Gynecomastia is the most common breast condition in males that occurs bilaterally. Experts define gynecomastia as the enlarging of the breasts in males due to tissue growth around the nipple area. The growth occurs usually in symmetry and in concentric circles around the nipple.
People with this condition tend to develop anxiety, psychosocial discomfort and fear of breast cancer. Therefore, they try to look for treatment options without any delay. In this article, we discuss the various stages of gynecomastia, its types and how to get rid of it fast.
Stages of Gynecomastia
There are various forms of classification that define the stage of gynecomastia. People should know about the various stages of gynecomastia that occurs. Furthermore, this can help them in reaching a decision of getting treated with the appropriate treatment option.
In the opinion of the authors of the research paper, “Classification and surgical correction of gynecomastia”, there are four grades of severity. These are-
- Grade I- Small enlargement without skin excess
- Grade IIa- Moderate enlargement without skin excess
- Grade IIb (commonly known as the Grade III)- Moderate enlargement with minor skin excess
- Grade III (commonly known as the Grade IV)- Marked enlargement with excess skin, mimicking drooped of the female breast
The above classification has been adopted by the American Society of Plastic Surgery (ASPS) and referred to this as the gynecomastia scale.
Symptoms of Each Stage of Gynecomastia
Grade I
This is the first and initial stage of gynecomastia. The person develops small breast enlargement which is not evident with clothing. Furthermore, there is some tissue growth around the areola or the surrounding nipple area. The nipple has a puffy look that looks similar to a cone. The colour of the tissue growth is different from the natural breast tissue in that area. People get the most effective results when they decide to treat gynecomastia in this stage.
Grade II
People with grade II gynecomastia have tissue growth that becomes broader than grade I and expands throughout the chest. However, it still remains unnoticeable when wearing loose-fitting clothes. This is also known as mild to moderate breast enlargement. Moreover, the chest feels tights, firm under the nipple area and the outer area is soft and fatty. If people undergo gland excision along with liposuction in this stage, they’ll get the most desired results.
Grade III
In this grade, there is excess skin around the areola causing it to become droopy. There is so much breast enlargement, that the width of the chest also increases. Grade III gynecomastia is considered to be moderate to severe. Also, the sagging of the breasts is noticeable even with loose-fitting clothes.
Grade IV
By this grade, the male breasts become so large that they appear like female breasts. This is the final stage of breast enlargement which makes it severe and highly visible. The only cure to this severe level of gynecomastia is liposuction with gland excision.
Types of Gynecomastia
There are mainly two types of Gynecomastia-
Glandular gynecomastia
True or glandular gynecomastia develops due to excessive production of estrogen in the male body. People with glandular gynecomastia develop large breast tissue. People who are older are more likely to develop this kind of gynecomastia.
Fatty gynecomastia
Also known as pseudogynecomastia, this occurs due to the gain of excessive weight and accumulation of fatty cells around the breast area. The causes of this type of gynecomastia includes maintaining a sedentary lifestyle, consuming alcohol, eating lots of junk food, etc.
How to diagnose Gynecomastia?
At the doctor’s clinic, the diagnosis of gynecomastia starts with a physical examination along with asking questions pertaining to medical history. The doctor can also ask about medicines and using drugs. After this, doctors recommend blood tests to understand the functioning of the liver, kidney or thyroid.
How To Get Rid of Gynecomastia Fast?
There are various contributing factors that increase the chances of gynecomastia developing. These factors alter the hormonal balance of male and female hormones in the male body. Owing to this imbalance of hormones, female-like structures including gynecomastia develops. Some of the reasons that can affect the hormones include- taking street drugs, excessive consumption of alcohol, hereditary factors, certain medications, etc.
Hence, restricting these factors can restore the balance in hormonal levels thereby, reducing the enlargement of breasts. However, in some cases, these may not be sufficient as there is too much growth of breast tissue. In such instances, people can think about alternative options such as liposuction along with gland excision.
Pristyn Care offers liposuction along with gland excision to treat gynecomastia with minimal scars and pain. In case you want to know more about gynecomastia and its treatment, consult with our plastic surgeons today.
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References
- “Gynecomastia in Adolescent Males”, February 2013, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3706045/ accessed on 15th June
- “Gynecomastia: Clinical evaluation and management”, Mar-Apr 2014, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3987263/ accessed on 15th June