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Gynecomastia or man boobs is a common condition in which male breasts become larger than normal. This is a common condition among older men and teenage boys. Signs of gynecomastia vary from a tiny amount of extra tissue around the nipples to significantly prominent breasts.
Colloquially known as ‘man boobs,’ this condition can either affect one or both breasts. The breast tissue may be painful or tender. However, this is not always the case. At your initial consultation, your surgeon will explain to you the common causes of gynecomastia.
pēkomd® Cosmetic Surgery, led by proven board certified plastic surgeon Dr. Peter Koltz provides male breast reduction surgery to patients in Toledo, Maumee, Northwest Ohio, Southeastern Michigan, and surrounding communities.
Hormone Imbalance
An imbalance between estrogen and testosterone can cause gynecomastia among men. Estrogen is responsible for making the breasts larger. All men have low levels of estrogen, which gets balanced by higher levels of testosterone. This prevents the estrogen from causing the breast tissues to grow. Your breasts may increase in size if the hormonal balance in your body changes. The cause of this imbalance is usually not known.
Obesity
Another common cause of gynecomastia is being overweight or obese. An increase in weight can cause an increase in the levels of estrogen, which can make the breast tissue grow uncontrollably. You are likely to have excess fat which can increase the breast tissue if you are overweight. Losing weight or exercising can help some people. Based on this, this may not always improve the symptoms of gynecomastia.
Male Infants
Estrogen passes through the placenta to the baby from the mother. Many newborn baby boys suffer from gynecomastia. Moreover, this is nothing to worry about since it is temporary in nature and disappears on its own after a few weeks.
Puberty
Hormone levels begin fluctuating during puberty. There is a spike in estrogen. If this spike is not met with an increase in testosterone, it can cause the breast tissues to grow. There is a certain degree of breast enlargement in all teenage boys. Puberty gynecomastia usually clears up with age as hormone levels become more stable.
Older Men
Testosterone levels drop as men age. Older men are more susceptible to body fat which can result in an increase in estrogen levels. Excess breast tissue may be the result of these changes in hormone levels.
Other Rare Causes
These are a few other causes of gynecomastia:
- Anabolic steroid and cannabis
- Side effects of anti-ulcer drugs or hear disease medications
- Misuse of alcohol
- Klinefelter syndrome
- Liver disease, kidney failure, or another health condition
- Infection or lumps in the testicles
Diagnosing and Treating Gynecomastia
Your treatment provider will diagnose gynecomastia through a physical examination. They may ask for certain tests to rule out the possibility of other diseases. Hormone therapy may sometimes be used for treating gynecomastia. In relation to this, in most cases, the effective way to remove excess male breast tissue is gynecomastia plastic surgery.
If your condition has occurred because of medications, the treatment provider might suggest alternatives. Most patients prefer breast reduction surgery as a permanent way to remove excess tissue and skin from the male breast.
Established and respectable cosmetic surgeon Dr. Peter Koltz receives patients from Toledo, Maumee, Northwest Ohio, Southeastern Michigan, and nearby areas for gynecomastia surgery.
Contact Board Certified Plastic Surgeon, Dr. Peter Koltz in Toledo, Ohio
To learn more about the plastic surgery treatments and procedures performed by Board Certified Plastic Surgeon, Dr. Peter Koltz please click here to contact us.
