia tend to become very frustrated because no amount of diet and exercise can improve or resolve the issue.

Ideal chest
Puffy Nipple

What causes Puffy Nipples in Men?

Puffy nipples in men are caused by excess breast tissue underneath the nipple and areola. This breast tissue pushes the nipple outward, making it overly visible, especially in thin shirts. It also pushes the areola outward, causing it to no longer be flush with the surrounding skin, creating a “puffy” appearance. Again, this is usually exaggerated in warm and hot weather.

How to Treat Puffy Nipples

Unlike Classic Gynecomastia, puffy nipples typically do not have a fatty component. When excess breast tissue alone is the problem, liposuction is not an option because it can only remove fatty tissue.
In the above picture, you will notice that the nipple and areola are still flush with the surrounding skin. This is what classifies this as Classic Gynecomastia. If the areola and nipple were protruding outward and not lying flat with the skin, this would be considered a case of “Puffy Nipple.”
Ideal chest
Puffy Nipple
Puffy nipples in men are caused by excess breast tissue underneath the nipple and areola. This breast tissue pushes the nipple outward, making it overly visible, especially in thin shirts. It also pushes the areola outward, causing it to no longer be flush with the surrounding skin, creating a “puffy” appearance. Again, this is usually exaggerated in warm and hot weather.
Puffy Nipple – Profile view
Puffy Nipple – Front view
If you take a look at the picture above, you will notice how the chest does not round out as much as it does with classic gynecomastia. The chest fold maintains a relatively horizontal orientation. The minimal rounding you see is from excess fat and/or breast tissue along the bottom and sides of the chest. Again, this is minor in comparison to other types of gynecomastia.
Puffy Nipple – Cut out view

Frequently Asked Questions about Puffy Nipples

Puffy nipples are most often a symptom of a medical condition called gynecomastia. However, this symptom can be exacerbated by anabolic steroid use, fluctuating testosterone levels, excess fat, and certain medications or food.
Teenagers with puffy nipples may have a specific type of gynecomastia called adolescent gynecomastia. During puberty, hormones fluctuate, which may lead to an increase of estrogen, the female hormone. This could cause the development of excess breast tissue and puffy nipples for men.
Surgery is often necessary to effectively get rid of puffy nipples in men. This often includes a combination of tissue excision and liposuction.
Men with puffy nipples are understandably uncomfortable or embarrassed with their appearance. If you are waiting to receive surgery, it might help you to wear a thicker shirt that can conceal the appearance of your puffy nipples or enlarged male breasts.
Many studies show that about 30% of men will have symptoms of gynecomastia at some point in their lives. This includes puffy nipples.
The appearance of boys and men puffy nipples can sometimes be improved with chest and cardiovascular exercises. However, since puffy nipples are not necessarily caused by fat, surgery is often the best option to fix puffy nipples successfully.
Classic Gynecomastia
Fatty Gynecomastia