Gynecomastia, or man boobs, is a condition that is actually quite common, and something that is often suffered in silence. It is when a man develops female-like breasts, which is brought about by a variety of causes. This can be a highly distressing issue as it puts a dent on ones' masculinity. This is reflected on the increasing number of breast reduction or gynecomastia surgery requests. According to the 2013 Plastic Surgery Statistics Report of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, there was an 11% increase fom 2012 to 2013.
If you are anxious about your man boobs, and may not have the means for radical treatment just yet, there are measures that can actually help you prevent it.
- Check your medications and consult with your doctor.
As much as a drug contains beneficial action, they also pose a number of side effeects, and for some, it can result in gynecomastia. In fact, drug-induced gynecomastia accounts for 20% of all the cases in the UK.
If ever you notice your breast changing with continued use of a certain drug, inform your doctor immediately. Take note, however, that you should not stop your medication on your own, especially if it is prescribed. It doesn't mean that you should no longer be taking such medications, but when you discuss it with your doctor, he can advise you on a treatment plan that would not make you vulnerable to gynecomastia.
This type of medications creates estrogen-like effects, hence the enlargment of the breast tissue. Here are is a list of medications whose side effects include gynecomastia:
- Antipsychotics
- Tricyclic Antidepressants
- Gonadotrophins
- Cimetidine
- Amiodarone
- Digoxin
- Finasteride
- Flutamide
- Isoniazid
- Methyldopa
- Metronidazole
- Alkylating agents
- Avoid recreational drugs
Recreational drugs, like marijuana, can also put you at risk for developing gynecomastia. It can alter your hormone levels and eventually tip the balance in favour of estrogen. Aside from all other serious consequences related to these drugs, you can start with gynecomastia as a way to convince yourself to stop using it. Gynecomastia will simply recede once you stop taking these drugs.
- Regular testicular self exam
You might probably wondering why you ought to be checking what is down there, when the problem is on your chest. But, did you know that one of the reasons for gynecomastia is the presence of tumors?
So the best thing to do is to regularly perform a testicular self exam. Here is how you can do this:
- First of all, it is ideal to do this during or after a shower because this is when the scrotal skin is warm and relaxed. Also, make sure that you are standing when performing the exam.
- Second is to gently hold your scrotal sac to locate a testicle.
- Once you do, hold a testicle with one hand while you gently roll your fingers of your other hand over the surface of the testicle. Try to feel for any lumps or assess any changes to your testicle.
- Repeat this procedure with the other testicle.
Normally, your testicles should feel firm, but not hard. It is also common that one testicle is positioned lower than the other.
Medical experts, however, do not recommend doing regular testicular self-exams if you do not belong to the high-risk group. This means that you do not have any familial predisposition for testicular tumors, you do not have any past experience with it, or an undescended testicle.
- Exercise
In some cases, the presence of fat in the chest area worsens gynecomastia, but the problem here is that even spot exercises may not do enough to help. According to an article at askmen.com, you cannot choose the areas where your body is going to lose fat, so you just have to lower it overall.
Cardio and strength training exercises are advised, along with a proper diet. Creating a caloric deficit is also emphasized to further promote weight loss. This means that you either increase the number of calories you burn with exercise or reduce it by changing your diet. But, you can have better results when you do both.
- Get pre-existing conditions checked
Gynecomastia is also associated with a number of conditions, such as hyperthyroidism or chronic liver disease. Medical assessment may also be done to rule out other conditions which may be mistaken for gynecomastia, such as, dermoid cyst, sebaceous cyst, mastitis, breast cancer, pseudogynecomastia, lipoma, hematoma, fat necrosis or ductal ectasia.
If you are suffering from a condition that could also lead to gynecomastia, discuss these concerns with your doctor so that he can create a treatment plan that will spare you from it. The goal here would be to treat the pre-existing condition first so that it does not result in gynecomastia.
If your gynecomastia is not relenting to all other treatments, get a consult with Esteem Cosmetic Studio today for surgical intervention. We assure a safe and reliable treatment with our highly experienced board certified surgeons.
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