Why Do You Have Those Man Boobs?

by Dr. Steven Wallach

It is natural for people to wonder why, especially when it comes to a situation of personal suffering. In many ways, this is an attempt to try to solve the problem. In others, it is a coping mechanism. “Why me?” And while it may not be as serious as the death of a loved one, in many ways gynecomastia is one of those situations. You are probably wondering why you have to live with this embarrassing condition while others don’t.

The good news is, though, that by figuring out that answer, you may be also to treat your gynecomastia and get rid of your man boobs. Usually the root cause of the condition needs to be known before you can have surgery so that the surgery is successful long term. You don’t want to have a male breast reduction only to have your extra tissue come back a while later.

Those Raging Hormones

We hated them when we were teenagers, and we might even hate them more now. While our hormones do do a lot of good, when they are out of whack, they wreak havoc on your body. Do you know why women have breasts and men don’t? While you may think that it is so that women can feed children, that is actually a result and not a cause. Really, breasts are caused by the large amounts of estrogen that women have. Estrogen causes breast tissue to develop. Men have estrogen too, just not nearly as much. The amount of testosterone a man has usually balances everything out and stops the growth of breast tissue. However, if a man has imbalanced levels of estrogen and testosterone, there is a good chance that breasts will become swollen and start to become more feminine. These imbalances are likely to happen right at birth (the baby has been surrounded by his mother’s estrogen for a while), in middle and old age, and when you are overweight.

Health Concerns

There are many other potential causes for gynecomastia, including kidney failure and liver disease. Even certain medical treatments, such as radiation or medications can trigger it. Work with your doctor to determine the root of what is causing your man boobs.