For any teen or adult male suffering from gynecomastia – the presence of enlarged male breasts – the condition can be both embarrassing and uncomfortable. Not only can the condition be difficult to withstand and cause lowered self-esteem, it can also be an indication of other, underlying health problems, too. The good news is that there are a number of different gynecomastia treatment options for those interested in finding out the cause of their breast growth, and then remedying it the right way.
Gynecomastia Treatment Options Depend on the Diagnosis
Sometimes there is no known cause for a man’s breast growth, but in many cases the cause can be pinpointed. Quite a few cases of gynecomastia happen because of a person’s lifestyle, indicating that a change may be in order:
Being Overweight – Young males who are overweight are a prime candidate for enlarged breasts as teens and young adults, which can continue on throughout life if the excess weight is not lost. Although this is not true gynecomastia since enlarged breasts due only to weight gain are composed of only fat, they are just as problematic. In most cases, male breasts in teens due to excess weight resolves itself around the age of eighteen, but not in all cases.
Alcohol and Marijuana Use – Drinking a lot of alcohol and using marijuana can affect testosterone production in men, upsetting hormonal balance so that estrogen levels end up being higher than they should be, normally. When this happens, depending on a person’s genetic makeup, male breast growth can occur. This can also happen with heroin use and the use of certain other recreational drugs as well.
Steroid Use – Anabolic steroids used for any reason can inhibit testosterone production and, as with alcohol and marijuana use, upset hormonal balance, allowing the presence of higher than normal levels of estrogen affect the body.
Of course, there are other instances where the reason for a man’s breast growth are genetic, and due to another condition, or even medications being taken for a different purpose:
Medications – There are quite a few medications that people take for other conditions which can cause breast growth in males. Some of these drugs include certain drugs used to treat prostate cancers or enlarged prostate, certain AIDs medications, diazepam (valium) and some other anti-anxiety drugs, chemotherapy drugs, anti-ulcer medications like cimetidine, some antidepressants, certain antibiotics, some heart medications like digoxin and calcium channel blockers, and others.
Endocrine Disorders – Medical conditions such as Klinefelter’s Syndrome, kidney disease, liver disease, hyperthyroidism and pituitary insufficiencies can all cause gynecomastia as a side effect due to how the main condition affects the body’s hormonal balance.
Tumors – Some tumors, especially those of the reproductive organs or the endocrine system, will affect natural hormonal balance as well, resulting in male breast growth for some men.
Treating the Different Types of Male Breast Enlargement
It should be fairly obvious, but if the breast growth is occurring in a person who is either obese or uses alcohol, marijuana, anabolic steroids or any other substances that can temporarily alter testosterone production, enough that there is breast growth, these conditions should be corrected. By avoiding these substances, eating right and exercising regularly, males who have breast enlargement can many times correct the problem themselves. Proper diet and regular exercise is very important in reducing estrogen production, as it is tied in with insulin production; removing substances like alcohol and drugs will allow the production of testosterone to begin once again.
Gynecomastia treatment when there is a medical treatment involved of course depends on the condition. Seeing a specialist who can diagnose the true cause of male breast growth is very important in these cases.
Through examination, patient history and lab testing the doctor may be able to uncover an underlying concern that should be treated as the first step before considering doing anything about any excess breast growth.
If the underlying problem is treated and hormone levels are corrected, over some time the condition may go away on its own. In cases where the underlying cause is corrected and existing breast grown does not begin to dissipate, surgical removal of excess breast tissue is many times an option.
Gynecomastia due to the use of medications that are treating an unrelated condition can be more difficult to treat; patients can discuss the possibility of changing medications with their physicians, but this is not always possible.
Also, if the medications that are causing the condition are necessary and cannot be changed, surgery is usually only a temporary fix for the excess breast growth itself, with re-growth frequently happening as long as the medications are in use. For this reason, surgery is not a favorable gynecomastia treatment choice when the medications causing the condition will still be taken.
Regardless of which gynecomastia treatment ends up being the right one, any man who is bothered with male breast development and is considering treatment options should see their regular physician first. Discussing the condition to come up with a viable diagnosis and treatment plan is necessary to ensure the true cause is discovered, and the correct treatments are started.
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