The Most Common Gynecomastia Symptoms

August 15, 2014

The condition known as gynecomastia is more common than you might expect. In fact, between 40 and 60 percent of men will encounter male breast enlargement at some point in their lives. That’s a significant number, and yet it’s still not something that’s often talked about. It might be because it’s a sensitive and embarrassing topic for those who suffer from it, especially those who experienced gynecomastia symptoms earlier in life when locker room commentary was all too common. But the more we talk about it, the better understanding we can have. It’s really important to me that men who have spent years of their lives wearing loose-fitting clothing or avoiding situations where their bare chest will be visible understand that there are options available to them.

So let’s talk about an important question for those wondering about male breast reduction: what are the most common gynecomastia symptoms? First of all, it’s helpful to understand that it can affect one or both breasts. It’s actually not unusual to see asymmetrical breast enlargement where both breasts are enlarged but disproportionately to one another. One of the first things many men notice is that their nipples take on a somewhat “puffy” look, so you should look out for swollen tissue in and around the nipples and swelling and tenderness throughout the breast tissue. It isn’t common to experience severe pain, but one of the gynecomastia symptoms I look for is mild tenderness or slight discomfort when the breast and nipple are touched. The breast growth might feel rubbery or firm and you might also notice that the skin around the nipples is darker or redder than usual.

While these are the physical gynecomastia symptoms, there are psychological indicators that are common to many of my patients as well. Many men feel self-conscious or embarrassed about the proportion of their chests compared to the rest of their body. They avoid activities like swimming where they might have to go shirtless and experience higher levels of anxiety when it comes to expressing intimacy with their partners for the same reason. They don’t feel comfortable dressing in clothes that might accentuate the condition so they tend to wear baggy or loose-fitting shirts to try to camouflage the imbalance. Many are frustrated and quite simply tired of living with discomfort, embarrassment and anxiety – they just want to get back to feeling confident and comfortable in their own skin.

If you have experienced any of these gynecomastia symptoms and you’re wondering what options are available to improve your quality of life, a good first step could be to come in for a free consultation. You can see some of our amazing gynecomastia before and after photos online and even more will be available when you come in to see us. We can work together to figure out the underlying cause of your gynecomastia and from there we can find the best treatment plan that will work for you. Sometimes a simple lifestyle adjustment can improve gynecomastia symptoms, although most men are ideal male breast reduction surgery candidates and find that surgery is necessary in order to eliminate it. If you’ve been looking for a solution, this just might be it. Let’s get rid of the shame and embarrassment and start talking about it.

• posted by Dr. Frank Lista, MD, FRCSC