Gynaecomastia is a condition that causes an increase in the amount of breast gland tissues in men or boys. It is caused due to an imbalance of hormones. This condition can affect one or both breasts, and sometimes it can be uneven.
This can have a huge impact on your confidence. If you think you might have gynaecomastia, you should schedule a consultation with your doctor. You can then consider different treatments or the gyno surgery Sydney, depending on what your doctor think is necessary.
Generally speaking gynaecomastia is not considered as a serious problem, because it does not cause any issues that are dangerous to your health. With that said, it can be very difficult to cope with this condition. Men and boys might also have pain in their breasts and that can feel very embarrassing and uncomfortable. So, here are some things you should know about the condition and your options.
What are the symptoms?
A lot of adult men who have gynaecomastia will report to have no other symptoms. Usually gynaecomastia can go away on its own as well, while other times it might result in some signs and symptoms. For example, you might notice pain in your breasts, swollen breast tissues and tenderness, and sensitivity in the nipples.
What causes gynaecomastia?
This condition is triggered by the decrease in the amount of testosterone when compared to estrogen. The decrease of the hormone can be caused by a number of different conditions that block the effects of testosterone, increase your estrogen levels, or reduce testosterone in general.
A lot of people think that estrogen is mainly a female hormone, however, men do also produce it, just in much smaller quantities. Male estrogen levels that are too high will go out of balance with the levels of testosterone and that can cause gynaecomastia.
Infants – male infants are born with enlarged breasts because of their mother’s estrogen. This, seeing swollen breast tissues in infants is normal, and it should go away in about two or three weeks.
Puberty – gynaecomastia is caused by the changes in our hormones during puberty and is quite common. In a lot of cases, the swollen breast tissue in men during puberty will go away on its own without a need for a treatment.
Adults – men in their 50s to 80s are more likely to develop gynaecomastia. However, even if they develop the condition, they often do not experience any other symptoms.
Diagnosis
The diagnosis will be based on the review of your symptoms and a medical exam of your breast tissues, genitals and abdomen. Your doctor is likely to order some tests to rule out other conditions. These tests can include mammograms, blood tests, testicular ultrasounds, tissue biopsies, and others.
There are some conditions that cause similar symptoms, and your doctor needs to make sure which condition is causing your breast enlargement. For example, men and boys who are obese, will have breast fat that resembles gynaecomastia, but this is not the same as gynaecomastia. Breast cancer might be uncommon in men, but it can occur and often times it looks like gynaecomastia.
What’s the treatment?
Usually, gynaecomastia will go away on its own, but sometimes it might need a treatment. If gynaecomastia is caused by an underlying condition, then the underlying condition needs to be treated first. In case you are taking medication that is known to cause the condition, your doctor will first recommend that you substitute the medication before talking about the treatment.
In adolescents where there is no apparent cause of gynaecomastia, the doctor might recommend reevaluations every 3 – 6 months. Gynaecomastia is often known to go away on its own in adolescence, but if it does not you might need treatment to get rid of it.
The treatment can include medications, usually used to treat breast cancer or other conditions. For example, your doctor might prescribe Tamoxifen (Soltamox) or Aromatase inhibitors. These drugs were approved by the FDA, but they are not approved as the gynaecomastia treatment.
In case medication does not work, you might need surgery. If enlarged breasts are very bothersome to you, and they affect you mentally, your doctor might recommend surgery. There are two gynaecomastia surgery options. One is the liposuction procedure that can be used for many other procedures such as a getting rid of neck fat or the neck lift in Sydney. The other surgery is called mastectomy.
Final word
Gynaecomastia might not be a serious medical condition, but this condition can have negative effects on your mental health. If you have this condition and natural remedies or medication is not helping, consult your doctor about surgery options.
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