Moobs, a Psychological Impact on Young Men
GYNECOMASTIA (MALE BREASTS) BEGINS AT A YOUNG AGE
The cause of gynecomastia is not known, but there are several factors that may exacerbate the condition, such as use of steroids, or marijuana. Other things such as lavender oil, tea tree oil and soy milk are under study as possible causes. It can be hereditary or present during puberty only to be out grown at a later date. For young adolescents developing breasts, this can be a very frightening condition. Most young men do not understand the condition and do not realize how common it is. Thirty to sixty percent of young boys are affected by this condition, and as many as thirty percent of them will have it for the rest of their life.
It is important for parents to be aware of their son’s condition and how it is affecting their emotional state. Most young boys are very embarrassed and try to hide their chests. Many will keep their shoulders hunched, and make excuses not to go swimming or avoid situations where they may need to remove their shirt. What may not seem a difficult condition to a parent, can be most traumatic to a young boy. Students are known to taunt boys and humiliate them in gym class where they regularly need to remove their shirt. Boys going through puberty are already very self conscious. It is hopeful that there is a family member aware of such situation and would be able to take their child to a physician for an evaluation.
In most cases, young men will outgrow the condition, but many times they will not. A qualified plastic surgeon that specializes in gynecomastia, would be able to advise the parent and child of what he can expect. The good news is, if it is a permanent condition, it can be corrected by surgery once the boy has gone through puberty. Some boys with a milder case may be a candidate for the “Light Procedure”. It is a wise parent that will help their son through this stressful time and get a consultation once they are aware the situation exists.
We know of one young man that was so disturbed by his “moobs” that he asked his father if instead of spending the money set aside for his college, if he could have gynecomastia surgery. The father was so surprised to find that this was even an issue for his son. He was able to get a loan for the surgery and his son went on to college. Unfortunately not all young men are so lucky to have such a compassionate parent. Emotional support is so important but not always available by a family member. If this should be the case, there is an excellent website that has been around since 1999. It is www.gynecomastia.org here you will find many young men in similar situations that give support to each other. It is set up with chat rooms where there is tons of information available, and members can post questions. You do need to sign up, but there is no charge. This website is invaluable as a source of information and support.
MIGUEL DELGADO, M.D.
Dr. Delgado, MD is a world-recognized plastic surgeon and specialist in the treatment of male breast enlargement, also called gynecomastia. He has developed new techniques and owns and operates gynecomastia.org, which has become the largest gynecomastia forum in the world. Dr. Delgado holds the two most coveted credentials; the certification by the American Board of Plastic Surgery and membership in the American Society of Plastic Surgery.