Gynecomastia is a condition seen among boys and men as a swelling of breast that appears larger than normal. Gynecomastia is caused by an imbalance of the hormone estrogen and testosterone. Normal changes in hormone levels can cause gynecomastia among newborns, pubertal age-group boys, and elderly men.
An individual generally feels very embarrassed due to enlarged breast because of appearance, inability to wear fit clothes and sometimes due to the pain. Individual can sometimes even experience psychological or emotional strain based on the appearance due this condition.
Certain medications ( drugs like anabolic steroids), substance abuse (like alcohol, marijuana ) and in certain health conditions (tumors, liver failure, kidney failure, hypogonadism, etc.) can cause gynecomastia, hence needs medical consultation for a proper evaluation to rule out any underlying cause that can otherwise be corrected with medical treatment. Some preventive measures can lessen the risk of gynecomastia, such as by avoiding the use of excess alcohol, consumption of illegal drugs like marijuana, heroin, etc. Also, a certain drug given as medications that cause gynecomastia can be replaced to revert back the condition. Under certain circumstances despite various measures taken the gynaecomastia may not settle and hence it needs to be corrected surgically. There are different methods for surgical corrections and it depends upon the tissues constituting the cause. The breast enlargement can have variable components of fatty and fibroglandular tissues. If the enlargement is predominantly due to fat then liposuction can be done to remove excess fat and thereby reducing the size of the swelling. Whereas if the fibro-glandular component in excess then subcutaneous mastectomy helps in removing those tissue to correct the deformity, and sometimes require a combined procedure for the correction. Very much enlarged breasts may present with excess skin that becomes redundant after removal of fatty/ fibroglandular tissues and in those scenarios, removal of excess skin might also be needed for a better aesthetic outcome.
The change in appearance after surgical procedures for gynaecomastia boosts the individual’s confidence and gives a positive outlook for his day-to-day activities.
Don’t shy off yourself to consult a board certified Plastic Surgeon to know more about this condition and the treatment options available.
