Home » Gynecology » False gynecomastia: symptoms and treatment. False gynecomastia (lipomastia) - in men, fatty, how to distinguish, treatment Gynecomastia or fat

False gynecomastia: symptoms and treatment. False gynecomastia (lipomastia) - in men, fatty, how to distinguish, treatment Gynecomastia or fat

False gynecomastia (fatty gynecomastia, lipomastia, pseudogynecomastia) is a benign enlargement of the mammary glands in men due to the proliferation of adipose tissue.

The disease occurs in men of different ages and leads to isolation and psychological discomfort.

At what age can it occur?

The disease occurs in men of different age periods:

. Fluctuations in hormones during this period predispose adolescents to gain excess body weight, so they often develop mixed gynecomastia. After puberty ends, hormonal levels return to normal, and excess weight and fatty tissue in the chest area persist for a long time.
Young and mature age. Men 20-45 years old experience false gynecomastia if they are overweight.
Elderly and senile age. The pathology develops against the background of hormonal changes in the male body and a decrease in physical activity, so in most cases a mixed form of gynecomastia develops.

Reasons

The cause of the disease is excess weight of the whole body: when the number of fat cells in the chest, abdomen and thighs begins to increase proportionally.

In rare cases, idiopathic false gynecomastia is observed , when adipose tissue grows only in the area of the mammary glands, and the patient is not overweight.

Consequences

Fatty gynecomastia does not affect the general health and condition of a man.

Excess weight leads to disruptions in the functioning of many organs and systems, but the fat layer in the chest area itself does not harm the patient’s health.

How to distinguish from true gynecomastia?

Externally, true and false gynecomastia do not differ from each other. However, the approaches to treating these two forms are radically different.

Mastopexy with liposuction

If the overstretched skin does not regain its original appearance, additional interventions are required to return the breasts to their original shape.

Then, in addition to liposuction, mastopexy is used - breast lift.

During surgery, the nipple can be returned to its previous position and size if it is larger than normal.

Possible complications

After surgery, patients may encounter the following problems:

Postoperative bleeding- one of the most frequent complications, which can begin due to problems with the blood coagulation system and non-compliance with the postoperative regimen.
Scars and cicatricial changes in the skin. They develop due to the individual characteristics of the body and improper care of the wound surface. It is recommended to use special creams that promote the resorption of scars (Kontratubeks and others)
Wound infection and sepsis. These problems develop due to decreased immunity and penetration into the wound. bacterial infection. Requires antibiotic therapy.
Retraction in the area of the mammary glands. Indentations may appear in the area of the removed fatty tissue, which are visible when moving the arms and turning the body.

Prevention

Prevention of the disease consists of following the principles of a healthy diet and regular physical activity.

What's the prognosis?

With a mild degree of false gynecomastia, the prognosis is favorable, provided that the patient follows a diet and exercises.

Severe forms of the disease are subject to surgical treatment, however, non-compliance with the diet and the same lifestyle contribute to the return of adipose tissue to the breast area.

Are they allowed into the army with this diagnosis?

False gynecomastia is a benign growth of adipose tissue.

This disease is not a contraindication for military service.

Gynecomastia does not affect the patient’s well-being and physical capabilities.

A deferment can be given only for the duration of the surgical intervention.

False gynecomastia for a man is an unpleasant and painful diagnosis. You can get rid of it with the help of conservative treatment, but if it is ineffective, you should resort to surgery.

To achieve lasting results, you need to adhere to the regimen prescribed by your doctor throughout your life.

Gynecomastia is quite common. This pathology represents a significant enlargement of the mammary glands in men. The most common cause of this condition is hormonal problems in an adult man. The amount of estrogen in the blood increases rapidly, and androgens decreases significantly. This pathology is accompanied not only by aesthetic defects, but also has a detrimental effect on psychological state person.

Before starting treatment, it is necessary to establish what exactly could lead to the appearance of such pathological condition. Today the most common reasons development of the disease become:

increase in the level of the hormone prolactin in the blood of a man
imbalance between estrogens and androgens
dysfunction of the pituitary gland
reception hormonal drugs to quickly increase testosterone in the blood
constant heavy physical activity
frequent beer drinking
wearing an uncomfortable bra for women
taking certain antifungals medicines and diuretics
chronic liver diseases
problems in the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract
frequent exhausting diets with an incorrectly selected diet
uncontrolled use of steroids by athletes

In some cases, pathology does not act as a separate disease, but is a consequence of other health problems. Gynecomastia in adolescents can also appear after long-term use of hormonal drugs.

Gynecomastia in women and men, as well as the juvenile form of the disease, does not pose a particular danger to overall health. But if it is not cured in time, the pathology can develop into breast cancer. In men mammary glands do not always increase evenly. It happens that one breast remains normal and does not cause any discomfort, but the second one begins to hurt and protrude. Many men suffering from this disease have problems with their psychological state.

The main risk group is children and adolescents. Their hormonal levels take a long time to establish, which can affect their health. Elderly men, in whom the amount of androgens in the blood decreases during the aging process, are also susceptible to the development of pathology.

Gynecomastia during puberty often goes unnoticed because adolescence many men still do not understand what exactly is happening to them, and do not attach much importance to body changes.

Classification of gynecomastia

Gynecomastia is usually divided into true and false.

Code ICD 10 N62.

False gynecomastia often occurs in overweight men. This happens due to rapid growth adipose tissue in the area chest. True gynecomastia is divided into the following forms:

pathological
physiological

The physiological form can be treated quite easily at home. The main goal of the therapy is to eliminate the main cause of the pathology. The following age groups of men are most susceptible to this form of the disease:

Newborns and children up to one year of age. In this case, the cause of gynecomastia may be the constant use of hormonal medications while carrying a baby. This type of gynecomastia does not require special treatment and goes away without any medical intervention as the child grows.
Teenagers. Juvenile gynecomastia is quite common. Puberty in boys is characterized by hormonal changes and a surge of hormones. All this can lead to a predominance of female sex hormones over male ones. If there are no concomitant pathologies, then teenage gynecomastia cannot be treated in any way and goes away on its own after some time.
Older men. After 50 years, androgens practically cease to be produced in the male body, while female hormones are produced in the same quantities. In this case, gynecomastia develops due to hormonal imbalance.

Experts also talk about unilateral gynecomastia, when only one gland suffers and increases in size, and about a bilateral form of pathology, covering both mammary glands.

The presence of pathology is determined by the presence of specific symptoms. The main signs of gynecomastia directly depend on the stage of development of the disease:

At the very beginning, uncontrolled proliferation of connective tissue occurs. Gynecomastia affects both the smallest and largest thoracic ducts. This condition usually lasts for about 4 months. With proper treatment, the pathology does not develop further and recovery occurs.
The intermediate stage of gynecomastia most often lasts up to six months. A man's breasts quickly increase in size due to excessive growth of glandular tissue.
The last stage is that connective tissue fibromatosis also joins the active growth of fat cells. All this leads to the appearance of compactions in the thickness of the gland. In this case conservative treatment may not give positive results. It is better for a man to seek the help of a qualified surgeon.

Gynecomastia in men is often accompanied by a specific discharge from the nipples that resembles colostrum. Any pain the patient may not experience it. He is only worried about the heaviness and discomfort in his chest. Even in the case when only one gland is enlarged, the second can also be affected by the pathological process.

If the pathology is bilateral or unilateral, but with specific seals that bring pain and discomfort, and the skin of the gland changes color and becomes tense, the man should immediately consult a doctor. In the case when an increase in axillary muscles is added to the manifestations on the chest lymph nodes, we are talking about the presence of a neoplasm.

Why is gynecomastia dangerous for men?

Physiological gynecomastia does not pose a threat to a man’s health. She can regress on her own. In this case, only emotional and aesthetic discomfort arises, which passes over time.

Nodular gynecomastia, like fatty gynecomastia in men, progresses rapidly and can cause breast cancer. This applies to both men and gynecomastia in women. Appearance bloody discharge from the nipples and dense formations in the gland itself requires immediate medical attention.

Diagnosis of the disease

The question often arises as to which doctor to contact to make a definitive diagnosis of gynecomastia. In this case, the man should contact an endocrinologist. After a thorough examination, palpation and examination of complaints, the patient may be referred for the following additional examinations:

biochemical blood test
Ultrasound of the scrotum and bilateral examination of the mammary glands in a man
CT lungs
MRI of the adrenal glands

If, when studying the test results, a significant increase in the average level of the hormone hCG and estradiol is revealed, the man will definitely need to undergo studies that will help exclude the presence of malignant tumor. If concomitant pathologies are identified, they require immediate treatment.

Treatment in this case depends on the cause that caused the appearance of gynecomastia in a man. Before making a final diagnosis, the presence of a malignant tumor is excluded. The man is recommended to be observed by several highly specialized specialists. Improvements occur approximately six months after the start of treatment. If no positive dynamics are observed, drug therapy corrected.

Proper nutrition for gynecomastia

When gynecomastia occurs in men, it is necessary to follow a strict diet. This is necessary to increase or correct the level of testosterone production. With proper nutrition, a man quickly restores his normal rational hormonal balance. All this helps to adjust and significantly accelerate all metabolic processes and quickly remove toxins from the body.

The diet should include: porcini mushrooms, boiled dietary meat, berries, cereals and fresh fruits. With such a diet, estrogens from the man’s body begin to be eliminated faster, which reduces the possibility of the appearance of malignant tumors.

It is very important to create the correct drinking regimen for gynecomastia. A man needs to drink at least 2 liters of still water per day. The necessary hormones are produced faster with regular physical activity. Sport often helps a man overcome many diseases.

Conservative treatment

In most cases, various hormonal medications are used for treatment, based on pure progesterone. They work well in case of insufficiency of one or both testicles, as well as some antiestrogens that can block the main hormones of women.

For gynecomastia in men, the following drug therapy regimen is mainly used:

Thiamine Bromide in the form of a regular B vitamin for the rapid transformation of male hormones into female ones. Prescribed once a day in the form of injections for 14 days.
Vitamin B1, which is used mainly to block the production of the hormone aromatase. Used intramuscularly for gynecomastia. It is recommended to do injections for at least 20 days.
Androgel is an ointment based on pure testosterone. Apply only in the morning.
Didrotestosterone. The drug promotes the rapid disposal of excess adipose tissue in case of poor development of the gonads in men.
Tamoxifen is intended to reduce the level of estrogen production, which increases the susceptibility to the formation of tumors of various etiologies.
Clomiphene citrate helps to significantly reduce the level of estrogen in the blood, which prevents breast growth in men. Use 1 tablet for 30 days.
Sustanon is a unique mixture of essential testosterone esters. This oil is used intramuscularly. It is usually administered once every 3 weeks for 3 months.

Each of these hormonal drugs is prescribed only by the attending physician individually for a particular man.

There are other drugs for treatment without surgery. They can be in the form of creams and ointments:

Anastrozole
Ganaton
Dimexide
Letrozole
Proviron
Progestogel
Turinabol
Tamoxifen

You should not self-medicate. To prevent the development of unwanted side effects, all drugs and their dosage must be prescribed by a qualified specialist.

Surgical intervention

Treatment should be based on eliminating main reason which caused the disease. Removal of gynecomastia in men is prescribed only in the most severe cases, when no previous drug treatment does not bring the desired results.

4 main methods of surgical treatment:

Mammoplasty with superficial liposuction. In this case, all excess fatty tissue is excised, and the breasts acquire their initially normal shape.
A mastectomy is the radical and most complete excision of the entire affected breast.
Endoscopy - removal of the gland using a special endoscope. Small incisions are made in the skin, usually under the armpit, and an endoscope is used through them.
Laser removal - all pathological tissues are removed with a laser, and later their contents are pumped out through small incisions in the skin using a vacuum.

If the operation to eliminate gynecomastia in a man was completed without any complications, the patient is sent home and monitored for the next six months. In this case, maintenance drug therapy is prescribed, the duration of which depends on the patient’s condition.

Traditional methods in the fight against disease

In the postoperative period, long-known folk remedies. However, they are welcome only if they complement the main treatment. Most often, medicinal decoctions based on honey, ginseng and lovage petals are used to treat gynecomastia.

To combat pain in the mammary glands, men use special compresses made from honey. It is applied to the painful area and covered with cellophane, after which it is fixed with a cloth. The compress is applied overnight.
Ginseng decoction is drunk 3 times a day before meals for three months. An infusion of lovage root is poured exclusively with red wine. Leave for 3 days and drink 100 ml after meals.
They also take baths with thyme decoction 2 times a week for about 20 minutes.

Treatment at home can only help at the beginning of the disease, when pain has only recently begun to bother a man. Before using all decoctions, it is advisable to treat the breasts with hydrogen peroxide. At later stages, treatment no longer gives the expected results.

Predictions of disease progression

The prognosis for physiological gynecomastia in men is almost always favorable. If this is pubertal gynecomastia, then with proper growth and normal hormonal levels, all symptoms disappear after the end of adolescence. With the progression of a disease such as gynecomastia, the prognosis can also be favorable if the man follows all the recommendations of the attending physician and undergoes treatment on time.

A man must completely renounce all bad habits, strictly adhere to the most correct lifestyle and, without fail, follow the established diet. Treatment of this pathology must be correct and justified. Only then can the disease be overcome.

Gynecomastia is an increase in the size of the mammary gland that occurs against the background of changes in its structure with increased development of adipose tissue. In men, the problem is hormonal in nature - it develops with changes in hormonal levels.

Thus, in adolescents, during puberty, a lump appears in the chest area, painful not only to the touch, but also when touching clothing. After a few weeks or days, the problem disappears.

Men exercising various types sports, may also be susceptible to gynecomastia after cessation of activity or due to various stresses. In this case, the balance between male and female sex hormones is disrupted, which leads to the development of pathology.

The prevalence of gynecomastia among young men now reaches 40%. And among older people, aged 50 to 60 years, this figure already ranges from 60 to 70%. Some of the elderly patients also have somatic concomitant disorders.

The main “trigger” of the disease is a disruption in the production of the male hormone testosterone. Gradually, the increased level of estrogen begins to exceed the level of testosterone in the blood. This imbalance is reflected in behavior and appearance men. Testosterone levels have a clearly limited minimum value. If after 14 years the testosterone level does not reach the required level, then painful disruptions in the body can soon be expected.

The causes and physiological consequences of such hormonal changes we'll look at it later.

Signs and stages of gynecomastia

The signs of this disease are obvious. This is an increase in breast size and a decrease in libido - that is, sexual desire. Men also have mammary glands. Only they are responsible for exclusively masculine qualities. The secretion of these glands increases the activity of male reproductive cells and controls sex hormones. When hormonal imbalances occur, these glands begin to develop abnormally and form feminine breast buds. The average size is 4–5 cm. But the increase can in rare cases reach 10 cm. The growth of glandular tissue often causes compaction in the chest . The seal is either smooth or grainy to the touch. The areolas around the nipples may darken significantly.

This can happen in one breast or in two at once. If the glands on one breast begin to behave “inappropriately”, this is unilateral gynecomastia. And if it’s on both at once, then it’s double-sided. Particular attention should be paid to this factor. Since symmetrical bilateral compaction is present mainly due to hormonal imbalance. And one-sided indicates other health problems.

Don’t confuse a guy’s muscular frame when he rocks with manifestations of gynecomastia. Then muscle tone gives the breasts a bulging appearance. But at the same time, the breasts look toned and firm, and the nipples do not change shape. In the same way, there is a risk of not noticing signs of gynecomastia under inflated pectoral muscles. If a disease is suspected, only a comprehensive study will provide the correct conclusion.

We can definitely talk about the presence of gynecomastia in the case when there is pain when palpating the glands; uncharacteristic secretion of fluid and discharge of a whitish consistency from the nipples. All this causes mental suffering to a man. Therefore, it is important to seek help in a timely manner.

Experts distinguish 3 stages of development of this disease:

Initial (proliferating).
Developing.
The final stage.

For initial stage characterized by a slight increase in breast size according to the female type due to enlargement of the mammary glands. If you understand the cause in time and begin appropriate treatment with conservative methods, then there is no doubt about a quick and favorable outcome of the disease.

After 4 months, if no treatment is given, the initial stage develops into the second phase. At this time (from 4 months to a year) the gland matures, becomes active and the hormonal background of the man is completely rebuilt. Sperm activity decreases and attraction reaches a minimum. 2 components develop at once - connective tissue and ductal tubules.

When the disease reaches the last third stage, after a year, the problem can no longer be solved without surgical intervention. This stage is called fibrotic. No hormonal type drugs will trigger the “reverse process”.

Gynecomastia or fat: how to determine

At the initial stage of the disease, it can be difficult to distinguish between true and false forms. False appearance The disease is not actually gynecomastia, it is a metabolic disorder. Excess fat accumulates in the breast area and causes them to sag. Moreover, even after losing weight, sagging is very difficult to remove. Due to the fact that fat cells are “stuck” in the cells of the growing fibrous tissue, they do not break down on their own and do not leave the body. And more often you have to resort to surgical correction of the forms.

An oncologist can correctly differentiate between these two conditions after an examination. Using palpation, the oncologist determines the presence or absence of fibrous tissue. The fact is that fibrous tissue feels harder to the touch. It clearly indicates problems with the body. Nodules may also be detected on palpation. This proliferation of nodules indicates a risk of gland cancer. The nodules can be felt under the nipple. The fatty tissue in these places does not particularly interfere with the examination.

With false gynecomastia, against the background of general obvious obesity, the breasts are soft and drooping. There are no spots or nodules present, no painful sensations. At the same time, the man does not experience any noticeable ailments; all basic body functions are normal. But testosterone is reduced.

When the doctor has determined that the cause of the patient’s condition is only excess fat, then such an “aesthetic crisis” is easier to solve. But you need to understand that fat in men should not accumulate in this area. This is due to excess estrogen, which in the male body stimulates the formation of fat and its deposition on the hips and chest, just like in women. Obesity is sometimes associated with dysfunction of the pituitary gland, or the adrenal glands malfunction. It is necessary to find the cause of overeating in order to prevent the development of this problem in the future.

There is a mixed form of the disease. When fibrous tissue grows slowly and there is not much of it. And on top it is covered with a layer of fatty deposits, which can be mistaken for completely false gynecomastia. And then you can skip serious problems threatening health.

Physiological gynecomastia

Divided into infantile, adolescent and senile physiological form diseases. These symptoms are associated with age-related changes and do not lead to serious consequences, as happens with true gynecomastia.

Gynecomastia in infancy

Its cause is estrogen contained in the boy’s blood after he spent 9 months in close contact with female body. After several days of independent life, all symptoms will disappear on their own, since the child’s glands are already intensively producing their hormones.

Juvenile gynecomastia

Associated with puberty. During this difficult period for the body, unexplained jumps in the levels of various hormones may occur. If estrogen has increased sharply, and the male hormone is still at a low level, then the teenager runs the risk of encountering a disease such as gynecomastia. But within 2 or 3 years, the hormonal turbulence subsides, and the teenager already looks normal. However, if the symptoms that appear after 17 years of age do not subside, this already indicates possible dysfunction of some glands in the body.

Senile form

After the end of the male menopause, the amount of androgens decreases many times. Physical and mental state a person is very vulnerable at this time and any hormonal “shocks” lead to negative consequences. In addition, gynecomastia in old age is often caused by poor diet and lack of exercise. Because of this, estrogen accumulates in the blood and causes corresponding physiological changes.

Causes of gynecomastia

The reasons for the proliferation of glands can be different. Like excessive pampering and the habit of moving little, so are stress, hereditary diseases, and oncology, which may not appear for years. So, here are the possible reasons:

hypothyroidism;
urological abnormalities (testicular tumor);
pituitary tumor;
lung cancer;
stomach or pancreatic cancer;
chronic renal failure;
insufficiency of secretion of the sex glands;
chronic prostatitis;
hormonal disorders;
chronic liver diseases;
the patient is overweight;
constant severe stress;
autoimmune diseases (lupus erythematosus);
some diseases associated with genetics, in particular: Down syndrome, Reifenstein syndrome.

Lipomastia or false gynecomastia is an enlargement of the mammary gland, that is, outwardly, male breasts look like female breasts.

In this case, drooping nipples are often noted.

False gynecomastia different from true theme that this is just an aesthetic defect. In this case, the help of an oncologist is not required, since fat gain is not dangerous for men's health.

Lipomastia can appear in men of different ages. So, in young men there is a mixed form, that is, in addition to excess weight, there is a hormonal imbalance. Over time, the latter disappears, but an abundance of fat deposits remains. Such lipomastia is not easy to correct with the help of sports and diets, because the connective tissue has time to develop.

In men over 20 years of age, lipomastia occurs with weight gain. In older age, representatives of the stronger sex often experience hormonal imbalance, which also leads to gynecomastia. Moreover, we are talking about a mixed or true form rather than a false one.

Symptoms of the disease

The main symptom of lipomastia These are enlarged mammary glands. They are soft to the touch and have no seals. When pressed, the man does not experience any painful sensations. It is worth noting that for some, the nipples enlarge slightly, while for others, the entire breast becomes 10 cm larger. In the latter case, due to stretching of the skin, the areolas and nipples move downward.

Main patient complaint is the psychological discomfort that occurs when enlarged breasts become noticeable under clothing. Men don't feel like men. They feel shame and are embarrassed to undress on the beach or in the sauna.

Lipomastia itself does not affect your well-being or health in any way.

Causes of lipomastia

False gynecomastia develops due to an increase in fat deposits accumulating in the chest area. At the same time, the size of the glandular tissue remains the same. The cause in this case is often obesity. .

Lipomastia is not always caused by hormonal imbalances. In addition, there are cases where false gynecomastia was caused by excessive alcohol consumption, and namely beer.

Diagnostics

Lipomastia itself does not require treatment, but if such a disease is suspected, it is necessary to undergo an examination. This will eliminate diseases that require serious treatment.

It's about about cancer, true gynecomastia, mastopathy. To an ordinary person It may seem that identifying lipomastia is very simple. However, in reality one visual inspection not enough. The full list of examinations includes the following procedures: inspection and palpation, which allows you to determine the location of formations, their pain, as well as their size;

blood test for various hormones (prolactin, testosterone, thyrotropin, estradiol, etc.) ;

blood biochemistry (urea, liver enzymes, etc.);

Ultrasound of the mammary glands;

chest x-ray;

tomography of the adrenal glands;

mammography.

In addition, you need to visit an endocrinologist, mammologist, and also a surgeon.

Treatment methods and surgery

Men suffering from lipomastia should only consult doctors who specialize in male breasts.

Men can get rid of a cosmetic defect in only 3 ways. These are sports, diet and surgery. Lipomastia can be managed under the supervision of doctors or on your own. We are talking about weight loss through sports and diet. Alas, proper nutrition and regular exercise does not always give the desired result. This is especially true for complex cases. When the amount of adipose tissue for a long time remains unchanged, the easiest way is to resort to surgery.

Surgery, namely liposuction , is performed under general anesthesia. This is a mandatory condition, because, in addition to pumping out fat, it is often necessary to move the nipple, reshape the contour of the gland and remove excess skin. The postoperative period involves avoiding any stress and wearing compression garments. In some cases it is carried out lipectomy , which is subcutaneous removal of excess adipose tissue. This technique allows you to quickly eliminate a cosmetic defect without consequences. Moreover, local anesthesia is sufficient for this operation.

Contraindications for surgery

The problem of lipomastia cannot always be solved surgically.

There are a number of contraindications to surgery :

acute infectious diseases;
oncological diseases;
blood clotting disorder;

exacerbation of chronic diseases; diabetes mellitus; age up to 18 years. Possible complications After surgery, the following complications are sometimes observed: bleeding, which occurs due to tissue injury; scars, which can be eliminated using special patches and gels; depressions noticeable when transferring and fixing nipples with areolas is performed. In addition, temporary loss of sensation, bruising and infection may occur. Such complications are usually easily resolved and do not cause much concern to patients.

Prevention of lipomastia

To prevent the development of lipomastia, it is necessary to exercise, monitor your diet and minimize the consumption of alcoholic beverages. Such recommendations are also suitable for those men whose breast enlargement began due to hormonal and metabolic disorders. The right diet is great preventative measure. It helps reduce body fat and improve overall well-being. Diets that promise quick loss extra pounds are not suitable, because due to frequent weight fluctuations, a cosmetic defect may become more noticeable. It is necessary to select a nutrition system so that the excess goes away gradually. PPrevention of lipomastia involves regular exercise. Typically, patients are advised to perform exercises on the muscles of the arms and chest. Of course, you need to understand that the body is simply not able to lose weight in a certain place. Therefore, it is worth loading other muscle groups as well. Any sport is suitable for preventing false gynecomastia. Men who have already experienced lipomastia should not relax.

Even after liposuction, the problem may return. To avoid this, you should permanently change your lifestyle.

Gynecomastia is abnormal breast enlargement. The deviation occurs not only in women, it can also occur in men. Sometimes, under the influence of various factors, a dense formation appears under the nipple in men. This is glandular tissue. Gradually, if treatment is not started, the tissue grows and the man’s breasts increase. This is true gynecomastia. In other patients, it is not glandular tissue that grows around the nipple, but adipose tissue. This is false gynecomastia, or lipomastia. Most often it occurs in gentlemen who are overweight, but is sometimes observed in thin representatives of the stronger sex. This deviation can also be treated. In addition to true and false gynecomastia, a mixed type occurs, when both glandular and adipose tissue grow under the skin. The deviation has subtypes: in one case, glandular tissue predominates, in the other, adipose tissue.

A few words about true and false gynecomastia in men

Men's breasts increase in size due to hormonal imbalance. The amount of female hormones, which are always present in the male body, increases so much that it begins to significantly exceed the amount of male hormones. The figure in this case tends to develop according to the female type. Quite often, with false gynecomastia, the abdomen, hips, and buttocks enlarge along with the breasts. From a fit and masculine figure, the figure is increasingly turning into a vague, feminine-like figure. True gynecomastia develops for other reasons. In one case, estrogens predominate because the body begins to produce excess amounts of them. In another, an imbalance occurs because the testicles produce too much of the hormone that is responsible for masculinity. Most often, gynecomastia develops during transition periods when hormonal levels change. This happens:

in newborn boys;
in adolescents 11-16 years old at the time of puberty;
after 45 years, when the body begins to age and men enter menopause.

Adiosomastia (false gynecomastia) can happen at any age. Most often, treatment is carried out medications, but sometimes, in advanced cases, a man may need surgical removal excess tissue or laser treatment.

Reasons for the development of gynecomastia

Typically, pseudogynecomastia is not characterized by pain. Upon palpation, the doctor detects only soft fatty tissue. The reason for its growth is obesity. Most often, it is enough to help the patient lose weight so that his breasts take on the correct shape and size. Most often, false gynecomastia is not initially associated with the predominance of female hormones. However, obesity can disrupt hormonal balance: fat makes it difficult for everyone to function internal organs, and fat cells themselves secrete female hormones. And then a deviation caused by an imbalance of hormones may be added to lipomastia. To prevent the false form from developing into a true disease, a man must know the reasons why both types of disease develop.

The cause of false gynecomastia in men is obesity.

The causes of true gynecomastia can be:

Hormonal imbalance.
Active tumors: benign and malignant.
Diseases that disrupt metabolism: tuberculosis, obesity, diabetes, etc.
Injuries.
Alcoholism, drug and substance abuse.
Taking certain medications.
Taking drugs for muscle growth.
Heavy steroids.
Compositions containing casein amino acids.

The last three reasons most often threaten athletes taking androgen-dependent drugs. Reviews from doctors indicate that treatment of gynecomastia in people involved in sports is especially labor-intensive. On the one hand, they need steroids to build muscle mass, growth, maintaining fitness. On the other hand, constant use of steroids should be compensated by stimulant therapy. Self-administration of steroid supplements and tablets may result in the patient requiring gynecomastia removal or surgery.

Symptoms of true and pseudogynecomastia in men

Lipomastia has few symptoms.

Increase in total body weight (appearance excess weight).
Painless increase in breast volume.

If weight correction is not started in a timely manner, the growth of fat in the nipple area can provoke further obesity or, conversely, lead to sudden weight loss caused by hormonal imbalance. The signs of true gynecomastia are different.

Nipple enlargement.
Increased pigmentation and expansion of the areola.
Increase in breast volume.
Changing the shape of the mammary gland (it becomes similar to a woman’s).
Discomfort when touched. Sometimes even clothes get in the way.
Feeling of pressure in the nipple area.
Sometimes: the appearance of discharge from the nipple, resembling colostrum in appearance and color.
Sometimes: enlarged lymph nodes.

These signs should immediately prompt a man to visit a doctor. After all, expert reviews convincingly prove that even lipomastia (pseudogynecomastia) does not bring health benefits. The true one can lead to impotence, disruption of activity nervous system in general, breast cancer. Why is it so important to know the characteristics of one and another disease? Because only a doctor is able to determine the patient’s hormonal background, make a diagnosis and prescribe correct treatment.

Treatment of lipomastia in men

Every representative of the stronger sex should know for sure: any enlargement of the mammary gland or change in skin color should be the reason for going to the doctor. All three types of disease need to be treated. Treatment of pseudogynecomastia most often does not involve surgery. Reviews from many patients who got rid of the deviation indicate that proper diet and losing weight themselves led to the removal of gynecomastia automatically. The man was losing weight, his weight was decreasing, the processes occurring in the body were normalized and, as a result, the mammary gland became smaller.

In some severe cases of obesity and the growth of adipose tissue in the breast area, the doctor prescribes surgery. The operation is also indicated when the causes of gynecomastia have not been established. This also happens. In this case, breast enlargement is called idiopathic gynecomastia. If the breasts are not yet very large, conventional liposuction can replace the operation. Excess fat is pumped out from the patient without making any incisions. Actually, such a procedure cannot even be considered a full-fledged operation. This is in contrast to cases where pumping out fat leads to the formation of “extra skin”. This happens when the patient’s weight and, accordingly, the amount of subcutaneous fat exceeds the norm many times over. In this case, in order to get rid of excess skin tissue, doctors carry out a full-fledged surgery.

It is important for parents of boys to know: in adolescents during hormonal changes, most often it is not false gynecomastia, but mixed gynecomastia. Obesity and hormonal imbalance can lead to breast enlargement and then poor overall health. To prevent this from happening and the teenager does not have to undergo surgery, it is recommended to regularly show him to a specialist. Reviews from doctors assure: with timely consultations men's health teenagers remain strong even if they have suffered from gynecomastia. False gynecomastia, as evidenced by doctors' reviews, is extremely rare in men who do not have bad habits and lead healthy life. A normal diet, dosed physical activity, and the absence of baked goods and alcohol in the diet are the best prevention of an unpleasant disease. And lipomastia in the first stages is exactly that: rather unpleasant and unaesthetic than dangerous to health.

Treatment methods for various types of gynecomastia

If physiological types of the disease rarely require hormonal treatment or surgery, then mixed or false gynecomastia requires serious correction. If the disease develops in a teenager, the doctor will prescribe medication. Boys rarely need gynecomastia removal, but it can happen. If tamoxifen, testolactone, or other medications prescribed by your doctor to remove gynecomastia do not help, your doctor may recommend removing excess tissue with plastic surgery. This may include conventional liposuction, laser fat removal, or cosmetic surgery to remove excess skin.

At pathological form The disease is first treated with medication, and the disease that resulted in breast enlargement is treated first. If the doctor understands that usual treatment does not help, then he prescribes surgical removal of gynecomastia. The operation can be performed in different ways, but the goal of any of them is to remove tissue that has grown in the mammary gland and form a new contour of the mammary gland.