Men's Health
This article is from the WebMD Feature Archive
Male Breast Enlargement (Gynecomastia)
Elliot W. Jacobs, MD, knows a thing or two about enlarged breasts in men, and not just because he specializes in treating the condition. "My own breasts became enlarged when I was a teenager," says the New York City-based plastic surgeon. "It was very embarrassing. When I was being fitted for my bar mitzvah suit, the salesman said, 'A little chesty, aren't you?' I dreaded playing shirts-and-skins basketball in gym class, because I hated running up and down the floor without a shirt, my chest bouncing. Once, I went to my locker after gym class and saw that a classmate had hung a bra on it."
Jacobs is just one of countless men to suffer the embarrassment of male breast enlargement, a.k.a. man boobs or moobs or, in medical parlance, gynecomastia. Whatever name it goes by, the condition has been the butt of countless jokes: Remember the 1995 episode of Seinfeld in which Kramer comes up with a brassiere for men (and has trouble deciding whether to call it a "bro" or a "mansiere")? Of course, for the millions of men and boys who have enlarged male breasts, there's nothing funny about the condition.
Biking and Erectile Dysfunction: A Real Risk?
For men, the health benefits of bicycling may involve a troublesome trade-off. While riding a bicycle burns calories and improves cardiovascular fitness, too many hours on a bicycle saddle can compress the artery and vital nerves leading to the penis. The result? A risk of numbness, pain, and erectile dysfunction. A male cyclist can place a significant percentage of his weight on his perineum, an area between the scrotum and the anus where the nerves and arteries to the penis pass. This pressure...
Read the Biking and Erectile Dysfunction: A Real Risk? article > >
'Man Boobs' Affect Males of All Ages
Gynecomastia affects up to two-thirds of pubescent boys and half of all men. Male breast enlargement that arises in puberty often resolves on its own, within a matter of months, as hormone levels normalize. When the condition arises in adulthood, it tends to persist. Here's why: As men age, they tend to lose testosterone and gain weight. The former contributes to gynecomastia (which is actually defined as enlargement of glandular tissue within the breasts), the latter to a related condition known as pseudogynecomastia, in which enlargement is caused by deposits of fatty tissue under the breasts, explains Jacobs. What's more, scientists now know that fat cells produce small amounts of estrogen, which further fuels male breast enlargement. As far as a man's risk for breast enlargement is concerned, experts tell WebMD that obesity is a double whammy.
Having 'Man Boobs' Can Cause Psychological Trauma
Because prominent breasts are so closely identified with the female form, men with gynecomastia are often seen -- and see themselves -- as freaks. And they try all sorts of secret stratagems to mask their freakishness: wearing baggy shirts, never going shirtless in public, wriggling into compression garments, binding their chests with athletic tape or bandages, and so on. Some men with enlarged breasts shun physical exercise. Some never go to the pool or beach.
"Men with gynecomastia often have extremely limited sexual experiences, because they are afraid to take their shirt off in front of a partner," says Jacobs. "I've even seen men gain lots of weight on purpose, just so their breasts won't appear so prominent."
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