Some men are subject to having enlarged breasts, which look more similar to women’s than men’s pectorals. There is a common misconception that the reason these develop, or why some men have them and others don’t, is due to a poor diet and poor exercise. Basically, most people think that these men get these from ‘letting themselves go’. Although this is not the case, if you are someone who suffers from this then you are aware that no amount of exercise seems to make it any better, what you probably don’t know is that it is actually a medically recognised condition, read below to find out all about gynecomastia.

The term gynecomastia derives from Greek words. The word gyne means "woman" and mastos means "breast." So in laments terms, this means abnormally large breasts on men.

Although in the medical world gynecomastia is a benign enlargement of the male breast resulting from an increase of the glandular component of the breast.

Gynecomastia is defined medically as the excess of a rubbery fatty mass which extends around the pectoral area giving the impression of women like breasts. The condition gynecomastia is recognisable by excess fat deposition without having glandular proliferation. Gynecomastia is usually bilateral.

Gynecomastia is fairly common in teenage boys, and a vast majority of the time symptoms disappear in a matter of months, or, as their teenage years come to an end, or perhaps a few years later. But the remaining minority are burdened with these symptoms remaining, which can really lower their body confidence.

Generally when you look around on the internet to find out more information regarding this, they are all written in medical jargon which is incredibly difficult to understand. For the purposes of this article they will be discussed in a way which everyone can understand them, if you want a more in depth discussion or proper medical information it is wise to go and see a doctor who can shine some light, in an understandable manner.

There are two main causes, which can either be physiologic or pathologic. Physiologic is seen in newborn infants, teenagers and older people.

Pathologic gynecomasatia is where there is a decrease in the body’s production of testosterone and an increase in the production of oestrogen. There are several conditions which can cause decreased testosterone production, some examples of these are; klinefelter syndrome, congenital anorchia, testicular trauma, testicular torsion, viral orchitis, kallmann syndrome and pituitary tumours.

These examples can seem a bit daunting, however do not panic. As stated previously most are benign, meaning that there is nothing directly to worry about health wise. However, sometimes it can be a warning sign that you have a serious medical disorder so if you are sitting reading this and have never gotten them checked out, it is best to do so to ensure that you remain on the safe side.

The main causes of this condition are; an imbalance of hormones – as has been discussed above, medication which includes estrogens or steroid compounds, or perhaps a failure of the liver to inactivate circulating estrogen.

Certain medications which you can get are able to promote indirectly the growth of your breast. This is due the the medication mixing up and unbalancing the estrogen and testosterone present in your system. This condition is a unwanted outcome of the treatment and medication you can be put on when you have prostate cancer. Drugs which are known to contribute or cause this condition are: hormones, cancer medication, cardiovascular drugs, antidepressants, drugs such as alcohol and marijuana.

Other factors which have been known to promote this breast growth is by the usage of drugs or alcohol. These are able to cause this condition as they sort of ‘fake’ estrogen and stimulate the production of androgen. Steroids and some other drugs which are used in excess can sometimes be converted into estrogen, which can lead to an increase in breast fat in men. To treat this breast growth, it may be possible to change your medication, although sometimes it may not be as simple as this.

Men whom are over the age of sixty tend to produce less testosterone which results in them gaining fat tissue that converts this into estrogen, which is why it is most common in elderly people.

Despite everything that has been mentioned, it is important to remember not to panic as only a tiny percentage of reported cases can signal big problems, in this small percentage of cases gynecomastia has signaled types of cancer. Tumours can produce extra estrogen which can in turn lead to a decrease of testosterone, so developing breasts can be seen as an early warning sign.

There are ways to treat this condition although the treatment which works for you will be dependent on a number of factors. The cause of the disorder is the most important factor. If the gynecomastia is from you taking some medication, stopping taking the said drug may be all that is needed or going on a drug with an adverse effect. If it is down to going through puberty unfortunately you are going to have to sit and wait, the problem may work itself out over time, it may not, although most cases do tend to rectify themselves over time.

Another factor to bear in mind is the length of time your breasts have been bigger than normal. The longer a patient has dealt with it the more normal it may seem, however if it is a recent thing they may be worried. A huge factor is the psychological effects it can have and how it can make men perceive their bodies.

In general, as with anything there are things to note about the side effects, or things to expect after receiving treatment, in this case these include: pain and comfortableness with the area being tender, embarrassment regarding your condition or emotional instability after years of dealing with it. The most effective therapy which you can receive is the having an operation to remove the excess tissue through a small incision. Some patients have more excess fat then others, in cases like this suction-assisted lipectomy is also likely to be used in the procedure to improve the results you will see.

Knowing all about gynecomastia is important, not just so you know to see a physician, but so you feel better within yourself about it.