These hormones spoil boys' joy

The teenagers go for surgery of abnormal growth of breasts

Bangalore boys plagued by this problem are increasingly finding a way out through surgical procedures, as indicated by City-based plastic surgeons and cosmetologists.

Gynecomastia is the development of abnormally large mammary glands in males. The term comes from gyne meaning woman and mastos meaning breast.

It is due to the high amounts of Estrogen and Progesterone that women typically have big breasts, Dr Mahesh G, Consultant Plastic Surgeon, Wockhardt Hospital, explained to Deccan Herald. These hormones are present in negligible amounts in men. However, it is when there is a hormonal imbalance amongst other factors, the Estrogen and Progesterone become abnormally high in males, that their breasts begin to enlarge, he said.

Grades

There are three grades of Gynecomastia. Grade I - where the breast tissue is more and fat is less, Grade II - where both are equal and grade III, where the fat is more and breast tissue is less making it look like a female breast, explained Dr Naveen Rao, Consultant Cosmetic Surgeon, Apollo Hospital.

Typically, the male breast enlargement which becomes prominent after puberty lasts up to 21 years of age, after which it goes down. However, this condition triggers introversion and depression, pushing many to opt for surgery.

Rajesh (name changed) found it painful to even talk about his condition. "I loved swimming since I was a child. But, I stopped because I was made fun of.  I thought it was because I was overweight and I exercised, but it didn't go away," said Rajesh.

Cosmetologists say that they usually ask their young patients to wait if it is Grade I or Grade II Gynecomastia. If there is no improvement, they suggest surgery. If it is purely glandular, Liposuction is performed, while if it is glandular and fibrous or just fibrous sub-cutaneous mastectomy is done as well. However, "We oblige to do surgeries on those severely affected by social problems as well," said Dr Rao. But sometimes if the surgery is done early, say a 15-year-old, the swelling can return after a year or two, he added.