Your guide to cosmetic procedures

Breast reduction for men is performed to treat enlarged male breasts -- also called gynecomastia -- and is done either with surgery, liposuction, or a combination. In most cases, breast reduction for men is considered a cosmetic procedure, and is not covered by health insurance. However, some insurance companies consider it medically necessary in certain circumstances. For example, BlueCross BlueShield of Florida [ 4 ] considers it medically necessary if the patient is a post-adolescent male at least 18 years old; if the excess tissue is glandular, not fat; and if breast enlargement is not the result of obesity, adolescence, medications or drugs such as steroids or marijuana, reversible drug treatment or endocrine disorder. And CIGNA [ 5 ] covers the surgery only if the patient meets several conditions, including that the enlargement is caused by glandular tissue and causes pain.