Gynecomastia: Are you a fitness freak?
Does the perfect looking body inspire you to hit the gym and get yourself in shape?
If you have answered yes to the above questions, then it’s clear that as a man, you take your body shape very seriously.
Now, that’s a great thing, isn’t it?
It is, of course, till the time you start pumping in steroids to enhance your figure. Did you know that after a certain level, steroids can actually wreak havoc on your body?
It is believed by gym enthusiasts and fitness experts from all over that a man’s body should be aesthetic and well sculpted to draw all that attention from admirers. But then, this attention shouldn’t be attracted because of man boobs!Steroids, when overused, can cause damage. Well, man boobs are one damage that steroids can cause.
Understanding Man Boobs
Gynecomastia,or gyno is a condition in males, where they have, what is called ‘man boobs’ and this is caused due to an imbalance in their sex hormones. Testosterone ( androgens ) are malehormones produced by testes in men . Estrogens and Progesteron are female hormones produced by ovaries in women. But both men and women also have both male and female hormones. Both men and women have adrenal glands , that produce natural steroid hormones and these are converted into testosterone and estrogens . That is why males have small quantity of female hormones. and females have male hormones too. As long as there is balance of male and female hormones, there is no problem. But in case of any imbalance and relative female hormone excess , male breast glands enlarge and that is called gynecomastia. This generally happens to men during the time of puberty temporarily , and in most cases subsides on its own and hormones get readjusted.
Steroids and Man Boobs
Bodybuliders who take steroids to develop muscles and perpormance, often face the problem of man boobs and causes them go through bouts of exasperation and low self-esteem. Steroid pills and injections are converted to female hormones in body and stimulates the breast glands.
As a plastic surgeon, I am alarmed to see many body building sites prescribing antidotes to steroids , as a cure or prevention of gynecomastia. All this advise is coming from unqualified and non doctor sources, from gym intructors and such . The drugs used are anti estrogen pills used for treatment of breast cancer in females , and also aromatase enzyme inhibitors which block body enzymes that convert steroid to estrogen . None of these drugs are safe to be taken without medical prescription and they can have serious side effects of their own .
Best treatment of stroid induced gynecomastia is surgery. And surgery done by a qualified plastic surgeon is safer than self administered steroids, anticancer drugs and aromatase inhibitor drugs. Yes, medicines can have life threatening side effects too .
Surgery for man boobs caused by steroids :
Steroid induced gynecomastia in bodybuilders is different from usual gynecomastia of adult men. In bodybuliders fat percentage is low and glad percentage is very high . Sometimes its just pointy nipple. Liposuction and gland removal is the standard treatment. This surgery can be done in local or general anaesthesia, but is always a daycare surgery. Gland removal is done through a small scar in the nipple which allows body builders to remove their shirt without having any sign of surgery.
A vest is work for 3 weeks after surgery . workouts can be started after 3 weeks and regular bodybuilding routine can be resumed after 6 weeks.
There is a small change of gland coming back after surgery if the stroid usage is continued. That is, because very small amount of gland tissue is left under the nipple for preventing crater or depression ar nipple . This small tissue looks natural and does not enlarge normally , but it can, if steroids are overused .
When you see a doctor about your gynecomastia , do share your complete medical history and dosage of sterods you take. This will help in performing safe anaesthesia and surgery. Hiding your medical history can be risky.
About the Clinic and Doctor
Dr. Priti Shukla is the best female cosmetic surgeons in Hyderabad. She has 18 years of experience in cosmetic plastic surgery and thousands of satisfied patients. Ambrosia Clinic is leading skin plastic surgery clinic of Hyderabad since 2009. Our team of dermatologist and Plastic surgeons at Ambrosia clinic offer services like hair transplantation, laser, skin care and plastic surgery.
