Nuts are a rich source of energy but are also one of the most common food allergens. Both children and adults can suffer from nut allergies. While some children may outgrow the allergy, for others this is a lifelong condition. When it comes to children, the sibling of a child who is allergic to nuts also has a high risk of being allergic to them as well.

Nut allergies can be categorized as an allergy to peanuts or an allergy to tree nuts. Tree nuts are nuts that grow on trees such as walnuts, cashew nuts and almonds. Peanuts are not considered tree nuts as they grow underground in the form of legumes. A person can be allergic to both types of nuts but it is not necessary that if you are allergic to peanuts, you should avoid almonds as well and vice versa.

There are laboratory tests to determine the types of food you can be allergic to but in most cases, you realize you are allergic to something only after consuming it. Some of the symptoms of nut allergies include:

Redness
Rashes
Tenderness of the skin
Hives
Swelling of the hands and feet
Sneezing
Runny nose
Sore throat
Watery eyes
Nausea
Vomiting
Stomach cramps
Diarrhea
Shortness of breath
Most of the symptoms that affect the skin and respiratory system can be relieved with the help of antihistamines. Cold compresses can also help relieve itchiness caused by nut allergies.
One of the most severe forms of nut allergies can result in Anaphylaxis. This can be described as the swelling of the throat so much so that the airways are blocked and it becomes difficult to breathe. It is often accompanied by swelling of the facial features and itchiness. The only way to relieve this swelling is with an adrenaline injection. This reduces the swelling and reopens the airways. The most common type of adrenaline injection is known as an epi pen.

Some types of foods that commonly contain nuts and should be avoided include baked goods, pesto, nougat, marzipan, soups, multigrain bread, honey, granola, sauces such as hot sauce and barbeque sauce, salad dressings and veggie burgers. Nuts are often also used as thickening agents and hence if you know you are allergic to nuts, pay attention to food labels before you buy any product and make it a habit to tell your server in a restaurant that you are allergic to nuts.

Nuts - How To Know If You Are Allergic To Them?

While women strive to enhance the way their breasts look, the development of breast tissue in men can be embarrassing. This condition is known as Gynecomastia. It can affect one or both breasts in a symmetric or asymmetric manner and is caused by an imbalance of estrogen and testosterone hormones. It can also be caused due to a side effect of medication or because of other health problems such as an overactive thyroid or tumor. In some cases, this condition can get resolved on its own while in other cases, medication and surgery may be recommended.

Medications

Before undergoing treatment for Gynecomastia, it is essential to ascertain that you are in fact suffering from this condition. This is because gynecomastia and the buildup of fat tissue in the chest can look similar, but are treated differently. When treating this condition, medication needs to be supplemented with controlled calorie intake and physical exercise. It is also cheaper than surgical treatment.

Surgical Treatment

Surgery is often the preferred mode of treatment for significantly enlarged male breasts. Surgical treatment for gynecomastia is of two types:

    Liposuction: This removes fat from the breast, but leaves the breast gland tissue in place. Liposuction can be performed in a number of ways. It involves making two or more incisions through which narrow tubes are inserted into the chest area. This tube is gently moved around to loosen the excess fat tissue that is then sucked out.
    Mastectomy: This procedure removes the breast gland tissue itself. It is performed endoscopically and hence has a quicker recovery time and involves less scarring.

You may feel a slight discomfort after the surgery for a few days. You will also be advised to wear a chest support brace for a few days to allow your body to heal without putting any pressure on the site of the surgery. Normal activities can be resumed within 2 to 3 days but avoid strenuous activities of heavy lifting for a month after the surgery.

As long as you follow a healthy lifestyle and have a balanced diet, either of the above surgical procedures should have a lasting effect. This makes surgery a more preferred form of treatment than medication.

Apart from this, certain exercises can also help tone chest muscles and reduce fat tissue. This includes inclines dumbbell presses, push-ups and exercises that focus on pectoral muscles. However, this is a very gradual process and hence suitable only for mild cases of gynecomastia.

Gynecomastia Treatment

Introduction 

The common male problem in an Aesthetic clinic, Gyanecomastia, is truly Pseudogynaecomastia with only fatty tissue and minimal glandular tissue. The condition is a part of the co existing Obesity disorder and is rarely, a standalone entity. The treatment options shall include an approach to answer the issue of obesity as a whole, not rest contented with surgical removal of the enlarged breasts alone. What is seen and what is treated is just a tip of the iceberg. 

Gynaecomastia, an innocuous condition, that affects 35-70% of male population immediately after birth, during adolescence and old age is rarely brought to notice as the sufferer makes all attempts to hide it as the condition brings with it a sense of shame and pain in public places and mental suffering. Herein starts the search for the treatment. Medical and multifaceted surgical options evolved over centuries with the current opinion being fat removal by anyone form of liposuction and the gland removal by direct excision. Gynaecomastia, is increased breast tissue in males composed of glandular and fatty tissue. 

Physiological gynaecomastia of puberty that normally regresses with age tend to stay back being sustained by the modern lifestyle changes. Processed foods and environmental pollution of air and water, the cosmetics used on the body like deo odorants, perfumes and toiletries, synthetics and chemicals have contributed to explosions of generalised obesity. With this generalised obesity, the tendency to hold back excess fat in the breast developed. This clearly shows the reason for higher incidence of (pseudo) Gynaecomastia of late. Hormonal imbalance due to reasons stated above, aggravate the situation. Gynaecomastia is part of the generalised obesity and it is more fat and little gland. 
However, this condition does not have any harmful effect on the body, but it can cause distress emotionally. Men may lose their self-confidence and they can be psychologically affected by this.

What Causes Gynaecomastia?

It is a type of hormonal imbalance that results in the growth of the male breast tissues. The ratio of oestrogen v/s androgens gets altered and causes the enlargement of the breasts. For this condition to occur, the amount of oestrogen increase in the body, or the amount of testosterone drops. Sometimes it can be the combination of both.

There are certain diseases that may contribute to gynaecomastia and they are as follows:

Kidney diseases

Liver disease

Drop in testosterone levels

Certain medications such as methadone, medications for HIV or treating prostate cancer

Certain tumours caused in male sex organs such as cancer of the Leydig cells or the Sertoli cells resulting in deprivation of androgen levels

Conclusion: 
True Gynaecomastia that requires surgical treatment is not so uncommon. What is commonly believed to be gynaecomastia is truly Pseudo gynaecomastia with a co exiting clinical picture of obesity, high BMI, sedentary life and wrong lifestyle. Surgical treatment by laser liposuction under Tumescent Anaesthesia gives very good results with high patient satisfaction and negligible post operative complications. Gland fragmented with laser can be extricated thro  same entry point without sub areolar incision.

Gynaecomastia (Enlarged Breasts In Men): Causes and Treatments

Men also suffer from breast enlargement, medically called gynecomastia. This usually happens when the levels of female sex hormones, in the affected male, overshadow the male sex hormone levels.

Gynecomastia is different from fat accumulation in the male upper chest. It is typically characterised by an increase in the glandular tissue, which can produce milk.

Lots of adolescent boys suffer from male breast enlargement due to the adolescent hormonal surge, though, the condition can present in men at any age. Adolescents lose the breast enlargement typically in periods ranging from 6 months to a year. Beyond this period, a man with enlarged breasts has to seek medical intervention for treatment.

Typically, gynecomastia occurs due to certain medications like for renal failure and hypertension. It can also be caused due to conditions like hyperthyroidism or kidney failure, liver cirrhosis or problems with testes which causes changes in hormones in the male body.

Treatments-

Whatever be the reason, gynecomastia is a deeply distressing condition for men of all ages. Treatments are available, both surgical and medicinal and they help especially surgery.

Male Breast Reduction Surgery- Facts

Surgery for male breast reduction can be performed safely and successfully on teenagers and adult men alike.

In male breast reduction surgery, the surgeon makes an incision around the nipple and removes the excess glandular tissue and fats causing the appearance of the breast. This is the only effective treatment for gynecomastia that has long-lasting, if not permanent, results. Male breasts may also appear due to excess fat in the upper chest. Liposuction is generally very effective in treating this. The surgeon removes fats and some glandular tissue and then sculpts a new chest contour that looks natural for your body.

More severe cases of gynecomastia may require more than this. The surgeon has to then go for something called  surgical tissue excision  to achieve optimal results. Older males with gynecomastia with sagging skin also require tissue excision. This technique allows the surgeon to remove a major chunk of glandular tissue and/or skin that cannot be successfully removed by mere liposuction.

If you are planning to go for breast reduction surgery, find the best cosmetic surgeon. This will go a long way in you getting the best results and minimise scars.

Also be prepared for the after-effects of the surgery. Even though it is typically performed as an outpatient procedure using general anaesthesia or local anaesthesia with sedation, you must be prepared for soreness and swelling. Recovery time is usually a week and a patient is often given a compression garment to wear for the first few weeks after surgery to support the healing breast tissue. Also, be prepared to be off exercise for a month or so after surgery.

Can Surgery Help Reduce Enlarged Breasts In Men?

When it comes to a man's physique, enlarged breasts can be quite embarrassing. This is a condition known as male gynecomastia and affects more men than you would imagine. 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 breast fat. 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.

Gynecomastia surgery is usually performed 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 is 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. Some men may also experience a temporary loss of sensation in the area. Though the results of this procedure are permanent, there is no guarantee that it will not recur.

Gynecomastia may recur as a result of significant weight gain, use of steroids or as a side effect to certain types of medication. Hence, 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 keep this condition from recurring.

Embarrassed Because of Enlarged Breast? Male Breast Reduction Can Help

While some people look forward to spring and the beautiful flowers that bloom, for others this is a time of extreme discomfort triggered by pollen allergies. Pollen is probably one of the most difficult allergies to fight as it is invisible and is literally present everywhere. Sneezing, coughing, a runny nose, congestion and watery eyes are the most common symptoms of a pollen allergy. However, you can minimise your troubles by following a few simple steps.

Keep an eye on the pollen count: Not every day has the same amount of pollen in the air. Pollen density is also affected by the time of the day. Pollen count refers to the amount of pollen present in the air during a specific time period. You can find out the pollen count of your area online or through a number of apps. Once you know the pollen count. You can plan your day accordingly and step out or stay in.
Plan your time spent outdoors wisely: It isn t always possible to stay indoors even if you know the pollen count is high. However, you can still plan your time so as to not be outdoors at peak pollen times. 5am to 9am are the worst times to step out as this is when most plants pollinate. Hence avoid stepping out during this time. Windy days can also worsen the situation by spreading pollen around. If you must go for a jog early morning, avoid thoroughfares and gardens and instead pick a route around residential streets.
Protect yourself: Face masks may not look very good but can help reduce the amount of pollen being inhaled. If you find yourself sneezing a lot during pollen season, consider investing in a painter s mask that can filter the air being inhaled and exhaled. If you are stepping out to do yard work or know that you re going to spend a lot of time in heavy traffic areas, take your antiallergenic medication before you step out instead of waiting for an allergic reaction to begin.
Have plenty of showers: Try making it a habit to have a shower and changing your clothes as soon as you come home. This prevents the outdoor pollen from circulating in your home. Follow this routine even if you ve simply been gardening outdoors. While showering, do not forget your hair. If you do not want to shampoo it every day, simply rinse it out to get rid of all the pollen.

Pollen Allergy - 4 Tips To Keep Yourself Safe!

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