A bodybuilder has opened up about getting surgery to combat ‘moobs’ which he felt were holding him back in his quest for top titles.

Tom Hemming, from Witney, is a self-employed coach and personal trainer who spent years honing his muscular physique in the gym after struggling with being overweight in his teenage years. 

But the 26 year old said the more pounds he dropped the more obvious his pronounced his 'man boobs' became. 

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Gynecomastia, meaning enlarged breasts in males or female-like breasts in men, can also affect men who use anabolic steroids due to imbalance of sex hormones leading to enlarged breast tissue.

Oxford Mail: Tom before

Tom said: “I’ve been competing in bodybuilding for five years and the gynecomastia is something that becomes more evident the leaner your physique gets. 

“It became quite evident with the higher level of competition I’ve gone to that it was holding my physique back. 

“It’s something I looked to get done for a long, long time.”

As well as for professional results, dad-of-one Tom also had personal reasons for wanting to get the procedure done.

He said: “I spent my teenage years very overweight and when I was 17 or 18 I thought girls only wanted guys who had a six pack, so I lost a lot of weight but I wasn’t happy.

"I then travelled to America and started getting into bodybuilding.  

“For me this is about the competitive side of things because it was stopping me from fulfilling my potential.

“But it’s also on the personal confidence side of things. It can become irritating if you wear tight-fitting T-shirts. 

“There are times where you do want to take off your shirt or wear a vest in the gym.

"It’s something that you’re aware of, that other people can see. I used to not want to take off my shirt - now I don’t care.”

Tom underwent gynecomastia surgery at Signature Clinic in Glasgow. 

It uses vaser liposuction to extract excess fat from the chest, followed by the removal of both glands to achieve a flatter appearance. 

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Tom’s procedure, which he called “life changing, career-changing”, was carried out by Dr Ahmed Alsayed. 

Speaking after the operation, Tom said: “It wasn’t painful in the slightest and they made me feel completely comfortable and at ease.” 

Reflecting on how his past issues with weight might have affected his overall confidence Tom, who now specialises in helping people transform their own physiques, added: “That’s probably why I got into bodybuilding. To ‘fat Tom’ this was the idea of what being a man was.”

Oxford Mail: Tom after

Dr Ahmed said: “As with all surgery, it’s important every patient does thorough research beforehand and discusses their thoughts with a qualified professional. 

“We were so pleased Tom was happy with his treatment and we wish him well for the future.”

Gynecomastia surgery hit the headlines last year when Love Island star Tom Powell live-streamed his operation for his legions of fans.