Hello,
Welcome to Healthcare Magic.
I have read your question fully and understand your concerns.
Enlargement of breast in males is termed as
Gynaecomastia. Hormonal imbalance due to low
testosterone and high estrogen levels causes gynaecomastia. Testosterone is the male hormone and estrogen is the female hormone. Due to excessive production/ presence of estrogen, male breasts grow in size. The breasts have glandular tissue as well as some fat.
There is also Pseudo gynaecomastia which gives the appearance of the male having breasts but actually it is only filled with fat.
Gynaecomastia can due to several causes:
1) Drugs: Anabolic steroids, Androgens, Heart medication like Digoxin,
Chemotherapy medications, Gastritis medication like
Cimetidine, AIDS treatment drugs, Anti-
anxiety medication like Diazepam, Anti-depressants like
Amitriptyline, some antibiotics etc.
2) Substance abuse: Heroin, Marijuana, Alcohol, Methadone
3) Obesity
4) Extreme stress
5) Kidney failure
6) Thyroid disorders - Hyperthyroidism
7) Liver cirrhosis
8) Adrenal gland disorders etc.
If I were your doctor, I would do some basic blood tests to check proper functioning of your liver, kidney, blood counts, and a detailed hormonal profile to rule out hormonal imbalance.
Depending on the cause, the treatment is given. If the gynaecomastia is due to any drugs or substance abuse, just stopping them will help to revert back the breasts to their normal size. Reducing your overall weight will help to reduce the size of the breast too. There are some medications like Tamoxifen which can help too. If treatment with medication fails, then
breast reduction surgery is the final option.
As this condition needs a thorough assessment, can I advise you to see your doctor.
I hope this answer has helped you
Thank you
Regards
Dr Sunita Sayammagaru