Lifestyle

THE BIG REVEAL

Man’s Life-Changing Surgery Shrinks Him From XL to Medium in 2 Hours

His post-procedure confidence changed his body, his life, and even his career.

Roosa RahkonenReporter, The Looker

PublishedJul 21, 2026, 1:11 PM EDT

UpdatedJul 21, 2026, 1:14 PM EDT

Updated Jul 21, 2026, 1:14 PM EDTPublished Jul 21, 2026, 1:11 PM EDT

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Sean Masters was in his mid-twenties when he first started researching surgeries to alter his body.

When he got dressed, he often noticed his chest protruding through shirts, which made him self-conscious about his upper torso.

“As a young man on the dating scene, I was always wondering, ‘Do these clothes look all right? Am I gonna not look good? Do I look masculine enough?’” Masters told The Looker.

Similar reasons often drive men to seek help from Boston-based board-certified plastic surgeon Dr. Sean T. Doherty, who describes himself as passionate about gynecomastia surgery.

No Easy Fixes

Gynecomastia is male breast growth driven by glandular tissue enlargement, which is mostly genetic. (It is sometimes crudely referred to as “man boobs.”) Someone with gynecomastia could follow a strict diet and perform hundreds of push-ups a day and, while it may affect the rest of his physique, the tissue on his chest will likely remain in place.

“There’s not an injection, there’s not a medicine, or anything that’s really going to get rid of glandular and fatty tissue,” Dr. Doherty said.

For decades, Masters tried to convince himself not to undergo surgery. “I can’t afford it,” he thought. “It’s not right for me.”

But at 45, now married and successful in his career, Masters was ready to commit.

“There’s no way to change this with any amount of diet or exercise. So there is one single option—I’m either gonna do it or not,’” he said.

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After making up his mind to go through with the procedure, Masters chose Dr. Doherty after seeing impressive before-and-after photos of the surgeon’s previous clients.

The Cost of a Gynecomastia Transformation

Dr. Doherty performed the two-hour surgery under general anesthesia.

The transformation was a typical gynecomastia surgery, involving liposuction and surgical removal of tissue. The procedure costs between $10,000 and $12,000 at Dr. Doherty’s clinic; if the surgery had required skin removal, the price may have risen to around $15,000.

Masters could not immediately enjoy his results.

“The first couple of days, when there were drainage tubes,” he recalled, “it wasn’t painful, but very uncomfortable.”

In three weeks, however, once he could switch from his stage-1 compression garment to a stage-2 compression garment (akin to a tight T-shirt), Masters was thrilled.

An ‘After’ Worth Every Penny

“My expectations were blown away,” Masters said about his results. “I’m over the moon.”

He continued, “I quite honestly felt like a very different person. After the surgery, I felt like I could walk into a room and suddenly have a presence.”

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After 15 years at the same company, Masters’ newfound confidence even gave him the push to start looking at other options.

During an interview with a new company, Masters noticed changes in his own body language and posture: he no longer crossed his arms in front of his chest or slumped. Instead, he held himself straight up.

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This was a huge change from his twenties.

“I was just constantly—either in the front of my mind or in the back of my mind—worried about my appearance,” he recalled. “And that translated to things like my professional life as well.”

Masters got the new job, but the change in his appearance also affected other areas of his life.

He had always aimed to look his best, but after the surgery, he dialed in on nutrition and began working out daily.

“My pull-up record right now is 23 straight. It’s not for the Olympics, but for a normal guy with a desk job, it’s pretty darn good,” he said.

Masters has had to get rid of 80 percent of his closet, too.

“I’ve gone from wearing baggy XL shirts to appropriately fitting mediums, or larges, depending on the brand.
Clothes that actually fit instead of hiding in clothes that are hanging off of me,” he rejoiced.

“To be honest, about 50 percent of the reason why he’s in such a good place is from surgery, and the other 50 percent is the stuff that he did,” Dr. Doherty said. “He’s in a really good place, and I’m really happy for him.”

Stories like Masters’ are why Dr. Doherty feels so passionate about gynecomastia surgeries.

“This problem is really emotional for men, and a lot of guys are bothered about it, but nervous to talk about it with anyone,” he said. “I really appreciate that they trust me and come in and talk about something that’s really emotional and sensitive to them.”

He added, “It is a really impactful surgery for men, and I’m proud to be able to do it. When you feel good in your body, you really get a lot of confidence, you feel better about yourself, and things get better.”

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Masters also had an important message for other men who might have a similar background to his and feel hesitant about plastic surgery: “If you’re feeling personally impacted, like I was when I was young, you don’t have to live that way.”

“You should do what feels best to you.”

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Roosa RahkonenReporter, The Looker

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