Information Regarding Gynecomastia (Scientific term for Man Boobs)

Gynecomastia is the development of abnormally large mammary glands in males resulting in breast enlargement.  In adolescent boys the condition is often a source of distress, but for the large majority of boys whose pubescent gynecomastia is not due to being overweight, the breast development shrinks or disappears within a couple of years. The causes of common gynecomastia remain uncertain, although it has generally been attributed to an imbalance of sex hormones, or the tissue's responsiveness to them; a root cause is rarely determined for individual cases.

Slang names for gynecomastia include "man boobs" and "moobs".

Types of gynecomastia

There are multiple manifestations of gynecomastia. The following types have the same basic features of gynecomastia in common, namely, hypertrophy of the male breast glandular tissue, but vary in size, shape.

Puffy Nipples is among the most common forms of gynecomastia. This glandular tissue accumulation is concentrated under and typically confined to the areola, or can be slightly extended outside the areola forming a dome shaped appearance to the areola.

Pure Glandular. In bodybuilders this may be a result of the use of steroids. Due to their low level of body fat, bodybuilders and other athletes are sometimes afflicted with gynecomastia in its purest form. Gynecomastia in lean men is usually only a breast tissue gland with little to no adipose tissue. Proper treatment of pure gynecomastia can be done only by excision of the breast tissue, which in the case of bodybuilders is by itself sufficient to achieve a flat nipple. Liposuction is only rarely necessary.

Adolescent. Hereditary Gynecomastia is typically evident by the ages of 9 to 14 in boys. Thirty percent to sixty percent of young boys suffer from large male breasts. As many as thirty percent may live with enlarged male breasts for the rest of their lives, but in other cases the gynecomastia will recede with age. However, severe forms of adolescent gynecomastia may require an intervention, in consultation with the patient, the parents, and child development professionals.

Adult. The most common form of gynecomastia. Gynecomastia in most adults is composed of glandular tissue but may contain varying quantities of adipose and fibrous tissue.

Pseudogynecomastia is composed not of glandular tissue, but of adipose tissue. It looks much like real gynecomastia but requires different treatment. Exercise and diet may be effective in combating pseudogynecomastia. Only if this regimen is unsuccessful should surgery be considered. This is generally the only type of gynecomastia which can be improved with liposuction, but excision may be indicated in some cases. This is also known as "false Gynecomastia" and is often attributed by obesity whereby insulin interacts with an excess of sugars or certain carbohydrates, namely those of which that have been processed.

Asymmetric/Unilateral. Unilateral gynecomastia occurs when only one breast is larger due to gynecomastia, the other breast is typically normal in both size and shape.

Severe gynecomastia is characterized by excess and/or saggy skin and severely enlarged breasts . This is itself determined in part by age , as older persons suffering from gynecomastia tend to have less skin elasticity and thus will have a greater abundance of excess skin related to gynecomastia. Experienced plastic surgeons will perform as much of the surgical treatment of severe gynecomastia as possible through an aereolar incision so as to avoid extensive scarring. However, some scarring may be unavoidable when treating extreme cases of gynecomastia.