Gynecomastia can affect any man, regardless of age or even body fat percentage. One group that is often negatively affected by gynecomastia are bodybuilders or people striving for a lean, muscular body. As people who care greatly about the way their body looks, developing excess breast tissue, even just a little, can be devastating for these men.
Dr. Miguel Delgado is a renowned gynecomastia specialist practicing in San Francisco who can eliminate your gynecomastia, no matter the cause or your condition.
What Causes Bodybuilder Gynecomastia?
The usual suspect for bodybuilder gynecomastia are steroids and other medications people might be taking to attain a certain physique. These drugs can mess with hormone levels, leading to the development of excess breast tissue in a localized are under the nipple or more widespread throughout the chest.
While some fitness buffs might think that simply stopping the medication will allow their chest to go back to normal, this is usually not the case. No amount of exercise or specific chest workouts can remove glandular tissue that may have grown during the course of performance enhancers. Even fat can be stubborn to diet and exercise as it contributes to a more feminine appearing chest and nipples.
Symptoms of Bodybuilder Gynecomastia
There are 4 generally recognized stages or grades of gynecomastia that can affect bodybuilders. Grade 1 gynecomastia consists of a minor enlargement of the normal male chest. Grade 2 is more developed, feminine-looking breasts and grade 3 typically begins to have drooping with excess skin. Grade 4 gynecomastia is significant enlargement coupled with significant excess skin that causes a downward-pointing nipple.
The most common symptoms bodybuilders might experience are steroid induced gynecomastia. This occurs when fat builds up directly beneath the nipple and areola, stretching that skin outward and causing a shiny, rounded, smooth appearance that bodybuilders find concerning.
Treating Bodybuilder Gynecomastia
Fortunately, gynecomastia does not pose any risks to a person’s health or fitness level. The major reason fitness experts seek out male breast reduction procedures is simply due to the appearance of the chest. For people whose bodies are their livelihood, who are passionate about creating a perfectly sculpted figure, it’s a distressing condition that can harm self-esteem and fuel embarrassment about their bodies.
Dr. Delgado treats gynecomastia on an individual basis, since everyone is different and has different goals from the procedure. Techniques like liposuction frequently work for people with puffy nipple gynecomastia or very little glandular tissue that’s causing a problem. However, for any excess skin or more severely enlarged breast tissue, excisional surgery will most likely need to be performed.
Gynecomastia Specialist in San Francisco
If you’ve been using anabolic steroids for performance enhancement and have seen a sudden change in your chest appearance or feeling, you may be experiencing gynecomastia. Stopping the medication sometimes works, but not always, and exercise alone rarely helps the appearance return to normal. For more information on gynecomastia surgery, browse this site or call Dr. Delgado to schedule a consultation today.
