Gynecomastia (Breasts on a Man)
Men have breasts but with minimal glandular tissue present. Gynecomastia refers to the development of female-quantity breast glands in the male patient. Most cases begin during puberty. No one knows why certain adolescent males develop breast tissue, but it is probably caused by having either higher levels of hormones in the blood or an increased sensitivity of normal breast tissue to typical levels of circulating hormones, especially the female hormone called estrogen. Alternatively, it may be due to either decreased levels of male hormones (such as testosterone) or insensitivity to these hormones.
Gynecomastia is more common than one might think, affecting up to 40% of young men at some point during their
…show more content…
Because hormones and genetic factors can cause gynecomastia, the plastic surgeon may need to refer a patient to an endocrinologist for either (1) blood and urine studies that would show elevated hormone levels or (2) genetic studies that would show the count and other details of the patient’s chromosomes. An abnormal testicular exam will prompt the surgeon to order an ultrasound of the testes. The surgeon may wish to obtain a mammogram to rule out a breast tumor, which, though unlikely, can occur in men especially with asymmetric breast …show more content…
This may be treated with an implantation or injection of fat. Another possible complication involving the nipple is nipple loss, but complete or partial nipple death is a very rare complication because the operation is designed to maintain adequate blood supply to the nipple. Yet, if the nipple and surrounding areola die because of an insufficient blood supply, they would require removal; this problem is then treated with dressing changes to aid healing. The nipple could be reconstructed at a later date, but nipple reconstructions have limited