CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — Breast tissue in males can be a vexing problem. It actually occurs quite commonly in puberty. In most instances it then ceases to be bothersome. However in some instances it can persist and even worsen.
Dr. Vijay Bindingnavele dropped in to discuss the condition on this week's The Dr. Is In.
While it can be a result of hormone imbalance it is usually not. It can also be caused by a number of drugs and even some supplements. It is best to avoid anything billed as "prohormones" as they can result in gynecomastia and Marijuana use is also associated with it. It also increases in incidence with increasing age become present in 25% of males over the age of 50. Treatment when it is bothersome is surgical. While there are a few medications that can be used, they are not FDA approved for gynecomastia and are not felt to be very effective. Surgery in an outpatient procedure. The newer technique, which I use, involves small incisions in the inferior portion of the areola. I perform liposuction through this incision and also remove the breast tissue. The satisfaction rate is quite high with this procedure.
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