The condition of Gynecomastia or large male breasts happens when a person’s breasts grow due to hormone imbalance. Typically, the hormone testosterone inhibits the development of breast tissue, while estrogen has a stimulating effect. Imbalances between these hormones can result in gynecomastia. Being overweight can increase fat storage in your chest and throughout your body. However, studies have observed that between 32 to 65 percent of men have this issue. Thankfully, several treatments are available for gynecomastia.
Non-surgical cures commonly target the root cause, including lifestyle modifications, medicines, and hormone therapy. Surgical treatments are also available for individuals with excessive gynecomastia. Thus, in this blog, we will explore these cures in detail to assist sufferers in making informed choices.
What Are The Reasons Behind Gynecomastia?
The cause will determine the most suitable treatment option for you. So, right here are some reasons:
- Growing age may be one of the reasons. Older people are also more likely to be taking medicines that can cause gynecomastia as a side effect.
- Obesity is also the most common purpose of gynecomastia. Therefore, with the increase in weight, the estrogen level will increase, and extra fats can cause the growth of the breasts.
- Puberty is a reason, as approximately 60 percent of young men have symptoms of gynecomastia by age 14 because of hormonal modifications during puberty.
- At any weight, a higher overall body fat percentage can lead to gynecomastia and increase chest fat storage. So, higher estrogen levels are also linked to a higher percentage of body fat.
- Some medicines can be the reason for enlarged male breasts. Moreover, it involves some medicines used to treat HIV and some antihypertensive medications. A few of the medical disorders can also stimulate gynecomastia condition.
In What Ways Is Gynecomastia Managed?
The treatment option will depend on age, symptoms, general health, and how severe the condition is. Most cases take place during puberty. So, this situation usually gets better on its own without a cure. But this may take from 6 months to 2 or 3 years. However, if a medication is inflicting your breast enlargement, you may be required to stop taking the medicine. If these problems are left untreated, the condition can return. So, hormone therapy is the remedy for gynecomastia. In other cases, the surgical remedy may remove the extra tissue from the male breasts.
Treatment Options Without Surgery
Non-surgical treatments are often the first line of defense against gynecomastia. These options aim to cope with the underlying causes and reduce signs without invasive methods.
Improve Your Lifestyle Behavior
- Quit or minimize alcohol intake.
- Try to stay away from stressful situations in your life.
- Ensure you get at least seven hours of sleep each night.
- Perform at least 150 minutes of light aerobic exercise per week.
- Aim to strengthen all essential muscle groups at least twice per week.
- Have a balanced diet with an emphasis on minimally processed meals.
Diet Tips For Gynecomastia
Consuming a balanced diet helps you ensure your body has all the nutrients it needs to produce as much testosterone as possible and reduce body fat percentage.
Exercise Tips For Gynecomastia
- Brisk walking
- Jogging
- Swimming
- Skating
- Dancing
- Rowing
- Skipping
Surgical Treatments For Gynecomastia
When non-surgical strategies are useless or if the case causes significant pain or mental distress, surgical intervention may be essential.
Gynecomastia Surgery
It is also called male breast reduction and reduction mammaplasty. It facilitates people who have gynecomastia (enlarged male breast tissue). People select this procedure to remove extra tissue and fat from their breasts. Moreover, it can help you feel more confident and good about yourself. Many people decide to have the process done to improve their appearance.
Two gynecomastia surgical treatment alternatives are:
Liposuction
This surgical procedure removes breast fat but not the breast gland tissue.
Mastectomy
The elimination of breast gland tissue happens in this form of surgical treatment. Making tiny incisions can help perform a mastectomy when there is little gland tissue present. Thus, this reduces the recovery time. Sometimes, liposuction and mastectomy are mixed.
Can You Prevent Gynecomastia?
Unfortunately, you may not control many of the hormone adjustments that cause gynecomastia. If needed, you can reduce your chance of gynecomastia by switching medicines or looking for treatment.
When Should You See A Doctor For Gynecomastia?
Other than breast soreness, gynecomastia usually does not create any other symptoms. But it could be a reason for mental distress. Therefore, seeking medical attention is the best idea if you have swelling, nipple discharge, or severe pain. Moreover, seeing a doctor is particularly crucial if you believe you have a medical condition that includes hyperthyroidism or a tumor. The best way to treat your gynecomastia will depend on the underlying problem, which a specialist will help you find.
Wrapping Up
Gynecomastia is a common condition with various treatment options tailored to individual needs. Non-surgical strategies, including lifestyle modifications and hormone therapy, are effective for many sufferers. Besides, the gynecomastia surgery procedure provides a permanent solution for extreme cases. Addressing physical and emotional elements of gynecomastia is critical for boosting quality of life.
Therefore, talk together with your healthcare practitioner in case you’re self-conscious and aware of the size and look of your breasts. The gynecomastia surgeon can pinpoint the reason for the size increase and guide if treatment might also help.
