Man Boobs

Gynecomastia is a medical disorder that comes from two Greek words; Gyne meaning “woman” and mastos meaning “breast”. In layman’s terms, this means the abnormal enlargement of breasts in males. This condition is a result of the proliferation of the glandular component of the male breast. It is defined by the presence of a rubbery or firm mass that concentrically extend to the nipples. Gynecomastia generally occurs in both breasts, but there are cases wherein only one breast is enlarged.

This condition is fairly common among adolescent males and elderly people. For about 90% of the time, the symptoms of this disorder disappear spontaneously in a few weeks or up to three years. The remaining 10% of patients remain burdened by the abnormality of their appearance. This medical disorder causes social handicap among men. They are put in complex shame and embarrassment, disrupted self-esteem and distressed relationship between themselves and their bodies.

Puberty is a common cause of gynecomstia because at this stage in an adolescent’s life, hormonal imbalances can arise, increased productions of estrogen and inhibited actions of testosterone can be present. Man boobs also arise along with a person’s aging. A number of cases of this condition are idiopathic, meaning no clear cause of the abnormal enlargement of male breasts is known.

The underlying causes of man boobs may be a more serious medical condition. Gynecomastia is often benign, but in some cases, it is an early symptom of a tumor like a testicular tumor. To solve this disorder, the underlying primary cause must be identified and managed. With this, alleviation of breast enlargement can be attained.

The causes of gynecomastia are believed to be medications that include estrogen hormones. It is also caused by an overproduction of estrogen in serum and a decrease in the production or action of the testosterone. Men are likely to develop larger breasts when estrogen levels are higher than testosterone levels. The condition can also be caused by a chronic liver disease that inactivates the normal circulating estrogen levels. HIV treatment and other chronic health problems are believed to cause the disorder. Around 25% of man-boobs cases have causes that are not known.

Most men believe that the best solution for this disorder is surgery. Surgical treatment is believed to be the first big step for the healing process among patients of gynecomastia. The available surgery options are liposuction, skin sculpture, breast reduction, and gland excision. Doctors consider several factors before engaging into one or combination of these techniques. It is important to know whether the disorder can still be solved through therapy before resorting to surgical treatment. Patients who have had the condition for at least 12 months should undergo surgery because no medical therapy can regress the enlargement.

Men who cannot undergo surgery for financial, health or religious reasons choose to live with the disorder. Some other men choose to wear compression garments to help hide the deformity of their chests. Men who have undergone surgery may still need psychological redress to cope with the psychological distress brought by their condition.