Both men and women have breasts. We explain what male breasts are and what causes them, in this article.

At birth, the breasts of both boys and girls appear the same. Both newborn boys and girls can produce small amounts of milk from their breast tissue in the early postnatal period, under the influence of the mother’s female hormone, oestrogen.

During puberty, a girls ovaries increase the amounts of oestrogen and progesterone which they produce. As well as causing a girl to menstruate, these sex hormones also act on the breast tissue, which enlarges, and forms the adult female breast, which are capable of lactating milk after giving birth to a baby. Since males do not have as much oestrogen as females – having more testosterone instead which promotes the development of male sexual characteristics – the breasts do not grow.

In a relatively large number of men, perhaps up to 60% at some time during their lifetime, males can develop enlarged breasts, often called man boobs, or moobs. This condition is known as gynaecomastia. Gynaecomastia is usually caused by temporary changes in the level of oestrogens in the male body or an imbalance between the action of oestrogen and testosterone on the breast tissue.. This most often arises during puberty when the young male is developing and growing, but can also occur in infancy and in senior years. In most cases, gynaecomastia resolves itself as hormone balances settle down. Sometimes, chemicals in plant-derived drugs such as heroin or marijuana can mimic oestrogen and give rise to gynaecomastia; ceasing the intake of these drugs will help to revert the problem. Other drugs including medications for the treatment of AIDS and cancer, as well as body-building steroids or alcohol can interfere with the normal hormone functioning and lead to enlarged breasts.

Another condition called pseudogynaecomastia also exists. It is called “pseudo” gynaecomastia because the appearance of the enlarged breasts looks very similar to the hormonally-affected condition, but this time the size of the breasts is caused by being overweight and storing too much fat on the chest.

Enlarged male breasts, especially those caused by being overweight, are often asymptomatic, but many men feel self-conscious, embarrassed or even depressed about having an imperfect masculine chest shape. Sometimes gynaecomastia can cause tender or sore breasts too. In these cases, seeking a doctor’s advice will help to reassure you that the condition is quite normal and easily treated. Simply stopping taking the drugs, growing up and out of adolescence or losing weight and taking regular exercise is usually enough to get rid of your enlarged male breasts.

Some men may wish to undergo cosmetic surgery to improve their chest shape, but this should only be considered as a last resort, after other options have been explored. Surgery, even elective surgery, carries certain risks and should not be undertaken lightly. For men with excess fat on their chests, liposuction could be an option to remove the fat. For those with gynaecomastia, surgical removal of the excess glandular tissue may be required.

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