There is rarely a man who doesn’t appreciate boobs, unless they happen to be on his own body. It is estimated that 40-60% of men suffer the embarrassment of sporting man boobs. Most men with boobs do a great job of concealing the problem. They avoid swimming, the beach, volleyball on hot afternoons, showers at the gym … anywhere they’d normally expose a manly chest. Sometimes they even avoid forming a relationship for fear of ridicule or rejection. Having breasts like a woman can be emasculating.

What causes men to develop breasts?
Enlarged breasts in men may be caused by: Gynecomastia or Pseudogynecomastia.

1. Gynecomastia. In Gynecomastia, a man actually develops glandular breast tissue, causing male breasts to form.
2. Pseudogynecomastia. In Pseudogynecomastia, enlargement of the breasts is caused by deposits of fatty tissue under the breasts, usually as a result of weight gain. No breast tissue forms, just fat cells, which according to studies produce small amounts of estrogen which further fuels male breast enlargement. As far as a man’s risk for breast enlargement is concerned, obesity is a double whammy.

Through a physical examination, your doctor will be able to tell you which of these two conditions is causing your problem. Fortunately, Pseudogynecomastic can almost always be corrected through exercise and proper weight loss.

More about Gynecomastia
However, if you are not overweight, most likely you can blame your boobs on Gynecomastia. There are several potential causes of Gynecomastia. These include:

· Hormonal changes

· Medication, especially Cimetidine, Spironolactone and Finasteride

· Street drugs, such as heroin, marijuana and amphetamines

· Thyroid problems

Since hormone imbalance is one of our specialties at LivingYoung, this article will explain how your hormones may be giving you boobs you don’t want.

Men and Their Hormones
Estrogen is a household word usually associated with women. However, men produce estrogen as well, just in different amounts than women. A less familiar hormone is progesterone, also usually considered to be a feminine hormone (but men produce that one too). The delicate balance of estrogen and progesterone during most of life is what makes men manly and women, feminine.

Progesterone plays a large role in the body functions of both men and women of all ages. Progesterone has been called the “mother of all hormones” due to its role as the precursor of many other important hormones including estrogen and testosterone. When correctly balanced in a man, progesterone is responsible for increased sperm count, high energy levels, and a happy prostrate.

In men, progesterone is produced by the adrenal glands. As with so many of the body’s hormones, production starts to slow down with age. When a progesterone deficiency occurs in a man, the delicate estrogen-progesterone balance is disrupted. The result is the development of excessive estrogen, making men prone to man boobs, increased abdominal fat and decreased facial hair. Excessive estrogen also may lead to clotting diseases, strokes and angina, as if the man boobs weren’t bad enough.

How to get rid of man boobs
Start with the simplest things first. If taking any of the street drugs mentioned above, stop and see if that prevents further enlargement. If you are on any of the prescribed drugs known to cause breast enlargement, ask your physician for an appropriate substitute.

If none of the above applies, consult a physician specializing in hormones. She can quickly determine if your boobs are the result of hormonal imbalance, specifically, a deficiency in progesterone. If that is the case, you will be overjoyed to learn that Progesterone Therapy can take a real weight off your chest. Other benefits of Progesterone Therapy include:

· Increased libido (and ability)

· Regrowth of facial hair (and improved complexion)

· Higher energy, less mid-day sleepiness

· Flattening of the mid-age paunch

· Helps prevent osteoporosis

· Helps prevent Alzheimer’s

· Increases self-image (no more embarrassing boobs)

A last – and lasting – alternative is surgery. Male breast reduction surgery involves liposuction where the surgeon inserts a tube into your chest and sucks away the fat and removes glandular breast tissue. This 60- to 90-minute outpatient procedure swiftly brings a dramatic improvement in appearance. Although it is the most expensive way to eliminate man boobs, after the surgery, they don’t come back. This type of surgery is another of the services offered through LivingYoung by our plastic surgeon, Dr. Karen Singer.

Isn’t it time you took off your shirt?
Helping people feel better about themselves is LivingYoung’s primary mission. While you already know how embarrassing man boobs are, seeking out available help should not add to your embarrassment. What seems monumental to you is everyday routine for us. When you are ready to take off your shirt and live life fully, give LivingYoung a call.