What is Gynecomastia?

The word Gynecomastia comes from two Greek words, Gyne meaning Woman and Mastos which means breast. A loose translation would be “woman like breasts”. They are also know as man boobs, steroid breasts or bitch tits as some people unkindly call them.

Gynecomastia actually describes a condition whereby breast tissue builds up in a males chest creating what appear to be female breasts. These breasts can be quite tender and sensitive.

The condition Gynecomastia is very common in adolescent boys, however, in about 90% of these cases, the condition disappears naturally as their adolescence follows it’s course.

For the remaining 10% though, it remains and can be quite a social handicap causing significant psychological damage to the patient. The feelings that this condition can generate can be shame, embarrassment and humiliation commonly. A lot of this can be brought about from teasing and jokes made about their breasts by their peers.

Other than the tenderness in the chest which is associated with Gynecomastia, there are no other medical problems with this condition other than the psychological problems that it causes.

For some men and boys who appear to have Gynecomastia, may actually have a condition called pseudogynecomastia. This describes the fatty build up on their chests. This is not the same thing as Gynecomastia.

Interestingly, it is possible that this condition may affect only one breast or both.

What causes Gynecomastia?

For most cases of Gynecomastia, there are no identifiable causes for this problem. However, this list contains a lot of what is commonly accepted to cause Gynecomastia.

- puberty
- steroid abuse
- obesity
- tumors
- genetic disorders
- chronic liver disease
- side effects of medication
- castration
- Klinefelter Syndrome
- Gilberts Syndrome
- ageing

Gynecomastia can also be caused by changes in the balance of the hormones estrogen and testosterone. This commonly occurs during puberty although can probably happen during other stages of a mans life.

From that list, it is believed that the main causes are obesity, steroid abuse and an imbalance in hormones.

How is Gynecomastia Diagnosed?

The doctor will probably make a physical examination of the breasts and then ask a number of questions regarding your breasts in order to ascertain how long you’ve had them and also what degree of tenderness do you experience.

In order to work out what is causing your Gynecomastia, the doctor will enquire about your medical history as well as any medication that you are taking.

The examination itself should be relatively minor with just a bit of prodding and poking.

It should be noted as well that while male breast cancer is more common than a lot of people think, these lumps in a mans breast are not cancerous, however, as usual, if in doubt, contact your doctor as soon as possible in order to eliminate the possibility.

How is Gynecomastia Treated?

In many cases Gynecomastia requires no treatment whatsoever and will disappear quietly on it’s own.

In other cases, the treatment may depend upon the cause. For example, if the cause is the medicine that you’re taking, then hopefully there is a suitable alternative which will be just as effective but without the side of effect of Gynecomastia. As Gynecomastia is usually less of a problem than the condition that the medicine is treating, this other condition will take priority in your care.

In a lot of cases, the reason for Gynecomastia is obesity. In this case, if the patient loses a degree of their weight through diet and exercise, then this will usually cure the Gynecomastia without the need for any kind of surgery.

In a small number of cases, surgery is deemed to be the best option. Usually in these cases, the Gynecomastia is causing the patient a significant degree of psychological problems.

This surgery removes the glandular tissue and/or fat behind the breast in order to create a more masculine looking chest.

The surgery for Gynecomastia can often be conducted under a local anesthetic with some sedation and the patient be treated as an out-patient. However, as with all surgery, whether it is low risk like this or high risk, there is always an element of risk of excessive bleeding, fluid loss and problems associated with the anesthesia. As such, the patient should be healthy and emotionally stable otherwise the risk of surgery is increased. There can also be a degree of scarring with the surgery which should be known before the operation takes place.

As this surgery is usually considered cosmetic, it is often quite difficult to get financing or for the public health bodies to accept you as a patient. However, patients do sometimes get the funding required often after proving the psychological problems that this condition causes.

Summary

Gynecomastia affects many people in varying degrees. The main problem from it, is the psychological problems associated with the humiliation of having woman like breasts. For most, the solution is to lose weight or to wait for the body to develop further, however for some, the only way to cure this problem is by having breast reduction surgery.

Gynecomastia is a scientific term that comes from the Greek words for ‘women-like breasts’. Gynecomastia itself is not physically harmful, but in some cases may be an indicator of other more dangerous underlying conditions. Gynecomastia is the enlargement of the male breast resulting in what is sometimes called ‘man boobs’.

These breast formation in males is most commonly caused by hormonal changes that can occur at puberty or as part of the aging process. Breast development due to being overweight is referred to as pseudogynecomastia or false gynecomastia. Breast tissue growth in guys can appear on one or both sides of the chest, and the breast area can feel tender. Though certain drugs and medical problems have been linked with male breast overdevelopment, there is no known cause in the vast majority of cases.

Hormone changes that occur with normal aging can cause gynecomastia, especially in men who are overweight. One of the several glands that produce hormones can malfunction for reasons other than chromosomes. If the balance between the hormones estrogen and testosterone is changed, breast development can occur.

For men who feel self-conscious about their appearance, breast-reduction surgery can help. Surgery can remove fat and or glandular tissue from the breasts, and in extreme cases removes excess skin, resulting in a chest that is flatter and firmer. Surgery may be discouraged for obese or overweight men who have not first attempted to correct the problem with exercise or weight loss.

When male breast-reduction surgery is performed by a qualified plastic surgeon, complications are infrequent and usually minor. Once a patient is deemed a good candidate for male breast reduction, their physician should give them an explanation of the procedure as well as an overview of what type of results they should expect from the surgery. However, surgery is usually expensive and should only be taken into account when other attempts have failed. Surgery may be an option for certain patients when other treatment methods fail or there is breast tissue that remains and has hardened, since other treatments may have no effect in this case short of removal of the tissue.

Men over the age of 50 tend to produce fewer androgens such as testosterone or gain fat tissue that converts androgen into estrogen.

Men with gynecomastia have an overall risk for malignant tumours similar to that in the reference population. Also a non-significantly increased risk for esophageal cancer was noted while no cases of male breast cancer was seen. For men with a gynecomastia diagnosis a after 50 years of age the risk of testicular cancer is negligible whilst a gynecomastia diagnosis before and after 50 years of age may both indicate an increased the risk for skin cancer. Risks of surgical correction for Gynecomastia BleedingInfection and poor healingAllergic reaction to anesthesiaSores around the nipple that can be treated by antibiotic creamScars from surgery which fade away as time goes by.

There are several natural treatments known for gynecomastia. If male breasts are tender as a result of gynecomastia, cold compresses may be applied. Many American insurance companies deny coverage for surgery for gynecomastia treatment on the grounds that it is a cosmetic procedure.

Obese or overweight men who have not first attempted to correct the condition with exercise and weight loss are discouraged as the condition may be able to be treated without surgery in these individuals. All you have to do to treat obesity related Gynecomastia is to simply go on a diet and get plenty of specific exercise.