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What Is the Gynecomastia?
Are you wondering, you came to the right place to find the answer. Gynecomastia is the excess breast tissue that some men have that is due to a hormone imbalance. This condition also goes by the unflattering name of “man boobs,” and it can be particularly distressing to men. Generally, a man may have one of four types of man boobs, and they include the following:
- Minor breast enlargement without excess skin
- Moderate breast enlargement without excess skin
- Moderate breast enlargement with some excess skin
- Excessive breast enlargement with excess skin
Men who have gynecomastia may be so embarrassed by the condition that they want to get rid of their man boobs, and there are ways in which to do this. Gynecomastia treatment includes surgery, but you may find that special clothing options are better for your lifestyle.
Gynecomastia Causes
One of the causes of gynecomastia is weight gain, which has a simple solution to your man boobs that does not require surgery. You will only need to lose weight, and your moobs will get lost in the process. If your gynecomastia is due to one of the following reasons, you will need to learn how to get rid of man breasts in another way:
- Deficiencies in your vitamin and mineral intake
- Problems with your liver or kidneys
- A thyroid gland that is overactive
- You are taking antibiotics
- An increase in estrogen production due to age
- An increase in fat production
- Your body is building up extra estrogen from the environment
Gynecomastia Surgery
Gynecomastia surgery is one way that you can get rid of man boobs. Along with reducing the size of the breasts, it also flattens the chest area and increases the contours. Gynecomastia surgery may be a good choice for you if you have lost a lot of weight recently and have excessive sagging. Your weight gain may also have caused your areolas to stretch, and this is another thing that can be corrected with gynecomastia surgery.
Gynecomastia surgery is like any other surgery. It is a form of trauma, and your body will need to recover from the experience. After gynecomastia surgery, your body will be susceptible to becoming injured, so you will have to take it easy for a period of time.
Recovery from Gynecomastia Surgery
You will need to take a couple of days off school or work after you have the gynecomastia surgery, but you will be able to return in a few days. Your doctor will most like require that you wear a compression shirt for several weeks or months following gynecomastia surgery to support the healing process. It will take your body a year or more to fully recover from gynecomastia surgery. You will not be able to do anything that increases your blood pressure for at least two weeks after the surgery. Before you can resume your chest workouts, an entire month will have to pass, and you will have to return to these workouts gradually. It is suggested that you apply a very high SPF sunscreen to allow the scarring to heal without any issues.
Side Effects of Surgery
There are side effects and several risks associated with gynecomastia surgery, which include the following:
- Bleeding
- blood clots
- Fat necrosis
- Deep vein thrombosis
- Breast asymmetry
- Accumulation of fluid
- Pain
- Scarring
Other Types of Gynecomastia Treatment
If you are concerned about the side effects of gynecomastia surgery, you can help reduce man boobs in other ways. Your physician may be able to prescribe a medication that will reduce the amount of estrogen that your body is currently making. Unfortunately, this is not a solution that will get rid of gynecomastia, but it may stop it from getting worse.
Liposuction is another alternative. A cosmetic surgeon will perform liposuction to reduce the size of your man boobs, but this is also a surgery. You will either receive local or general anesthesia, and the surgeon will make small incisions on each man breast. The surgeon will remove excess tissue through these small incisions, but you will not be able to return to your normal exercise routine for about three weeks.
This option will hide gynecomastia, but it is not necessarily a permanent solution. After you have liposuction to reduce your man boobs, they can return in the following instances:
- You gain weight again
- You decide to start taking steroids
- You take medications that lower your testosterone levels
Candidates for Gynecomastia Surgery
You may not be able to choose to treat your gynecomastia with surgery because you are not the ideal candidate for it. The best candidates for male breast reduction fit the following description:
- You have good skin elasticity
- You are over the age of 18
- You are at your ideal body weight
- You are healthy
- You are emotionally stable
Those who will not be able to treat their puffy nipples with surgery are those diagnosed with serious medical conditions. A male with a man breast who does not have realistic expectations for what the surgery can accomplish will also not be an ideal candidate.
Man Boob Surgery Alternative
Men with man boobs usually want to hide gynecomastia because they feel uncomfortable about their looks. This leads them to avoid activities in which they would love to participate because they are afraid of showing their moobs. Surgery for gynecomastia is an option, but it is not an option for everyone. There has to be another gynecomastia treatment for those who aren’t in favor of having a surgical procedure.
You have another solution. Gynecomastia can be hidden with the appropriate apparel, and it can be found at “Confidence Bodywear.” The website has several shirts that can reduce the appearance of man boobs, but it also has products that cover puffy nipples. Gynecomastia compression shirts were created just for men with moobs, and they are comfortable enough for you to wear all day. In addition to that, no one will know that you are hiding your large male breast when you wear them.
Did you know that at least 36 percent of young men and 57 percent of older men have to deal with man boobs? The Food and Drug Administration has released reports that show that there are millions of cases of this issue, called gynecomastia, reported each year.
While the condition is very rarely medically dangerous, it can be uncomfortable, embarrassing and cause real psychological distress. If you’re dealing with this condition and wondering how to get rid of man boobs, keep reading to learn more about the causes, symptoms and treatment options available to you.
Gynecomastia Definition
Gynecomastia, which is pronounced “guy-nuh-koh-MAS-tee-uh,” is a medical condition that results in the swelling of breast tissue of boys and men. It’s often referred to as “man boobs” or even “moobs,” and it can be somewhat embarrassing for men to have to try to hide gynecomastia symptoms. In general, enlarged male breast tissue is not a serious or dangerous medical condition. But it can be emotionally and psychologically difficult to deal with.
What Causes “Man Boobs?”
There are a number of things that can cause gynecomastia, but the root of the issue is an imbalance in the levels of estrogen and testosterone that are present in your body. Men and women have certain amount of both sex hormones in their bodies. Men have high levels of testosterone with only a small amount of estrogen, and women have high levels of estrogen with smaller amounts of testosterone. When the ratio of estrogen to testosterone is off in men, it can often lead to man boobs. Estrogen is partially responsible for breast size, so even a relatively small imbalance can lead to enlarged male breast tissue. Excess estrogen signals your body to begin storing more fat in certain areas of the body, and this includes the breasts.
How Does This Hormonal Imbalance Happen?
There are several things that can contribute to the growth of man boobs. Below is a list of the most common gynecomastia causes.
1. Hyperthyroidism
Your thyroid is responsible for much of the hormone production in your body. When it’s overactive, it produces more hormones than your body needs. This can lead to many issues, including gynecomastia.
2. Steroid Use
There are certain instances where careful and controlled use of steroids is beneficial. However, men who deviate from the strict schedule of proper steroid use or use them without medical supervision are very susceptible to developing noticeable man breast.
3. Natural Hormone Fluctuations
Older men are most often affected due to a natural decline in testosterone levels. Lowered or declining levels of testosterone can lead to estrogen dominance, which often results in enlarged breast tissue. These normal hormonal variances are also why infant and pubescent boys are commonly affected as well. Infant boys are affected by the estrogen levels of their mothers, and puberty brings a host of sudden hormonal changes that can allow for brief surges of estrogen. In almost all of these instances, the condition will resolve itself within a short time frame.
4. Prescription or Illicit Drug Use
Roughly 25 percent of all reported gynecomastia cases are a result of some type of drug use, whether prescribed or illicit. According to the Mayo Clinic, a few medications that are known to induce gynecomastia are: – Cancer treatments – Ulcer medications – Antidepressants – AIDS medications – Anti-androgens – Heart treatments Substance abuse can also cause this problem. Alcohol, marijuana, heroin, amphetamines and methadone are all known to cause swelling of breast tissue.
5. Poor Diet
Foods that are highly processed, high-carb or generally considered “junk food” can contribute to the problem if you eat too much of them. In addition, some foods, such as soy products, are known to contain compounds that mimic estrogen, which can upset your body’s hormonal balance. This can lead to feminine breast contours and a noticeably puffy areola issue.
6. Klinefelter’s Syndrome
This is a chromosomal issue in which a man has an additional X chromosome. Typically, females have an XX chromosomal makeup, and men have an XY makeup. Men with Klinefelter’s syndrome have an XXY combination, which can cause many hormone-related issues, including breast enlargement.
What Are the Symptoms Of Gynecomastia?
Typically, men will notice the following symptoms: – Noticeably swollen tissue around the chest or pectoral area – Puffy areolae – Pain or tenderness in the breast region – Discharge from one or both nipples If you notice any of these symptoms or observe any unusual changes in the appearance of your chest, it’s recommended to see a doctor.
Who Can Be Affected By Gynecomastia?
Men of any age can be affected by this issue, but it’s most often seen in: – Men over 50 – Boys going through puberty – Bodybuilders – Men undergoing chemotherapy – Men with liver, kidney or heart disease.
How to Get Rid of Man Breasts
For many men, the most important aspect of this is how to get rid of man breasts. There are a few gynecomastia treatment options, and there are also ways to hide gynecomastia. Below you will find information on gynecomastia surgery, other forms of gynecomastia treatment and ways to hide the problem to boost your self-confidence.
1. Gynecomastia Surgery
In some of the more severe cases, breast reduction surgery is the best option. This is usually recommended for men who are dealing with sagging breasts and stretched, puffy nipples. Surgical reduction flattens the chest, repositions the areolas, removes excess skin and enhances masculine chest contours. Some men also benefit from liposuction, which removes the excess breast fat but doesn’t disturb the actual breast tissue.
2. Get a Physical
Because there are so many medical conditions that can cause or contribute to the issue, it’s important to talk to your doctor and schedule a full physical examination. If you have an underlying condition that’s causing the gynecomastia, simply removing the breast tissue will not fix the problem long-term. It’s also important to understand whether or not any medications you might be taking could be affecting your breast tissue growth. If so, it’s often possible to ask your doctor to switch to an alternative medication or form of treatment.
3. Hormone Therapy
Since the root cause of the issue is a hormonal imbalance, some men see success with a course of hormone therapy. This route can be very effective. It should be closely monitored by a healthcare professional who understands your full medical history.
4. Non-surgical Options
Surgery is often a last resort, and other treatment options take time to see results. To boost your self-confidence while you explore how to get rid of gynecomastia permanently, buying a compression shirt or nipple covers can make a lot of difference in your clothed appearance.
Compression shirts are designed to trim your figure and eliminate the look of “moobs” when wearing a shirt. They’re seamless and can be worn under any clothing without bunching or rolling up. Additionally, if you have a puffy areola problem, you can purchase skin-toned adhesive areola covers that flatten your puffy nipples for a more natural look. In addition to compression shirts, another non-surgical treatment to get rid of man boobs is a cosmetic procedure called CoolSculpting. CoolSculpting works by freezing the unwanted man breast fat cells while leaving the surrounding tissue untouched. The frozen fat cells die and are permanently flushed from your body as waste. It can leave your chest looking flatter and slimmer.
In Conclusion
To recap, this article covers:
– Gynecomastia definition and explanation – Causes and symptoms – Long-term treatment options – Short-term confidence solutions
Gynecomastia is a very common problem that men of all ages are susceptible to. It may feel overwhelming or embarrassing, but there are ways to treat and prevent it. Additionally, you can hide gynecomastia effectively with compression shirts and nipple covers until you find an effective treatment. Remember that this condition doesn’t have to be permanent. Though gynecomastia causes issues that are embarrassing and considered “unmanly,” you shouldn’t feel like less of a man. It’s important to gather the courage to talk to a doctor about it so that he or she can walk you through how to get rid of gynecomastia for good.