Gynecomastia is breast development in males. It is relatively common and often not discussed because of the embarrassment of the patient. Unbeknownst to most men, about 40 percent of boys as they go through adolescents have some degree of gynecomastia. Their breasts will grow to a small degree. Often it is one sided and not both. In the majority of cases that dissipates and nothing is required.

Gynecomastia is breast development in males. It is relatively common and often not discussed because of the embarrassment of the patient. Unbeknownst to most men, about 40 percent of boys as they go through adolescents have some degree of gynecomastia. Their breasts will grow to a small degree. Often it is one sided and not both. In the majority of cases that dissipates and nothing is required.

Gynecomastia is associated with the congenital development of it, i.e., it just happens during puberty but it can also be associated with different medications. For example, individuals who smoke a lot of marijuana will develop some additional breast tissue. It is also associated with steroid use as well as certain medications that are prescribed for hypertension and other medical conditions.

Therefore, if a patient is being seen for gynecomastia, the first thing to do is to rule out a causative factor and once that has been addressed, then they often will proceed to have surgical removal of the redundant tissue.

Gynecomastia is a surgical procedure and if the patient is interested in pursuing that, they should seek the opinion of a surgeon who performs that operation. There are many different ways to do it. Some are associated with liposuction and others are not. Again, what is required would be a discussion that is had with the surgeon who the person sees. Often seeing a local family physician or a physiotherapist in conjunction with a registered dietitian and athletic therapist is a great option to take control of this condition. Smart Food Now and exercise is also optimal for overall health.      Presenter: Dr. Nancy Van Laeken, Plastic Surgeon, Vancouver, BC

Local Practitioners: Plastic Surgeon