What causes gynecomastia? Ask the Expert
The paradox is indeed striking – individuals who spend countless hours sculpting their bodies to perfection becoming susceptible to a condition that gives their chests a less traditionally masculine appearance. However, it highlights the multi-faceted nature of gynecomastia and emphasises the importance of understanding its wide array of potential causes. Coming off the drugs can lead to low mood, erectile dysfunction, infertility and depression – as a result of too much oestrogen.
- The use of androgenic drugs or substances like androgenic steroids or prohormones or even some prescription medications side effects include gynecomastia.
- Most of our cases are grade 1 to grade 2 and because of the type of anaesthesia we use bleeding is reduced and hence complication rate is very low.
- There are also gels or cream based steroids which are also available and supposedly used for skin massage.
- Often, the exact cause of a person’s gynecomastia cannot be pinpointed because the exact cause can range from intake of medications to hormonal changes, to genetic predisposition.
It’s important to differentiate gynecomastia from simple fat accumulation in the chest area due to obesity or lack of fitness, as gynecomastia specifically involves the development of glandular tissue, not just the accumulation of fat. Man-made or synthetically developed variations of testosterone (a natural male hormone) are commonly termed as anabolic steroids. Gynecomastia is enlarged male breast tissue; gyno means female, whereas mastia refers to breast, so gynecomastia is enlarged breast tissue in men, and it can range from puffy nipples to enlarged breast with excess skin.
Signs of gynaecomastia
Surgical male breast reduction is the only permanent solution to gynaecomastia. So diet and exercise alone may not be enough to get rid of gynaecomastia entirely, particularly if there are other causes at play. It will effectively reduce chest fat, but not the more important glandular tissue, which will require medical intervention to make any meaningful change.
- For very severe cases I prefer to do excision of the breast with relocation of the areola and nipple to a normal or closer to normal position, which leaves you with a flat chest but with horizontal scars across each side.
- Not all gynecomastia are the same and there are different levels or grades depending upon breast enlargement size as well as the feminisation of the breast.
- Gynecomastia is a medical condition characterised by an unusual growth of glandular breast tissue in biological males.
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- At 6 months we expect full healing and at this point we plan to discharge you after reviewing your results.
Body’s ability to use the drug effectively is reduced by constantly using of anabolic steroids. Additionally, body’s natural process of producing testosterone also might get stopped. The pattern of taking steroids for a certain period of time, stopping in-between and restarting it again is called steroid cycling.
Anabolic Steroid Abuse
Postoperative care is of equal importance to ensure a successful outcome. Patients are generally advised to wear a compression garment to help reduce swelling and support the new chest contour as it heals. Regular follow-ups with our medical team will also ensure that you are healing well and are satisfied with the results.
If excess skin has resulted from severe gynecomastia, it might be necessary to remove this skin for optimal results. Our surgeons will evaluate your case thoroughly to determine the best approach for your unique situation. While gynecomastia can certainly be a source of embarrassment or discomfort, it’s crucial to remember that help is available.
Having too much oestrogen also encourages the formation of fat cells, which explains why some steroid users gain weight after stopping the drugs. The testes stop producing testosterone to save resources when men take steroids because the body gets an abundance of the hormone from the drugs. Dr John Skevofilax, chief surgeon at Signature Clinics, claimed a growing number of men abusing the drugs are coming to him for breast reduction surgery.
Also the patient somehow participates in the treatment, is aware of what is happening and can communicate to patients what exactly is happening during the surgery. Type 4 is when it’s severe loose skin and the nipple is over the breast crease or fold and in most cases skin excision is required. Other known causes are obesity, use of androgenic drugs or substances like androgenic steroids or prohormones or even some prescription medications side effects include gynecomastia.
Ageing men can also experience these hormonal changes due to declining testosterone levels, leading to an increased risk of gynecomastia. I like using the BodyTite machine because of the added safety feature of the heat sensor, which reduces the risk of burning the skin. We use local anaesthesia (tumescent solution) for all our gynecomastia surgery procedures.
Preventing Steroid Gynecomastia
Gynecomastia pills available in the market of UK fall under three different classes. Gynecomastia Shirts – This is the cheapest of all the options in masking gynecomastia https://aanabolic.com but it is not a permanent solution. There are three main options for the treatment of gynecomastia with each one of them having their own advantages and disadvantages.