Swollen, puffy, distended breasts on a man can be a tell-tale sign of gynecomastia. The condition, characterized by excessive breast growth, is often triggered by a hormonal imbalance. Sometimes the result of natural fluctuations that occur across the aging process, as with puberty or middle-age, once the estrogen and testosterone levels balance back out, the gynecomastia will resolve on its own. However, there are other causes of enlarged male breasts that will not naturally diminish over time.
Prescription Medications and Enlarged Male Breasts:
Most people know that physician-prescribed medications can come with a host of side-effects. However did you know that gynecomastia is one of them? Medications have the power to change bodily functions and even affect hormone levels. This can result in changes in breast growth for men.
Common Medications That Can Cause Gynecomastia Include:
- Anabolic steroids
- AIDS medications
- Anti-anxiety drugs (such as Valium)
- Tricyclic antidepressants
- Antibiotics
- Ulter medications
- Cancer drugs and chemotherapy
- Heart medications and calcium channel blockers
- Gastric motility medications
- Anti-androgens, used to treat prostate enlargement and prostate cancer
What can you do if your medications are causing increased breast growth?
The first thing to do, if you suspect that a medication you are taking is causing excess breast tissue, will be to speak with your doctor. Do not stop taking the prescription medication on your own, however, as many drugs are treating a health condition that needs to be addressed. Additionally, some medications will require a slow taper to safely stop.
Your doctor can help to determine if a specific medication is causing unwanted breast tissue to form. If so, he/she may recommend a different medication or solution, without the gynecomastia side-effect. Once the cause of gynecomastia has been isolated, and the condition does not improve on its own, surgical intervention may be useful in restoring a smooth, masculine chest. A male breast reduction is performed as an outpatient procedure, using liposuction, excision, or a combination of the two to excise unwanted frat and glandular tissue. The results can be dramatic and long-lasting.
In some cases, however, the benefits of a specific medication will outweigh the side-effects, so it must be continued. If you continue to take the side-effect inducing medication, unwanted breast tissue can return even after a male breast reduction. For this reason, be sure to disclose all medications to your plastic surgeon before schedule a gynecomastia procedure.
Male Breast Reduction in Houston:
Dr. Paul Vitenas is Houston’s premier male breast reduction surgeon. After close to 30 years of practice, Dr. Vitenas has created his own, safe and effective gynecomastia technique, providing exceptional results and little scarring. Noone but you will ever know about the surgical procedure. Check out Dr. Vitenas’ male breast reduction Before and After photographs. Call Vitenas Cosmetic Surgery at 281.668.7370 to schedule your consultation appointment.