Gynecomastia is a condition that afflicts men and their chests, more specifically, their breasts. It may as extreme as a situation where the male can actually have the ability to produce milk from their breasts, just like a woman.

If this kind of condition occurs during puberty, it is a mere physiological disorder that usually corrects itself in a year. In the same manner, gynecomastia can also happen to the elderly males because of weight increase and insufficient exercise. Breast enlargement due to increase in fat in the breast area is known as Pseudogynecomastia. From the name itself, you know that the problem is more of reducing the fat in that particular area, and not something more serious.

Men who like to body build may start taking mild steroids or products that contain estrogen, and this could lead to breast enlargement. On the other hand, there is also a condition wherein the liver in unable to process estrogen, and this will lead to gynecomastia. In cases like this, abuse of alcohol which destroys the liver could be a major factor.

Another cause for breast augmentation is a tumor in the testicles, lungs, breast, or ay other area. It does not have to be a tumor in the breast.

The treatment for breast enlargement will depend on the cause. As such, doctors will do a battery of tests first to determine what is causing the problem. If it is not a weight, puberty, or bodybuilding vitamins and supplements, then a biopsy will have to done to determine the cause. For problems that will not go away naturally, the general recourse would be either a drug therapy or gynecomastia surgery. However, no treatment can be administered without full screening and determination of the cause or causes and the history of the condition.

With gynecomastia surgery, your doctor might recommend a two-step procedure. The first would be the removal of the glandular tissue that is causing the enlargement, to be followed by liposuction and cosmetic surgery to make the breast area look more attractive and normal.

When you have concerns about one or both breasts starting to grow bigger without you gaining weight, you should consult with your doctor. It is possible that you are taking something that is inducing higher production of a hormone called androgen, and the hormone balance is upset. There are even certain drugs and too much alcohol as having been found to cause gynecomastia such as antibiotics, anti-ulcer, cardiovascular drugs, cancer drugs, marijuana, and certain supplements that can enhance hormone growth. Thus, before you visit your doctor, make sure to prepare a complete list of anything you may be taking or have taken in the past 6 months.