The condition of enlarged breasts or man boobs is called gynecomastia that affects two-thirds of the male population. For most men, the psychological impact of gynecomastia is substantial.
Till now, most researches are focused on the effectiveness of the surgery in terms of cosmetic appearance. However, the psychological impact of gynecomastia and its treatment is often left out of focus. So, we got an expert opinion in this regard from a Pristyn Care gynecomastia surgeon who has helped hundreds of people get effective treatment for gynecomastia and deal with the negative emotions that come with this condition.
Today, we will discuss the psychological impacts of gynecomastia in men and how we can help them in this matter to overcome the emotional restraints and get proper treatment for gynecomastia.
What is Gynecomastia?
Gynecomastia is the condition when the glandular tissues present in men become enlarged making them appear like breasts. The condition arises mostly when the estrogen level inside the body increases and the testosterone levels decreases due to some reasons.
As the size of breasts increases in men, it negatively affects their self-esteem. What’s even worse is that it can affect males at any age and the psychological effect in young boys is adverse than in adult men.
Psychological Impact of Gynecomastia in Men
Muscular development, invulnerability, emotional and physical strength are some characteristics that are associated with the male psyche. But, once a male is diagnosed with gynecomastia, he becomes vulnerable to shame, sadness, anxiety, fear of marginalization, or subordination within his peers or close circle.
Most men develop a feeling that they are losing their masculinity when diagnosed with gynecomastia. And this statement is true to a great extent as the body image of the man is greatly affected when men develop breast problems. Once a male is diagnosed with gynecomastia, especially young ones, they tend to feel inferior to others and even get subjected to mockery and taunting.
As breasts are a female trait, gynecomastia can lead to a sense of feminine identity in men. Even though it is not a life-threatening disease, it affects different aspects of the man’s life such as:
- Functional capacity
- Limitations due to physical aspects
- Limitation due to pain
- General health
- Vitality
- Social aspects
- Limitations due to emotional aspects
- Mental health/well-being
The negative effects are present in males of all age groups at different levels of severity. That’s why most men consider surgical treatment to resolve gynecomastia permanently. And even after undergoing gynecomastia surgery, it takes a significant amount of time for them to rebuild their self-esteem and confidence.
How to minimize the psychological impact of gynecomastia on males?
Whether it is males or females, changes in body features are always a sensible matter. In such situations, if a man is diagnosed with gynecomastia, even their family’s behavior can cause psychological damage to their mind.
The fear of rejection from family and friends develops in males, especially at a younger age. They may start retreating from social gatherings and athletic activities due to the fear of being discovered and thinking that the enlarged size of breasts makes them less of a man.
At this point, it is crucial that we reach out to them and provide emotional support. The lack of support can cause them to develop a feeling of distrust and social isolation. Hence, it is critical that we take the feelings of these men seriously so that they won’t lose their self-esteem and confidence.
It must also be noted by the males who are diagnosed with gynecomastia that their fear of humiliation or rejection from family may also be a misconception. If you open up about your problem, your family is most likely to understand the problem, provide you emotional support, and help you get proper treatment.
Case Study
“My name is Vihan and I am 18 years old. I was diagnosed with gynecomastia one year ago, but I didn’t pay much attention to the increased size of my chest for quite some time.
Along with this, I had acne on my face and my voice was also pitchy. So, I was made fun of on many occasions by my friends and classmates. I consulted a doctor and got some medicines that were supposed to prevent the condition from advancing. But everything was in vain. I used to feel very embarrassed to even go out and socialize with people. In the end, things got so worse that I had to consult a therapist.
My therapist suggested that I can opt for surgical treatment for gynecomastia. That’s when I came across Pristyn Care and consulted their doctor. I underwent surgery and the results of the surgery were satisfactory. My chest size got back to normal and I was able to regain enough confidence to go out with my friends.”
What are the treatment options for gynecomastia?
The doctor told us that most men seek treatment for gynecomastia to minimize their emotional distress as well as physical discomfort. The treatment method is chosen after diagnosing the patient and determining the cause of gynecomastia. Mainly, there are two methods, medications and surgery.
In some cases, the condition arises due to abnormal body functions whereas in other cases it is related to overuse of certain medications and drugs. The drugs can affect the amount of estrogen produced in the man’s body naturally. Some of these medications are anabolic steroids, heart medications, marijuana, alcohol, etc. Apart from this, medications for depression, high blood pressure, heart problems, stomach ulcers, antibiotics, chemotherapy drugs, and cancer drugs can also cause hormonal changes in men that can lead to gynecomastia.
If gynecomastia is caused by any of the medicines mentioned above, the condition resolves when they stop taking the medicines. However, some of these medicines are specially prescribed and they can’t be stopped without consulting the doctor. Besides that, some diseases can also affect the level of estrogen and testosterone in men, such as genetic problems, chronic kidney/liver diseases, testicle or adrenal tumors. When medicines are not effective in treating gynecomastia caused due to any of these reasons, surgical treatment is recommended to reverse the effects of the condition.
Among the two plausible treatment options for gynecomastia, i.e., medication and surgery, most men opt for surgery to get rid of the man boobs. If you satisfy certain conditions, you can undergo gynecomastia surgery at a reliable daycare provider such as Pristyn Care.
The Bottom Line
After consulting with Pristyn Care doctors, we found out that most men who opt for gynecomastia surgery suffer from emotional distress due to the large size of breasts. The primary reason why they opt for surgical treatment is to get rid of the mental stress that is caused by gynecomastia.
If you are also facing such challenges, Pristyn Care doctors can help to cure the disease. Apart from that, their doctors also provide emotional support to the patients to help them cope with their problems. You can book an appointment with them and consult the specialists to get best-in-class treatment.
