What is the treatment for male breast enlargement at 43?

Question

Hi doctor,

I am 43 years old. I am suffering from many things related to my body. I have been most of my lifetime having man boobs. My boobs are not proportional to the ratio of fat in my body. I used to go to the gym to battle that. This helped in getting my chest in a firmer shape, but never smaller.

In my 30s, I kept trying to battle against that only with sport, but the results were always marginal, with no real gain. This affected my attraction to women and caused me a lot of depression. Now in my 40s, the problem is getting even worse. They are growing bigger, and I am finding it harder to go to the gym because of the shame.

Now, I am overweight to some extend and the boobs problem is the most prominent in my body. I read that this could be because of a hormonal disorder or poor diet habits. I changed my diet a few times before, and even when I lose weight, my chest barely gets affected. I did not try anything with hormones.

What could be the reason for this problem, and how can I solve it?

Kindly help.

Answer 1

Hi,

Welcome to icliniq.com.

I understand your concern.

Based on your description, it is mainly due to increased estrogen hormone, and also occurs because of a hormonal imbalance, which is referred to as gynecomastia. This can be treated with medicines, and if not treated, then very conservative operative procedures are available.

But I need to see a picture of the affected area before that. Kindly share your pictures for further suggestions.

I hope you find this helpful.

Thank you.

Answer 2

Hi,

Welcome back to icliniq.com.

I understand your concern.

I will explain your condition in detail. I have seen the photo (attachment removed to protect patient identity). You have to understand that there are two types of gynecomastia (male breast enlargement). One is due to the drugs you are taking. Tell me if you are taking any medicines or drugs, so that I can judge them and stop them.

The second type is due to an imbalance of estrogen, LH (luteinizing hormone), and testosterone hormones. So, I need some tests for the,m and we can start the treatment as per their reports. Again, if there is any discrepancy in these reports, then we have to either add new hormones or withdraw them.

So, if you are not relieved by medical management, then you have to contact a plastic surgeon for a minimally invasive endoscopic subcutaneous mastectomy.

I request that you get the following investigations done.

Plasma LH (luteinizing hormone) and serum testosterone levels.
Serum beta hCG (human chorionic gonadotropin) levels.
Serum estradiol levels.
Liver function test and kidney function test.

Remember, it is a very common problem, and as aging occurs, the problem continues to increase, but there is nearly complete management of this problem. So, if both of us start working from today, then we can surely overcome the problem.

I hope this helps you.

Thank you.