Gynecomastia in men is a benign disease that presents as an enlargement of breast tissue. Though typically benign, it can be embarrassing, especially for adolescents. It should not be confused with pseudogynecomastia, which is comprised of fatty tissue in the chest.
In young boys, prior to attaining puberty, causation of gynecomastia is hard to determine. Over 90% of all prepubescent breast enlargements are idiopathic with no known cause. In the remaining 10%, there appears to be either an underlying serious health issue.
The NIEHS (National Institute of Environmental Health) conducted tests of products containing tea tree and lavender oil essences due to a study of three cases of prepubescent gynecomastia. The results indicated that these oils have the same effect as increased estrogen levels often associated with gynecomastia in men. They therefore recommend not using lavender or tea tree oil based products on young boys.
Pubertal gynecomastia is common in males attaining puberty. During the adolescent years, hormones like estrogen and testosterone fluctuate. During this pubescent period of fluctuating hormones, close to half of all adolescent males will have symptoms similar to gynecomastia in men. Once through the years of puberty and entering adulthood, all symptoms of breast enlargement should dissipate.
Most cases of gynecomastia in men are caused by a failure of the system to normalize after pubertal enlargement of the breast tissue. Nearly a quarter of all reported cases arise as a side effect caused by medication, illegal drug use or chronic medical condition. Only 25% of gynecomastia cases have an unknown origin, with very few patients have an underlying diagnosis of breast cancer.
Adult presentations of enlarged breast tissues are typically due to imbalanced hormone levels, with high levels of estrogen. If the causation is attributable to drugs or medication usage, refraining from illegal drug use or changes in prescribed medication will usually deter the symptoms of gynecomastia in men. Many medications currently prescribed for older men and many illegal substances, such as anabolic steroids, will exacerbate the condition.
Gynecomastia in men can also be attributable to chronic diseases, benign and cancerous tumors, castration and genetic mutations. The genetic mutation where a double X chromosome is present, known as Klinefelter Syndrome, can cause the increased estrogen levels that result in enlarged breasts. In cases where chronic diseases have attributed to the condition, once treated the gynecomastia symptoms should improve or disappear entirely.
Many men and adolescent boys view gynecomastia in men as an emotional and embarrassing issue. This often results in them "hiding" the problem, instead of seeking medical advice. To eliminate any possibility of cancer or identify an underlying medical cause, a clinical exam is necessary. If the breast tissue is sore or tender, this is extremely important to rule out any other diagnosis.
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