‘Undateable’ Uber driver traumatised by his wonky man boobs for 17 years has life-changing ‘moob’ op
Alex Moore was just 13 when he started to develop gynaecomastia - a condition which causes men to grow breasts
AN Uber driver who was so self-conscious of his "moobs" that he refused to date, has finally undergone life-changing surgery.
Alex Moore, 30, was just 13 when he started to develop gynaecomastia, a condition in which men develop breast tissue because of a hormone imbalance.
Since then, the driver and gymnastics teacher has been concealing his "moobs" under bagging tops or strapping them down with muscle vests.
He says that the condition has taken a huge psychological toll on him - stopping him from attempting to find love for fear of embarrassment.
Last month, he finally underwent breast reduction surgery which he says has greatly improved his quality of life.
Alex said: "It just feels kind of like a new lease on life to be so cliche and it feels great. It really does.
"I have to wear a compression garment and that has to continue for the next seven weeks now.
"You take it day by day and week by week.
"I can already see a difference in the contours of my silhouette and reflection.
"Like when I look at shadows or just look in the mirror.
"It's really awesome but being the person I am, I'm trying to manage expectations to a certain degree and just kind of wait until the final reveal."
Alex, from LA, says that moobs are often made fun of in TV and film, but they've had a massively negative impact on his mental health.
They hung, he claims, like "female breasts".
"I felt like dating was not really an option for me with this condition.
"When I was a teenager I was so uncomfortable with myself that the idea of approaching someone I had a crush on was just not something I considered.
"In recent years, I was always thinking, 'Do they notice them? Do they care?'
"It was stressful. One of the biggest reasons I avoided dating was that I worried about being intimate with someone.
Symptoms of gynaecomastia
Gynaecomastia is a condition that causes the size of male breast tissue.
75 per cent of cases are said to resolve themselves within two years but for in men like Alex, it can be lifelong - and its then that surgery becomes an option.
It can be caused by:
- hormone imbalance
- obesity
- puberty
- old age
- temporary newborn hormone disruption
And sometimes, it can be a symptom of an existing issue, including kidney failure, liver disease or drug/alcohol abuse.
"Even if they told me they were fine with it, it was still in my head and in the moment it made me so full of anxiety."
Alex, who identifies as bisexual, says the gay dating scene is especially focused on physique, which can be intimidating.
"The gay scene especially is focused on hyper-masculinity and even when this isn't the ideal, there is still a focus on having a lean body type.
"I think the straight scene is more body positive but even still, I just avoided dating.
"I have definitely been leading a more limited life because of this condition and I know I have missed out on experiences."
He'd try to hide his top half at all time - and even wearing a shirt while swimming.
Although Alex never experienced any extreme bullying, he was still affected by people asking about his chest shape or using the words "man boobs".
So, he set up a and eventually raised enough to have a reduction.
Alex said the surgery has had a profound impact on his life.
He said: "It was exciting and surreal. This aspect of my life has been minimised.
"This is something I have lived with and thought about for 17 years. This is my second chance.
"It has changed the way I feel about myself. I set up the GoFundMe because my insurance was only going to cover the cost of the surgery partially.
"I really appreciated the support because the last thing I wanted was more debt on top of my student loans but this was so important to me."
According to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, 300,378 men in the US underwent breast reduction surgeries in 2017.
While gynaecomastia is typically caused by a hormonal imbalance between oestrogen and testosterone, Alex said being overweight as a child was a contributing factor in his case.
Alex said: "At my heaviest in high school I was 240lbs and I was definitely overweight as a kid.
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"I think this problem could be prevented in childhood. If parents see their children gaining a little weight they should nip it in the bud.
"I've been living with this since I was 13 and I turned 30 recently.
"I'm excited to continue into this decade without this problem."
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