Gynecomastia in boys is called breast enlargement. Such pathology is not a disease, but only a symptom of some kind of disorder in the body that requires medical diagnosis. Gynecomastia refers to masculine problems and does not occur in girls.
There are several types of gynecomastia:
- true gynecomastia , in which the enlargement of the breast gland occurs due to the glandular component;
- false gynecomastia (lipomastia) , when the breast increases due to the deposition of adipose tissue and is most often a consequence of obesity;
- Mixed gynecomastia , which develops in the presence of two previous reasons.
Causes of gynecomastia
- Physiological gynecomastia most often does not require medical correction and disappears after some time. Physiological gynecomastia develops in 80% of newborn children due to the ingestion of maternal hormones into the body of the boy. This condition usually disappears within a month after birth. Gynecomastia in adolescents occurs in 30% of boys aged 14-15 years. This condition develops as a result of the slow development of enzyme systems that coordinate the production of testosterone. Adolescents can experience painful feelings and experience serious emotional experiences.
- Pathological gynecomastia can occur due to more than 30 reasons, which can only be determined by a comprehensive study. For example, the frequent occurrence of gynecomastia in young men is associated with the predominance of female sex hormones in the body, as well as a decrease in the level of male hormones. In addition, gynecomastia can be a consequence of diseases such as chronic kidney failure, tumor development and testicular pathology. Pathological gynecomastia can also be a consequence of the use of antibiotics, estrogens, androgens, antifungal and cardiovascular drugs, drugs and alcohol.
Diagnosis of gynecomastia
If you find the first symptoms of gynecomastia, which include discomfort in the area of the breast, asymmetry of the breast, any allocation, you should immediately consult a doctor. Even that kind of gynecomastia that does not require treatment should be controlled by a doctor, because a possible complication of gynecomastia can be breast cancer.
Very often patients, with the appearance of signs of gynecomastia, turn to the surgeon, but to begin solving the problem follows a visit to the endocrinologist. The doctor will conduct a primary examination, including palpation, determine the type and stage of gynecomastia, and find out the cause with the help of laboratory tests. Studies include a hormonal blood test, an x-ray or ultrasound examination of the breast, a biopsy.
Treatment of gynecomastia
In the initial stage of the disease, doctors resort to medication, prescribing drugs to reduce the volume of the mammary glands. Treatment of gynecomastia in adolescents should include psychological
Surgical treatment of gynecomastia, including surgery for the removal of glandular tissue, is prescribed if medication is ineffective, or in some types of pathological gynecomastia. Often, parents of teenagers insist on cosmetic surgery to remove fatty tissue of the breast, such an operation is not necessary, but it can save the teen from unnecessary complexes.