Men queuing up for 'moob' surgery

Surgeons say the number of men seeking breast reductions is soaring

A record number of men are having cosmetic surgery to reduce the size of their flabby breasts, a plastics surgeons' conference has been told.

A 44% rise in "moob jobs" between 2007 and 2008 was revealed, making it the fifth most popular surgery for men.

More than 1,000 men in the UK have paid £2,000 for the operation in the last year, the British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons heard.

Numbers coming forward have shot up by 1,000% over the past five years.

Plastic surgeon Douglas McGeorge told the conference in Cardiff: "We are seeing men of all ages coming in to have their breasts made smaller.

"They are losing their inhibitions about the operation and deciding to undergo an operation which previously was a women's operation."

Reasons for the upsurge include men being more open now about their physique than years ago Plastic surgeon Fazel Fatah

Mr McGeorge, who is based in Chester, said one recent patient was "typical" of the men who are queuing up for breast reduction.

He said: "It was a grandfather who had never taken off his T-shirt in his life because he was so embarrassed about the size of his breasts.

"He had never been able to strip to the waist on the beach in front of his own children - but was determined not to be in the same position with his grandchildren."

Mr McGeorge revealed the jump in male breast surgery at the annual meeting of the plastic surgeons' association.

Members of the association operated on 323 men last year - a third of the estimated total for 2008.

Plastic surgeon Fazel Fatah said: "Reasons for the upsurge include men being more open now about their physique than years ago.

"And they can get more and more information about it from internet sites which encourage them to have the op."

Breast surgery for men pushed out the facelift to become the fifth most popular plastic surgery for men in Britain after nose operations, eyelifts, ear corrections and liposuction.