Swollen breast tissues in men or boys caused by hormonal (testosterone and estrogen) imbalances is called gynecomastia. Both breasts or one breast, can be affected by gynecomastia. At any point in life, from birth to puberty, even in adulthood, you might develop gynecomastia. Most of the times, gynecomastia is caused by hormonal imbalances, but there might be some underlying causes as well.
Gynecomastia is normally not a serious condition, but it can be difficult to deal with the pain and embarrassment.
It can be cured with surgery or medication, if it doesn't go away on its own.

Symptoms and signs of gynecomastia include
a) Enlarged glands in the breast tissue
b) Tenderness in the breast

The causes that trigger gynecomastia include
1. Hormonal changes: Testosterone and estrogen control the sexual development in men and women respectively. Estrogen is not a hormone that only women produce; men produce it too. When the production of testosterone and estrogen are thrown out of balance, gynecomastia occurs.
2. Medication: Certain medications such as anabolic steroids, androgens, HIV/AIDS medicines, antibiotics and chemotherapy can cause gynecomastia.
3. Drugs and alcohol: Substances such as alcohol, marijuana, amphetamines, heroin and methadone cause gynecomastia.
4. Health condition: Certain factors, such as aging, hypogonadism (hormonal disorder), hyperthyroidism (overactive thyroid gland), tumors, kidney failure, cirrhosis, liver failure, malnutrition and starvation can lead to gynecomastia.
5. Herbal products: Essential oils derived from plants such as lavender or tea tree, used in lotions or shampoos, have weak estrogenic actives. They have been said to cause gynecomastia.

Gynecomastia can be cured either with medication or surgery. Surgical options for gynecomastia are, however, limited. The two surgical options for gynecomastia include:
a) Liposuction: Liposuction only removes the fat from the breast, not the breast gland tissue. It has fewer complications, there is limited or zero blood loss and there is less distortion of the nipple.
b) Mastectomy: Mastectomy removes the gland tissues in the breast. The surgery uses minimal incisions to remove the gland tissue. Also, it involves less time to recover.

Treating Gynecomastia With Surgery

Gynecomastia is a condition where the tissues of the breasts swell in a boy or men. This is caused by the imbalance of testosterone and oestrogen. It might affect one or both the breasts depending on the level of hormonal imbalance. Although not considered as a serious condition, Gynecomastia can be a difficult condition to cope up with. There are multiple treatment options and surgery is one of them. In many cases, this condition goes as abruptly as it appeared. For cases that are complicated and difficult to get rid of, doctors suggest a medical procedure get rid of the condition.


Symptoms of Gynecomastia:
Some common symptoms of Gynecomastia include tenderness of breasts, swollen breast gland, pain in the breasts, discharge from the nipple etc.


Causes of Gynecomastia:
There could be many causes of this disease. If the condition is witnessed in babies, it could well come from the mother due to an overdose of oestrogen. Gynecomastia also appears during puberty resulting in the breast to swell up. The condition can again crop up after the age of 50 due to hormonal changes.
Certain medications can be a reason of Gynecomastia. Some of the common medications include certain antibiotics, anti-anxiety related medications, chemotherapy shots, HIV patients receiving HAART, cardiovascular medications such as Lanoxin, anabolic steroids etc.
Certain drugs such as heroin, alcohol, methadone, marijuana, Amphetamines etc.
Certain health conditions such as hypogonadism, hyperthyroidism, liver cirrhosis, ageing, certain tumours, failure of the kidney malnutrition etc.


Risk Factors Of Gynecomastia-
Certain risk factors of gynecomastia include older age, use of certain steroids, adolescence and other medical conditions such as Klinefelter's syndrome, tumour related to hormonal fluctuation and disease related to thyroid.
Diagnosis:
A doctor typically checks the history of drugs along with the health condition of the patient. He might also take a look at the health of the extended family. A careful tissue evaluation of the genitals, breast and abdomen are done. This is followed by a physical exam followed by prescribing certain tests such as mammograms, complete blood work, CT scan, biopsy of the tissue, MRI scan etc.


Treatment:
Most people suffering from Gynecomastia see a significant regression with periodic treatment. If however the condition arises from an underlying cause such as cirrhosis and malnutrition, a doctor suggests 2 option- medications and surgery:


Medications: Certain medications that are known to be helpful for breast related cancers are known to be effective in this condition. Some common examples of these drugs include evista, arimidex and soltamox.
Surgery: Only after exploring all medical options a doctor suggests surgery. There are 2 procedures namely mastectomy and liposuction. The latter removes the fat cells of the breast and the former removes the breast gland tissue.     


Gynecomastia - Is Surgery The Best Option?

Do you know that enlarged breasts, which are observed in many men are caused because of a health condition? This is known as gynecomastia and involves enlargement of the breast tissues in men. The condition is commonly called man boobs. It is usually not something serious and is not always permanent.

Causes
During the puberty stage, gynecomastia is quite common and normal. It occurs because of natural changes in oestrogen and testosterone, the sex hormones. The condition is also likely in men of old and middle age because of ageing and hormonal shift. Certain medicines such as antibiotics, heart medicines, AIDS medicines, drugs for heartburn and anti-anxiety medicines may also be responsible for this condition. Drinking alcohol in excess and taking marijuana, and other recreational drugs also increase the chances of gynecomastia. Breast size may also get enhanced by the use of herbal products containing lavender oil and tea tree oil.

Symptoms
Men affected by gynecomastia are featured by having a rubbery mass underneath their nipple region. It is less in amount and is usually tender. Fluid discharge is also an indication in some cases.

Diagnosis
For the diagnosis of gynecomastia, you should visit a plastic surgeon, who deals with cases of hormone imbalances. Blood or hormone tests may be required if your physical examination shows that your breasts are larger than usual, the lymph nodes are swollen, or when the lump is sore.

Treatment
Commonly, gynecomastia can not be cured with medicines. Surgery is compulsory. In the case of teenagers, the breasts become of normal shape within two to three years. Surgery is the only option for restoring your chest shape and improving your self-image. In the surgery for treating gynecomastia, a small cut is made on your breasts and extra breast tissues are removed. This makes your breasts smaller and flatter. The nipple may also need to be repositioned. Liposuction is another procedure which is carried out for this purpose, in which extra fat is sucked out from under your skin. Among the different modes of treatment for gynecomastia, surgery is meant for long term results. However, you need to undertake a healthy lifestyle in order to maintain your new chest shape. Gaining weight and taking drugs may cause gynecomastia to reoccur.

Gynecomastia - What You Need To Know About It!

The development of a girl s breast at puberty is a major differentiating factor between the silhouette of a boy and a girl. However, sometimes, men too can develop breast tissue. This condition is known as Gynecomastia. While it is not fatal or very harmful to a person s overall health, it can cause emotional distress and affect a person s self-confidence.

Gynecomastia can be triggered by a number of factors including diet, lifestyle, hormonal imbalances etc. One of the most surprising causes of this condition is milk. This is because milk is considered to be rich in oestrogen. When talking of milk, it can be categorised as organic and non-organic milk. In order to increase the amount of milk, a cow can produce they are often injected with hormones. Milk collected from cows who have received such treatment is known as non-organic milk while milk collected from cows who have not received any form of treatment to boost milk production can be termed as organic milk. Non-organic milk may also have a higher than normal IGF-I level. This refers to an insulin-like growth factor that aids in the development of breast tissue.

The main reason milk consumption is encouraged is for its high calcium levels. However, you can get your calcium from other natural sources as well. Green leafy vegetables like spinach, kale and bok-choy are very rich in calcium and the calcium from these vegetables can be very easily absorbed by our bodies. Thus, skipping your glass of milk will not give you weak bones.

Gynecomastia can be treated. Increasing your intake of cruciferous vegetables like broccoli and cauliflower can help absorb and remove oestrogen from the digestive tract before it goes into the blood stream. Spices like turmeric can increase testosterone levels and help balance hormones. Phytoestrogens like flax seeds and soy can also help treat gynecomastia by minimising oestrogen levels and reducing cholesterol.

Two ayurvedic herbs that can increase the production of testosterone and thus, help maintain a balance between oestrogen and testosterone are tribulus terrestris and cordycep. Red clover can also help reduce oestrogen levels. Sarsaparilla is yet another ayurvedic herb that can help treat this condition by strengthening muscles.

In addition to these dietary changes and herbal medicines, one must also exercise to reduce fat tissue in the chest area. Lifting weights or chest bench presses are ideal exercises to strengthen chest muscles and reduce gynecomastia.

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Drinking Milk - Cause Male Breast (Gynecomastia)?

When it comes to a man's physique, enlarged breasts can be quite embarrassing. This is a condition known as gynecomastia or men boobs or  enlarged breast in men and affects more men than you would imagine. It may affect one or both breasts. It can result in terrible embarrassment, teasing, and social trauma. Many will try to hide it with thick loose shirts, avoid bare chest activities like swimming, exercises etc and withdraw from public exposure.Though it does not pose a significant health risk, it can affect a man's psychological health and lower his self-confidence. The good news is that men suffering from this condition do not need to live with it. 

Male breast reduction surgery or gynecomastia surgery, aims at reconfiguring the contours of a man's chest by removing excess breast fat & if needed extra gland tissues. The only permanent solution to this condition is surgery. This is because fat tissues are not solely responsible for enlarged breasts. Often glandular tissue is present in excessive amounts as well. Patients need careful evaluation by Plastic Surgeon & sometimes if needed by endocrinologist to determine the source of their breast enlargement. 

Gynecomastia surgery is usually a daycare procedure. It is performed by Plastic Surgeons under local anesthesia with liposuction being the most preferred procedure. This procedure begins when the surgeon makes a small incision on each side of the chest. These incisions are usually placed along the natural contours of the body, around the edge of the areola or near the armpit so as to reduce the visibility of scars. Excess fat and glandular tissue are then sucked out of this incision. Simultaneously, the surgeon sculpts the other tissues in the chest to redefine chest contours. Patients are usually advised to wear a compression garment after the surgery to support the healing tissues and minimize swelling. 

Results of this procedure are visible almost immediately. Recovery from gynecomastia surgery is usually quick and many men find themselves back to their normal routine within a few days. However, vigorous exercising and heavy lifting should be avoided for a few weeks after the surgery. The patient may also experience slight soreness and minimal pain that can be relieved with over the counter pain killers. 

The results of this procedure are generally permanent if there are no hormonal abnormalities. It is important to maintain a healthy lifestyle and avoid drugs that influence your testosterone levels. Regular exercise can also help tone the chest muscles and maintain the achieved good shape of chest. It is really a very simple but rewarding surgery for the male & it definitely boosts his confidence, body image & self-respect.

Enlarged Breast In Men - Causes And Treatment 

Most men, about 60%, see some development of breast tissue in their lifetime. This growth could be round, symmetrical and occurs bilaterally. This growth of breast tissue in males is medically known as gynecomastia.

Causes:

The most common cause is an imbalance between the oestrogen and androgens, with excessive oestrogens leading to the growth of breast tissue.
Excessive use of anabolic steroids
Obesity
Unknown reasons
It can affect men of all ages, and if this presents as a serious problem, then surgery is the most definitive form of treatment.

Surgical options: There are two major options available for correcting gynecomastia   liposuction and excisive surgery.

Liposuction:

Done either under local sedation or under general anaesthesia depending on the extent of the tissue proliferation
A small incision is made either in the armpit or around the areola
Excessive fat tissue and breast gland tissue are suctioned out
The chest contour also is altered at the same time, if desirable
Post-surgery, the person is made to wear a compression garment for the first few days
This helps in keeping the tissue in place and also helps reduce swelling
Healing takes about a couple of weeks  time, depending on the person s overall health status and the extent of surgery.
Excisive surgery:

This is done when the extent of gynecomastia is more severe
These people would have sagging, stretched skin around the breast area
More amount of fat and glandular tissue can be removed through excision
This is more often done under general anaesthesia
The incision is often done around the areala (dark portion around the nipple) so it is concealed or along the natural creases which are formed due to excessive breast tissue
Excessive breast tissue is removed and the incisions are closed
There could be swelling, pain, bruising, and higher chances of post-surgical infections
Recovery will take about ten days to two weeks
Refraining from exercise is often advised for up to 2 weeks
Benefits:

Restore a masculine appearance
Shorter surgery
Faster recovery
Minimal or invisible scars
Almost immediate results that can be dramatic
Improved confidence and self-image
After the surgery:

Surgery is definitely a sure way to remove the male breast tissue, it is almost a permanent treatment for this condition.
It is very important to get a trained, experienced surgeon for the procedure
It is important to follow post-op instructions including pain management, infection control, and recovery
If it was caused by use of steroids or obesity, lifestyle modification is essential to prevent recurrence

Enlarged Breasts In Men - Surgery At Your Rescue!

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