A fairly rare but troubling disorder among adolescent and adult males called gynecomastia can lead to the need for a male chest surgery that is similar to a breast reduction operation.

The disorder of gynecomastia is defined as the male development of protruding breasts. The results of the disorder typically include an excess of fat tissue in the chest area, giving the male the appearance of having breasts. This condition, which can occur on one or both sides of the chest, is largely attributed to a hormonal imbalance.

The disorder isn't to be confused with the flabby drooping of the pectoral area that can come from obesity or lacking muscle tone; this is something that can be reversed through fitness. And according to Children's Hospital Boston, gynecomastia is even seen as normal among many boys going through puberty, since the experience commonly involves lots of hormonal change. In 90 percent of such cases, the condition runs its course within three years and the pectoral area resumes an average size.

But gynecomastia can also occur in males ranging up to an elderly age and is seen as a problem condition. Among adults, underlying causes are said to include certain medications, increased estrogen, a lowering of testosterone production, kidney or liver disease and some spinal cord injuries. Reportedly, however, up to 25 percent of the cases are unknown. Gynecomastia isn't thought to be harmful in itself, though it can be a symptom of a more serious condition. It tends to lead to insecurities and self-esteem issues among men who have it.

When this disorder can't be reversed through medications or by treating the condition which caused it, surgery becomes the main request. The surgical treatment involves either liposuction or a removal of skin or glandular tissue, or all three.

Men who qualify for the operation are emotionally stable, weigh within a healthy weight range and have been established as having stabilized in their breast development.

Though gynecomastia is a medical condition, this surgical approach is considered a cosmetic procedure, which means covering it through a health insurance company can be difficult. It can range in price from $4,000 to $7,000. Once performed, however, the results are satisfying into a long-term basis unless the patient develops obesity, which can create new mass in the breast area. The scarring, bruising and swelling that come from an operation are generally moderate and disappear within weeks. The American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery reported more than 19,000 of these surgeries in 2008. This is a figure that ranks the operation directly below male hair transplants.