Gynecomastia

Breast laid in children of both sexes equally, but in adolescence, under the influence of female hormones - estrogen, iron acquires the form that we're used to seeing women. In men, it remains undeveloped.

Gynecomastia is a benign enlargement of the breast( breast) gland in men. Benign it because, in addition to a cosmetic defect, no trouble to its owner does not bring. Malignant enlargement of the breast is called "cancer", 3 - 5% of those who contract breast cancer are men.

Types

• True gynecomastia - an increase arises from the proliferation of glandular( milk-producing) gland tissue;
• False Gynecomastia - is the result of increasing the amount of fat in the breast area, it is not gynecomastia in fact, just because of the excess adipose tissue is like a woman's breast in obesity.

reasons

True gynecomastia results from an imbalance in the male body of male and female sex hormones in the direction of increasing the influence of the past:

1. Lowering blood levels of the male hormone - testosterone;
2. Increased concentration in the blood of the female sex hormone - estrogen;
3. Impaired susceptibility of tissues to sex hormones. The content of hormones in the blood remains normal, but the sensitivity to testosterone decreases or the sensitivity to estrogen increases.

Stages of development

1. Initial - lasts about 4 months. Iron increases mainly not due to the multiplication of cells, but due to the increase in these very cells in size. With adequate treatment, the process is reversible;
2. Intermediate - there is an active proliferation of glandular cells. This stage lasts from 4 to 8 - 10 months, full regression is not always possible, it all depends on the individual characteristics of the patient;
3. Fibrous - connective tissue appears in the gland, fatty tissue grows around the glandular cells. Treatment is only surgical.

Diagnosis

It is enough for the patient to look at himself in the mirror. Gland increases in size, nipples swell, male breasts look like a teenage girl.

Clinical variants of

1. Physiological gynecomastia. Appears in 60 - 80% of newborns from exposure to estrogen in the prenatal period. Independently passes during the first month of life.

2. Pubertal gynecomastia. Occurs in adolescence as a result of temporary imbalance in the hormonal sphere. The most frequent form of this disease, in most cases, passes by itself and without consequences.

3. Symptomatic gynecomastia. Is a sign of a disease.

• Hormonal active tumors: testes, adrenals, pancreas, pituitary gland, lungs and liver.
• Reduced production of testosterone( hypogonadism) - age hypogonadism, prostatic adenoma, inflammatory processes in the testes and other diseases
• disruptors estrogen and testosterone metabolism:. Hyperthyroidism( hyperthyroidism), diabetes, cirrhosis, renal or hepatic failure.

4. Drug gynecomastia. The mechanisms of imbalance between testosterone and estrogen in the use of drugs are very diverse, but the result is the same - an increase in the mammary gland. To gynecomastia may result:

• antifungal agents( ketoconazole);
• Metronidazole;
• opiates( including methadone), amphetamine - so heroin addicts mostly suffer from gynecomastia;
• anti-ulcer drugs - cimetidine, ranitidine;
• corticosteroids - not always caused by them ginekomastia true, in some cases because of these drugs there is obesity, which leads to false gynecomastia;
• alcohol, or rather alcoholism, the reason is in the toxic effect on the liver and the destruction of estrogen in it.

Separately tell about one form of drug gynecomastia. It arises with the use of anabolic steroids. At the same time part of the drug taken is "flavored"( chemical term) - it turns into estrogen. For this reason, gynecomastia in bodybuilders taking androgenic tablets is a side effect of their use.

Treatment

Physiological gynecomastia treatment does not require, it passes by itself and without consequences.

Drug gynecomastia in most cases also passes without external intervention, with the abolition of the causative drug. But if the medicine has been taken for a long time, surgical treatment may be required.

Symptomatic gynecomastia requires a search and elimination of the cause, after which the question of the need for surgical treatment is decided.

Restoring hormonal balance with drugs( androgens or anti-estrogens) did not justify itself because of low efficiency and a large number of side effects.

Surgical treatment is used when conservative treatment is not effective. Do not forget that if a man's breast looks like a woman's, it gives him serious mental discomfort, and the operation itself is not very difficult. After a properly performed mastectomy( removal of the breast), a recurrence usually does not occur, even if the cause is not eliminated.

Surgical treatment of gynecomastia - before and after

With false gynecomastia, in addition to total weight loss, liposuction can help, but after it the cosmetic effect may become worse than before it.

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