Gynecomastia Treatment: What Are My Options?
Posted on 11. Nov, 2009 by Trevor Berly in Losing Weight
Male breast enlargement, or gynecomastia, is most often temporary in nature and will resolve itself. There are cases, however, in which it is not self-regulating. And for cases like those, there is a gynecomastia treatment that can help.
The reasons behind development of gynecomastia can vary. Among the possible causes are medications that contain estrogens or steroids, hormonal imbalance, and inability of the liver to clear the estrogen circulating in the body. This last is often seen in cirrhosis due to excessive alcohol. Often the gynecomastia appears during puberty and resolves itself in less than a year.
In more serious situations, the gynecomastia is due to a tumor. This may be a testicular tumor or, less often, a tumor which is hormone secreting. Although these are not the most common causes, it is obviously important to see a doctor as soon as possible to be sure that there is nothing more serious that needs to be addressed first.
In many cases, it may be a drug that affects the balance of hormones that is at the root of the gynecomastia. It could be from cancer treatments. Chemotherapy or the estrogen used to fight cancer of the prostate can result in this condition. Anabolic steroid use is another potential cause. Certain ulcer medications or antibiotics can also cause gynecomastia.
How one treats gynecomastia will vary along with the cause. If the gynecomastia is believed to be a side effect of medication, then it may be possible that discontinuing use is all the treatment that is necessary. If the condition appears during puberty, then it will generally resolve itself. When the condition appears secondary to other diseases, such as the previously mentioned cirrhosis, then treatment of the underlying disease may resolve the problem.
When benign, and not secondary to a serious illness, gynecomastia does not actually need to be treated from a medical standpoint. There are cases where there is pain that drives a person to seek treatment. But in others, it is more the emotional disturbance and embarrassment of the situation that is push for treatment.
There are medications that can be tried and are sometimes effective in treating gynecomastia. These medications include Clomiphen, an antiestrogen, and Tamoxifen, an estrogen antagonist. Tamoxifen is shown to have better results if the condition is relatively recent and of the type that presents with tenderness. Other drugs include Testolactone and Danzol. All of these medications can have side effects, so you should be sure that you know what ones you may experience.
In cases where the gynecomastia has been present for a long period of time, or where medications does not yield results, a reduction mammoplasty can be performed. This surgery may also be performed for cosmetic reasons or because of the accompanying self-consciousness of gynecomastia.
The first and most important step with gynecomastia is to seek medical diagnosis of the cause to rule out underlying issues that need to be treated. But whatever the cause, you can rest easy that there is a gynecomastia treatment that will work for you.
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