What Causes Gynecomastia

After Michael went through puberty, his growing chest caused his life to change drastically. Endocrinologist Dr. Joseph Pinzone diagnosed him with gynecomastia. Learn more about this condition and see what surprises The Doctors have in store for Mich

About The Doctors:

The Doctors is an Emmy award-winning daytime talk show hosted by ER physician Dr. Travis Stork, plastic surgeon Dr. Andrew Ordon, OB-GYN Dr. Jennifer Ashton, urologist Dr. Jennifer Berman and family medicine physician and sexologist Dr. Rachael Ross.

The Doctors helps you understand the latest health headlines, such as the ice bucket challenge for ALS and the Ebola outbreak; delivers exclusive interviews with celebrities dealing with health issues, such as Teen Mom star Farrah Abraham, reality stars Honey Boo Boo and Mama June and activist Chaz Bono; brings you debates about health and safety claims from agricultural company Monsanto and celebrities such as Jenny McCarthy; and shows you the latest gross viral videos and explains how you can avoid an emergency situation. The Doctors also features the News in 2:00 digest of the latest celebrity health news and The Doctors’ Prescription for simple steps to get active, combat stress, eat better and live healthier.

Now in its eighth season, The Doctors celebrity guests have included Academy Award Winners Sally Field, Barbra Streisand, Jane Fonda, Marcia Gay Harden, Kathy Bates and Marisa Tomei; reality stars from Teen Mom and The Real Housewives, as well as Kris Jenner, Caitlyn Jenner, Melissa Rivers, Sharon Osbourne, Tim Gunn and Amber Rose; actors Jessica Alba, Christina Applegate, Julie Bowen, Patricia Heaton, Chevy Chase, Kristin Davis, Lou Ferrigno, Harrison Ford, Grace Gealey, Cedric the Entertainer, Valerie Harper, Debra Messing, Chris O’Donnell, Betty White, Linda Gray, Fran Drescher, Emmy Rossum, Roseanne Barr, Valerie Bertinelli, Suzanne Somers; athletes Magic Johnson, Apolo Ohno and Danica Patrick; musicians Tim McGraw, Justin Bieber, Clint Black, LL Cool J, Nick Carter, Kristin Chenoweth, Paula Abdul, Gloria Gaynor, La Toya Jackson, Barry Manilow, Bret Michaels, Gene Simmons and Jordin Sparks; and celebrity chefs Wolfgang Puck, Guy Fieri and Curtis Stone.

[jaymiller]

My gyno affected me negatively throughout my life. In my 40’s, I told my family doctor that the lumps were beginning to become fairly painful with an almost constant dull ache. The doctor referred me to a urologist.

I spoke with the urologist and he asked me when my gyno first formed and if I had ever used gear. I told him that I had never touched used gear of any kind; just creatine and protein powder and that my gyno happened at puberty. He told me that he knew it could be a tough question but to be completely honest; he asked if I had experienced childhood trauma or if I had been abused during childhood. I told him that I didn’t exactly have the ideal childhood. He asked if I could talk about because it was important if I could explain the severity. I told him that my first memories of it began at 4 years old and was constant and severe until I was about 14. I told him I had a loaded gun in my mouth twice; once at age 9 and again at 13.

He said that when children experience prolonged, severe trauma, it throws everything in the body off. Think about it, when I was 13, up to that point, I had been abused in “every” way possible for my entire life. People go through fight or flight modes and brief moments of extreme stress and anxiety very rarely. For me, it was a daily thing. That constant dump of stress hormones threw off the entire endocrine system in my body which had lost all control of regulating chemical/hormone levels.

I had a surgery to remove the tissue and I only wish that I would have done it years or decades earlier.

[christopherross]

gynecomastia is no joke man I've been struggling with this for the last 3year I've never been overweight really in my life I start taking creatine an it started from them this shit really depressing

[goodtalker]

At about 9 years of age, I woke up one day and had boobs. Two other kids in my high school of about 400 were also afflicted with the condition. At nearly 20 years of age, I had a breast reduction. I suffered for many years with the stress of this condition. One thing that being "broken" by something early in life is that is makes you empathetic towards others.

[toxiccooler]

I'm 16 and I still have this shit. I tried to brush it off and be body positive about it, but it's really hard, it caused me depressed and all sorts of stress, its gotten to the point where I can't go nowhere without wearing a sweater.

[weaselsoup]

I have had this since puberty. I struggled with self esteem and anxiety through my teens years but I got to the point where I just stopped caring. I am in my early 30s now and I would say my life is pretty much normal. I don't have any health concerns from it and I would not get the surgery for cosmetic reasons. It is just a part of me that I rarely even think about anymore.

[LUNARRWITCHSYNTH]

I get bullied cause of it and I can't afford the surgery if people stopped being so judgemental and mean maybe I'd feel better 😥

[HYUHE]

You’re very brave Michael. Thanks for sharing.

[HA-gxdg]

I had a gynocamastia condition while i wasnt over weight! Nothing was embarrassing as when you go to the pool ir wear tshirt. I tried working out; diet ; but only surgery took care of it!

[chrisj]

It sucks bad. Had my surgery 4 years ago at 40 years old. I never went swimming or went to beach without a shirt. My life now is so much better. My gynecomastia started at 13 and by the age of 18 was basically a C cup. So many years I tried to have the surgery but never could because insurance never wanted to cover it in spite of my doctors best efforts. I finally saved enough money to have the surgery. Mine cost $7K and I have 8 inch scars on both sides of my chest because of the extent of it and the extra skin. In time they got better and hardly noticeable today. After surgery I had no complications and very little pain. I only needed 1.5 of the pain pills I was prescribed. If any of you are suffering from this do your best to save money and get it. It is truly life changing.

[AshrafAshraf-zxvz]

16, i have gyno and i think it will never go away honestly

[pipess]

I am 13 right now and I just started seeing gynecomastia on me

[cowboy-pc]

Had a severe grade 4 gyno. Stopped going to swimming or even opening my shirt. It started in pre puberty itself but took shape in puberty. I tried to excersize and weight loss, but after weight loss the breast became more rounded and only stopped sagging. It did not go away. Finally got it removed by a general surgery. It did a ton of good to my brain

[ambidextrouskj]

I have the same condition and it is horrible I try to avoid taking my shirt of at all times and this a lot on me it makes me feel so sad see everybody else's not waring a shirt and I'm over hear with a collar shirt on in the pool

[sprinklefriend]

For some reason, I'm not convinced there is NOTHING related to this condition in his case. His voice is feminine, his body is feminine, and when you add that to the breast growth, it seems like it's hormonal or that he is intersex. I wonder if they tested to see if he's chimera? It's extremely rare so not a test they may have even thought of.

[elizabethb]

I'm surprised it's not hormonal because his voice is very high pitched...

[mcej]

Great for that guy!!! I've been dealing with gynecomastia since the age of 12 and I'm now 27 and struggling with it so I know how this guy feels!! I work out on the regular basis! (Lift and cardio) and it's still there! The only way to get rid of it is through surgery and it's so expensive! Hopefully I can get the surgery one day cause this sucks!!!

[southaussielad]

I had gyno as a kid and started doing pushups to compensate. It really didn't help. As a 36 year old, my chest has developed to become very muscular and the gyno kind of got swallowed up under muscle. It wasn't until my late 20s that my body really started sorting itself out.

[phillydavison]

I have Gynecomastia and I have recently been booked into a ultrasound on my liver which has really scared me because I do know of a link between liver disease causing Gynecomastia :( I can't help feeling the worst at the moment sigh.

[andreystankov]

I got mine from malnutrition in childhood and irresponsible parents

[corneliusbulus]

I get embarrassed each time some ladies hold ma breast without ma consent
I can't even react.
The last time i went for a checkup, a surgery was suggested...