Dr Ashish Dutta Explaining The Causes of Gynecomastia

Dr Ashish Dutta who is also known as Dr Ash Dutta is one of the few highly trained and accredited surgeons in the UK. He is the Founder of Aesthetic Beauty Centre, a highly equipped cosmetic clinic in London, Sunderland, Newcastle and Liverpool. He will explain us the causes of Gynecomastia also known as Man Boods.

Gynecomastia (woman-like breasts) is a medical condition that afflicts almost 40-60% men (statistics from-cosmetic-md.com) The term has its roots in the Greek language- gyne (woman) and mastos (breasts)

This condition is present in one or both breasts and is sometimes referred to as ‘moobs’/man boobs and can be surgically treated with ‘breast reduction surgery’. The procedure involves removing the overgrown glandular tissue and/or excess fat from the chest.

Most men feel so self-conscious that they are unable to talk about it or even consider visiting a doctor/seeking treatment. In most cases gynecomastia leads to low self-esteem which in turn can result in low confidence. This affliction also commonly affects posture, as most men try to hide the condition and develop a slight stoop and rounded shoulders. Also most men either do not participate in sports or will wear baggy t-shirts in the gym, and on a beach holiday will avoid taking their shirts off.

This has become one of the fastest growing socio-health issues for men to come into the limelight in recent times.

With the growing trend of blogging, guys suffering from this do now have a platform in which to address and talk about what they go through rather than suffer in silence.

In fact Zach Valenti’s story is an inspirational one and most men have been motivated to seek treatment for their moobs thanks to him. http://www.salon.com/2014/01/02/man_boobs_and_my_decade_of_shame/

His testimony and experience also highlights an issue that is prevalent in many adolescents.

All is not lost and there is good news for men with moobs ever since the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS) states that gynecomastia surgery increased 5% between 2014 and 2015.

Statistics given out by the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (ASAPS) says male breast reduction figures were up phenomenally by 25%, year after year. The UK seems to be following suit.

Let’s take a look at the causes and types of Gynecomastia that currently afflicts more men worldwide than the statistics actually reveal:

1. How we live and have been living – Lifestyle factors are one of the most important causes of this condition. How we treat our bodies, what and how we eat etc all play an important part. And then there are the weight loss programmes that often encourage and result in dramatic weight loss. These weight fluctuations over time can result in gynecomastia. With the USA, China and India being the front runners in conditions such as obesity, its no surprise that so many men have developed this condition in these countries. In fact it is the third most popular cosmetic surgery for men in the USA.
   
2. It’s a condition commonly afflicting bodybuilders and athletes when Anabolic steroids are used for performance and aesthetic enhancement. With regular use of these steroids/supplements; levels of the hormone testosterone significantly increase in the body and this excess testosterone is then converted to oestrogen to combat the excessive levels. This increase in oestrogen then becomes the cause for permanently altering the glandular tissue of the breast.
   
3. Adolescent gynecomastia – In most cases there is no breast growth in boys pre-puberty but there are studies that suggest that certain hormonal changes can trigger an oestrogen response. Even though most parents do see their son’s breasts swell, they tend to ignore this and put it down to changes in their growth. Adolescence can be one quite difficult period for most as there is not always a great deal of communication between parents and children, especially when it comes to changes in one’s body – especially ones that are deemed ’embarrassing’. As a parent, one can assist by looking for signs and staying alert to their son’s behavioural and social patterns as well as choice of clothing etc. If there is a concern then medical advice can be sought for reassurance. It is advisable to do as much research as possible and – gynecomastia.org is a good place to start.

Finally the very thought of having gynecomastia surgery can be daunting and challenging for most, it often requires support from family and friends. With the media playing an active role in propagating image ideals, more men are appearance conscious and are much more open to having cosmetic surgery.

Every patient has their individual experience/story and reasons that compel them to want to make a change, therefore it is very important that the cosmetic surgeon performing the surgery has a strong understanding of the effects of this condition. Cosmetic surgery can have truly holistic effects when the whole person is taken into consideration.

If you know any man in your family/friend circle who is silently suffering from this or if you are the one affected, get in touch with Dr Ashish Dutta, you can follow him on Linkedin, Twitter, Facebook or Vimeo.