Gynecomastia is the benign enlargement of breast tissue in males due to either increased glandular breast tissue and/or excess local fat deposition. The term comes from the Greek gyné meaning “female” and mastós meaning “breast.” Gynecomastia can happen at any age and can be the result of hormonal changes, heredity conditions, disease, or certain drug use.
Temporary gynecomastia may occur physiologically in newborns and adolescence due to an altered estrogen-androgen balance. More than a quarter of adolescent boys may live with enlarged breasts for the rest of their lives, but majority cases resolve within a few years of onset without intervention.
“Puffy nipples”, one of the most common forms of gynecomastia in Minnesota, is characterized by a glandular tissue accumulation forming a dome shaped appearance to the areola. Anabolic-androgenic steroid (AAS) induced gynecomastia is glandular gynecomastia that is common in bodybuilders after using anabolic steroids. Older men develop gynecomastia as a result of the natural decrease of testosterone production. These patients tend to have a greater abundance of excess skin around the areola due to age-related skin sagging.
Gynecomastia can occur unilaterally and asymmetrically. Unilateral type occurs when only one breast is deformed, the other breast is typically normal in both size and shape. Asymmetrical gynecomastia occurs when both breasts have gynecomastia, but each to a different degree.
Pseudogynecomastia is characterized by local fat deposition in breasts without glandular proliferation. It requires different treatment. The weight reduction with exercise and diet may improve pseudogynecomastia, but the treatment of choice in pseudogynecomastia is liposuction to the area.
Most gynecomastia patients in Minneapolis and St. Paul areas need a male breast reduction surgery to correct the enlarged breasts. Shu Cosmetic Surgery uses minimal invasive surgical approach with local tumescent anesthesia and cutting-edge liposuction technology to achieve a great cosmetic result.