What is Gynecomastia?

Liv Health Guide

Liv Hospital Ulus

Prof. MD. Mehmet Levhi Akın

General Surgery

29 May 2023

Article Content

What Causes Gynecomastia?

What is the Treatment for Gynecomastia?

How is Gynecomastia Noticed?

How Does Gynecomastia Go Away?

What are the Symptoms of Gynecomastia?

Who Gets Gynecomastia?

What is a Gynecomastia Corset?

Is Gynecomastia Surgery Risky?

Things to Be Considered After Gynecomastia Surgery

The Price of Gynecomastia Surgery

Frequently Asked Questions About "Gynecomastia”

How is Gynecomastia Surgery Performed?

What Are the Medications That Cause Gynecomastia?

Is Gynecomastia Surgery Permanent?

Gynecomastia is an increase in the amount of breast tissue in men that affects both breasts, caused by an imbalance between the hormones estrogen and testosterone.
Gynecomastia is an aesthetic problem that can occur for different reasons, although it usually develops due to hormonal imbalances that can be observed in all age groups in men. Currently, gynecomastia treatment can be provided with medication or surgery.

What Causes Gynecomastia?

The answer to the question “Why does gynecomastia occur?” is usually due to the decrease in the hormone testosterone compared to the estrogen levels of a man. A decrease in testosterone levels can develop due to conditions that reduce testosterone or increase estrogen levels.

The hormones testosterone and estrogen are hormones that control sex characteristics in both men and women. Testosterone controls male characteristics such as muscle mass and body hair, while estrogen controls various female characteristics such as breast growth. Although estrogen is considered a female hormone, it is also found in a certain amount in men. Imbalances between these two hormones can develop due to different conditions in each age group. The causes of gynecomastia include medication use, and drug or alcohol use, which trigger hormone levels, especially natural hormone changes. In addition, health conditions such as hypogonadism, aging and tumor development in the body can also cause the development of gynecomastia by creating hormonal imbalances.

What is the Treatment for Gynecomastia?

If the development of gynecomastia is detected in a man, two main treatment methods are applied. In case of gynecomastia development caused by hormonal imbalances in people, it is aimed to achieve hormonal balance by applying drug treatments initially. In advanced cases, if the gynecomastia does not improve, the increased breast tissue is removed from the body by resorting to gynecomastia surgery.

How is Gynecomastia Noticed?

Gynecomastia is usually noticed as it causes a noticeable physical difference. The observation of breast tissue growth in men although when they do not have excess weight, may indicate the development of gynecomastia in an individual. In some people, symptoms such as tenderness at the nipple can also provide an understanding of gynecomastia.

How Does Gynecomastia Go Away?

If gynecomastia is observed due to hormonal imbalances that develop periodically during infancy and adolescence, this condition goes away spontaneously over time. But in adults, gynecomastia is usually treated with gynecomastia medication or gynecomastia surgery, which eliminates gynecomastia.

What are the Symptoms of Gynecomastia?

Gynecomastia is a condition that is usually noticed by physical changes that do not show symptoms. However, in some people, the development of gynecomastia may bring along various symptoms. Among the symptoms of gynecomastia, the following are included.

Pain around the chest
Swelling in breast tissue
Tenderness in the breasts
A feeling of discomfort when the nipple rubs the clothes

Who Gets Gynecomastia?

Gynecomastia is a condition that a man can be affected by at any age group. It can be observed that babies are born with enlarged breasts under the influence of the estrogen hormone from the mother. During adolescence breast growth may develop again in adolescence due to hormone changes. In adults, gynecomastia may occur due to aging, weight gain, or medications used.
In addition to these conditions, the use of anabolic steroids to improve athletic performance is also a risk factor for gynecomastia. The development of gynecomastia can be observed in individuals with diseases such as liver, kidney, thyroid.

What is a Gynecomastia Corset?

Gynecomastia corset is a corset that is usually used after gynecomastia surgery. Gynecomastia corset, also called compression corset, is used to pull back the skin and control swelling in the tissue after surgery. It is recommended to wear a gynecomastia corset for the first 4 weeks after surgery.

Can Gynecomastia Be Corrected with a Corset?

Gynecomastia cannot be fixed with a corset. The purpose of using the corset is to speed up the recovery process after surgery and to ensure that the desired result is achieved.

Is Gynecomastia Surgery Risky?

Gynecomastia surgery is a surgery that is generally considered safe. After surgery, most patients recover easily in an effortless way. However, it may be possible to encounter some complications after surgery. Surgery complications such as bruising, bleeding, fluid collection in the breast tissue, loss of nipple skin or visible scarring may be encountered.

Things to Be Considered After Gynecomastia Surgery

The first thing to be paid attention after gynecomastia surgery is the use of a corset as recommended by the doctor. The use of a corset is extremely important during the first 4 weeks after surgery. It is recommended that people rest for the first 1 or 2 days after surgery. Strenuous activities should be avoided during the first two weeks. Exercises involving cardio and lower body activity can be started after the first two weeks. Chest exercises, on the other hand, can be started to be applied 4 weeks after surgery. If recommended by the doctor, breast tissue massage can be applied in some cases.

The Healing Process After Gynecomastia Surgery

The healing process varies according to the type of surgical technique used after gynecomastia surgery and the amount of tissue removed. In general, people recover completely within 4 or 6 weeks after surgery.

The Price of Gynecomastia Surgery

The price of gynecomastia surgery varies according to the hospital where the application will be performed and the current pricing list. It is recommended to contact the patient representatives of the relevant health institution in order to obtain price information for the surgery.

Frequently Asked Questions About "Gynecomastia”

How Do I Know If I Have Gynecomastia?

Gynecomastia is a condition that can occur in both breasts and is defined as a growth of breast tissue. In a true gynecomastia, a lump may also be felt under the chest. This lump is visible to the eye, as well as it can be felt when pressed against the area. The lump can move comfortably in the breast tissue and tenderness can be felt if it is touched.

What is False Gynecomastia?

False gynecomastia is a condition in which there is excessive fatty tissue behind and around the nipples of the male breast area. This condition, which develops due to excess weight rather than hormonal imbalances, can be treated with weight loss.

What Causes Nipple Enlargement in Men?

Nipple enlargement in men usually develops when there is an imbalance between the estrogen and testosterone hormones. Nipple enlargement can be observed if testosterone levels decrease compared to estrogen levels.

How Long Does Gynecomastia Surgery Take?

The duration of gynecomastia surgery varies depending on the preferred surgical method. If only liposuction is applied, the operation is usually completed within an hour. If a skin incision is made and breast tissue is removed, the operation may take 2 or 4 hours depending on the surgical technique to be applied.

Which Department or Doctor Should I Go to for Gynecomastia?

For gynecomastia, it is necessary to apply to the unit of plastic reconstructive and aesthetic surgery. After the examination to be performed by the plastic surgeon, the patient is referred to the endocrinology unit and the necessary hormone tests are performed.

How is Gynecomastia Surgery Performed?

Gynecomastia surgery is determined according to the person's gynecomastia development. Usually, excess fat and glandular tissue are removed during surgery. For the removal of excess breast tissue, usually, the liposuction method is performed. If the weight of excess breast tissue causes the breasts to sag and stretch the nipple area, called the areola, the plastic surgeon repositions and resizes the areola. Gynecomastia surgery is usually performed under general anesthesia. In some cases, the operation can also achieve a successful result if liposuction is performed alone.

What Are the Medications That Cause Gynecomastia?

Some medications used can cause gynecomastia. Antiandrogen drugs used to treat prostate cancer can cause gynecomastia. In addition, some antibiotics, anti-anxiety medications such as diazepam, anabolic steroids, chemotherapy, heart medications such as digoxin, and medications containing amphetamines may increase the risk of developing gynecomastia.

Is Gynecomastia Surgery Permanent?

Gynecomastia surgery is a permanent cosmetic surgery that means that the removed adipose tissue will not grow back.

People who plan to have gynecomastia surgery should apply to healthcare institutions with plastic reconstructive and aesthetic surgery units. Gynecomastia surgeries are performed by doctors specialized in the field of aesthetic surgery at Liv Hospital

* Liv Hospital Editorial Board has contributed to the publication of this content .
* Contents of this page is for informational purposes only. Please consult your doctor for diagnosis and treatment. The content of this page does not include information on medicinal health care at Liv Hospital .