Gynecomastia – All you need to know

Enlarged male boobs are known as gynecomastia or gynaecomazia. It can affect one or both breasts, and it can affect them to different extents.

Dr Leena Jain Created on 10th Nov, 21
  • Do you feel self-conscious about going to the gym or swimming bare-chested?
  • Do you feel shy to join social gatherings? Do you avoid wearing T-shirts?
  • Have you tried various solutions, such as prescription drugs and exercise, in search of a viable solution for enlarged male boobs?

Then consider undergoing male breast reduction surgery in Mumbai offered by Dr. Leena Jain. Enlarged male boobs are known as gynecomastia. It can affect one or both breasts, and it can affect them to different extents.

 

Gynecomastia most commonly occurs primarily in boys going through puberty, and older men due to the usual hormonal changes in males. However, in most other men, the reason for an increase in the size of their breasts is not known. 

 

Few others develop gynecomastia secondarily due to tumours of testes, alcoholism, liver issues, opioid drug addictions, as a side effect of a few medicines like rantac, spironolactone, ketoconazole, growth hormones, etc

 

Primary Gynecomastia is a self-limiting disorder in most, however, in some, it may not regress in size and may be associated with pain. Secondary gynecomastia may persist even after the causative factor is removed.

 

What are the symptoms of gynecomastia?

Some of the symptoms of gynecomastia are:

  • Enlarged breasts in a male
  • Tenderness in the breasts

So, when do you need to visit a doctor?

symptoms of gynecomastia

If you have any of the following symptoms, you should see a doctor:

  • Swelling in your breast.
  • Tenderness or pain in your boobs.

Why does gynecomastia occur? 

A reduction in the level of the hormone testosterone (male hormone) in comparison to estrogen (female hormone) causes gynecomastia.

The hormonal imbalance can occur due to a variety of factors:

 

Hormonal changes: 

The hormones testosterone and estrogen regulate both men’s and women’s sex factors. Testosterone is liable for developing muscle mass, body hair, and estrogen regulates feminine characteristics such as breast development.

 

Most people think that estrogen can only be produced in women’s bodies. But it is not true; even men have it in limited amounts in their bodies. Gynecomastia occurs due to an increased level of male estrogen in comparison with testosterone levels.

 

Due to the high estrogen level present in the mother’s body, many male children are born with enlarged breasts. The enlarged breast tissue usually goes away within two to three weeks after birth.

 

Gynecomastia due to hormonal changes is a common condition during puberty. In most cases, the enlarged breast tissues go away on their own without surgery.

 

Between the ages of 50 and 69, the frequency of gynecomastia reaches a new high. In this age group, at least one out of every four men suffer from it.

 

Side effects of medications:

Certain medications can cause enlarged male boobs. These includes

  • Medications to treat prostate enlargement and prostate cancer.
  • Certain kinds of steroids those doctors may prescribe in emergency requirements.
  • Medicines for HIV AIDS.
  • Anti-anxiety drugs and antibiotics.
  • Certain life-saving drugs to treat heart complications
  • Medications for ulcer treatments.

 

Certain health complications also lead to enlarged male boobs. Like-

  • Tumors of testes
  • Kidney failure
  • Hypothyroidism
  • Cirrhosis of liver
  • Malnutrition

How can you get rid of male breast enlargements?

Chest-Strengthening Exercises. These are of no use to reduce the size of the enlarged breasts.

 

Available treatment options:

Most forms of gynecomastia occurring during puberty can resolve spontaneously in a couple of years. Patients having secondary gynaecomastia, can have subsidence of symptoms if treatment is sought for the primary problem like correction of hypogonadism, starvation, or cirrhosis, proper treatment can help you get rid of enlarged male boobs.

 

If you are taking drugs that may cause gynecomastia, your doctor can advise you to stop taking them or switch to something else.

 

If gynecomastia does not recover on its own after 1-2 years or induces severe discomfort, tenderness, or humiliation, you will need surgical treatment.

 

Surgery is a one-time permanent solution. Surgery is done under General Anaesthesia. The surgeon removes the excess glandular tissue and fatty tissue from the breast using liposuction mainly. Any residual tissue after liposuction is also removed from the same small cut of less than 1cm.

 

This is a daycare surgery. After surgery patients will have to wear a tight vest/compression garment for a period of three months to allow the loose skin to regain its elasticity.

 

 

Relevant Questions

Q. Hello. I am a 43-year-old woman. I have no pains, but I want to have breast reduction surgery for aesthetic purposes, improve my posture, and work out better. I am presently overweight, and my large breasts cause a lot of discomfort when I do active cardio exercises. Could you please advice?

Hello. Heavy breasts do cause a lot of back, neck and shoulder pain. The heaviness they cause on the chest causes breathlessness. Also, people start slouching due to the weight of breasts.

You can consider breast reduction surgery as it gives an immediate relief from all the above physical symptoms, improving your confidence and making you feel light.

For appointments kindly call or message on 9820991853/ 9137767350

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Q. Hello Dr, I am Soumil. I want to know what foods should I avoid before going plastic surgery? can you please suggest me??

Avoid high-fibre foods of any kind within 24 hours of any surgical operation involving anaesthesia, including fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts, and whole grains. You should avoid eating fish or taking fish oil or omega-3 supplements for the two weeks coming up to surgery. For more information, you can book an appointment with Dr Leena Jain. 

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Q. Hello, I am a 33 year old female and looking for cosmetic surgeons who have expertise in fat grafting and wondering if that's one of the services you offer. The concerned area is my under eyes. I have hollow eyes. Thank You.

 Fat grafting, we do it regularly for breasts and for Scars. We can do it for hollow eyes also. Please call 9137767350 for appointments.

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Q. Doctor I had a query, How to find out if I really need a breast augmentation?

Breast augmentation is a subjective desire. If a girl/woman feels her breasts are small then she can opt for an augmentation or implant surgery to increase the volume of her breasts. Hope this answer helps you!

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Q. Hello dr, will plastic surgery led to any problems in the future? I am worried about it.

No dear, it is like any other surgery. It involves all the steps and similarly also the risks involved in any other surgery. It is a common concern that plastic surgery especially poses problems in future, it’s not true.

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