Gynecomastia And Male Breast Reduction At Smith Plastic Surgery
The topic of male breast development can be an embarrassing one. It may be comforting to know that this condition is more common than men realize. The medical term for the enlargement of male breasts is called gynecomastia. The problem can be minor to very severe. Gynecomastia is most often not medically harmful, but can be extremely embarrassing.*
Causes Of Gynecomastia
There are many causes of gynecomastia. Gynecomastia is very common during puberty and adolescence. Most often it is a temporary problem and will go away as a young man develops. As older men age, it is also not uncommon to experience Gynecomastia due to increased estrogen levels.
Other causes of gynecomastia include steroid use among body-builders. The body converts excessive steroids into estrogen and estrogen-like compounds which cause breast development. Large weight gains can also cause gynecomastia. Other common causes of gynecomastia include alcohol, certain medications, and marijuana. Often discontinuing the use of these substances will lead to improvement or resolution of the gynecomastia.
Rarely, a male may get breast cancer and this can cause unilateral enlargement of the male breast.
