Sign And Symptoms Of Gynecomastia

Well-developed breasts are considered as a sign of beauty in females, but what happen if a man develops prominent chest tissue or gynecomastia?

Men are often ashamed of their man-boobs, which in most cases is a mere deposition of fatty tissues in the chest region. Even without any disturbing symptoms, man-boobs can bring a lot of embarrassment to men and can affect their self-esteem and confidence. Man-boobs are also known as gynecomastia in sophisticated medical terms.

Pathophysiology Of Gynecomastia

Noticeable gynecomastia is usually caused by overproduction of hormones like prolactin and estrogen by the human body. As a consequence, normal estrogen and testosterone balance gets interrupted, which is not good for male health as testosterone is mainly responsible for enhancing masculine traits.

Real gynecomastia is characterized by growth of the soft tissues followed by the growth of hard tissues within the mammary glands. But nonetheless, this condition can be managed and even reversed in most cases without any surgical intervention. Nonetheless it is crucial to get accurate diagnosis and medical evaluation by a practitioner prior to initiating any boob-suppressing remedy, because sometimes body fats can also play a role in the development of this problem.

Classic Signs And Symptoms

Discussed below are classic signs and symptoms of gynecomastia that may assist in establishing correct diagnosis and differentiating this condition from body fats.

Most men only suffer from pseudogynecomastia but become too freaked out to understand the real deal. Pseudogynecomastia is characterized by presentation of fatty deposits in boobs-like appearance. This occurs due to escalating percentage of fats within the body. Men suffering from obesity are more likely to develop this condition; however skinnier men are not spared either. In skinny men, pseudogynecomastia occur due to low muscular mass, and elevated mass of fats.

Bodybuilders are also prone to developing pseudogynecomastia due to muscle growth and remodeling in the chest region as a result of extensive training. Some men may feel that they have developed this problem. Other causes of gynecomastia include hormonal or genetic disorders and long term use of certain drugs (such as Spironolactone and Risperdal)

Before panicking, it is very strongly recommended to examine yourself very closely. If there is an absence of hard lumps in the chest (which forms due to the growth of glandular tissues) and if the fat percentage exceeds 20% then the condition is more likely to be due to pseudogynecomastia. It must not be confused with the real gynecomastia.

Spotting Out The Real Gynecomastia

There are four grades or stages of gynecomastia as explained by the American Society of Plastic Surgeons.

These grades are listed as following:

• Grade1: it is referred to as mild gynecomastia and is characterized by the formation of small but hard button-like lumps in the region of areolas.
• Grade 2: it is referred to as mild-moderate gynecomastia and is characterized by evident breast tissue growth that goes further beyond the edges of chest. In this stage, individuals develop breast growth and enlargement.
• Grade 3: it is referred to as moderate-severe gynecomastia and is characterized by remarkable prominence in the growth of breast tissues and the man boobs become saggy with the nipples pointing downwards.
• Grade 4: it is referred to as severe-feminized gynecomastia. As the term suggests, man boobs look more feminized at this stage. The glandular tissues can also be felt upon touch and the boobs completely face the floor as they become saggy and droopy.

Researchers are also working towards developing some supplements that can reverse gynecomastia. Since it involves overproduction of estrogen, therefore the use of supplements that lowers estrogen levels is often recommended. Zinc pilconate may also be used as it boosts the level of testosterone and blocks the activity of estrogens. Same is true for Boron Glycinate as it also boosts the testosterone levels which help restore the masculine traits in men.

References

• Rew, L., Young, C., Harrison, T., & Caridi, R. (2015). A systematic review of literature on psychosocial aspects of gynecomastia in adolescents and young men. Journal of adolescence, 43, 206-212.
• Paris, F., Gaspari, L., Mbou, F., Philibert, P., Audran, F., Morel, Y., ... & Sultan, C. (2016). Endocrine and molecular investigations in a cohort of 25 adolescent males with prominent/persistent pubertal. Andrology.
• Etminan, M., Carleton, B., & Brophy, J. M. (2015). Risperidone and risk of gynecomastia in young men. Journal of child and adolescent psychopharmacology, 25(9), 671-673.