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Gynaecomastia or Gynecomastia?

September 2, 2016

Gynecomastia, or frequently misspelled as Gynaecomastia, is a funny looking word which is foreign to a lot of people. They have never seen it,  pronounced it or had to write it. Having said this, Gynecomastia is a word, rather a condition, which has been gaining attention over the past couple of years. Here’s a little bit of info., so you are in the know next time you come across this word.

Gynecomastia – noun – gy·neco·mas·tia , ˌgī-nə-kō-ˈmas-tē-ə

Definition; excessive development of the male breast. Gyne refers to female and mastia refers to breast.

First known use: 1881

Frequently misspelled as: Gynaecomastia.

Also referred to as: enlarged male breasts, man boobs, moobs, gyno, gyne

In an attempt to ensure those spelling the word incorrectly are able to reach important educational information about enlarged male breasts, we will take this opportunity to misspell Gynaecomastia throughout this article.

As stated above, Gynaecomastia is an abnormal enlargement of one or both breasts in men. Although Gynaecomastia is actually quite common, there are still countless people who have never heard or seen the word. Fortunately, now that cosmetic surgery is becoming more mainstream, and less taboo to talk about, more and more men are finally opening up about having gynaecomastia, and taking the necessary steps to correct the condition.

Gynaecomastia frequently occurs during puberty as hormones fluctuate. It is estimated close to 50% off boys experience enlargement of one or both breasts. Common symptoms include a tender nodule beneath the areola, protrusion of the areola, or overall enlargement of the entire breast. Symptoms usually subside on their own within a couple of years.

Gynecomastia is also seen in aging men, particularly when there is weight gain. In most of these cases, men were already living with mild gynecomastia they didn’t even recognize. Weight gain and skin laxity become issues as men get older, which, in turn, causes the gynecomastia to become more obvious. Gynaecomastia in regular adult men is linked to hormone imbalances, certain medications, marijuana use, and steroid use.

Can you get rid of man boobs?

gynaecomastia

For most adolescent teens, their gynaecomastia will go away on its own within a couple of years. If it persists into adulthood, surgical correction will be necessary to get rid of it. Adult men or aging men, suffering with enlarged breasts, should see their doctor for a thorough evaluation to be sure there is not an underlying medical issue causing the condition. In most cases, gynecomastia is benign and is not normally the result of a medical problem. If everything checks out fine, the next step is to consult with a plastic surgeon who specializes in gynecomastia (male breast reduction) surgery.

It is important to know there are currently no proven medications in the U.S. that have been proven to permanently get rid of gynaecomastia. The only permanent solution is male breast reduction surgery.

For more information about the types of gynecomastia and the available surgical treatment options, CLICK HERE.

Plastic Surgeon | Website | + posts

Dr. Joseph Cruise is a board-certified plastic surgeon with over 20 years of experience. Regarded as one of the top gynecomastia surgeons in the world, Dr. Cruise has gynecomastia-specific content that can be found at lagynecomastia.org. Dr. Cruise has dedicated his career to cosmetic surgery but has also had extensive training in General Surgery, Hand Surgery, and Microvascular Surgery. Dr. Joseph Cruise is also a member of the Rhinoplasty Society as well as the American Society of Plastic Surgeons.

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