Mr. D.T.V. (34 years old, HCMC) is a lecturer at a university in HCMC. Every day when he goes to class, he wears a tight shirt and 4 layers of clothing to cover his enlarged chest. Many times, he considered quitting his job because he often heard students "accidentally say" that "teacher's chest is bigger than women's".
Through examination, the doctor determined that Mr. V. had gynecomastia. In the male body, there are both the male sex hormone testosterone and the female sex hormone estrogen. Testosterone controls male characteristics such as muscle mass and body hair.
Meanwhile, estrogen controls the development of the mammary glands. When estrogen levels in the male body are too high or out of balance with testosterone levels, there will be an increase in the amount of mammary gland tissue in men, leading to feminization of the mammary glands. Mr. V. said that when he was 15 years old, his breasts developed dramatically. His friends teased him that he was “like a girl,” so he withdrew, did not interact with anyone, and stayed in his room at home with the door closed.
Similarly, Mr. N.H.M. (25 years old, Binh Duong province) has suffered from gynecomastia for the past 10 years. His breasts have developed like a woman's, so he is always haunted when facing other people. When going out, he always wears 2 bras, 1 T-shirt, 1 thick and loose jacket. He increases his gym time hoping to make his breasts smaller.
With bulging muscles but no smaller chest, he was helpless, sometimes he used all his strength to hit his chest and cried alone. The peak was in September this year, he was self-conscious about his appearance and decided to break up with his girlfriend whom he had met 3 months ago.
Master Doctor Huynh Ba Tan - Department of Breast Surgery, Tam Anh General Hospital, Ho Chi Minh City said that in these cases, patients will undergo breast surgery to improve their confidence. The doctor will consider many safety factors, ensure aesthetics, and resolve the patient's psychological complexes.
According to Dr. Tan, gynecomastia is a benign condition and not life-threatening. However, if a conventional open surgery is performed – a long incision in the front of the chest to separate the mammary glands, the healing wound will leave a long scar on each side of the chest, causing the patient to move from one inferiority complex to another, unable to resolve their self-consciousness. The medical team decided to perform endoscopic mastectomy.
Gynecomastia is an increase in the amount of breast tissue in men due to an imbalance between the hormones estrogen and testosterone. This condition can occur in one or both breasts.
Gynecomastia is not dangerous to health but has a great impact on psychology, making men feel self-conscious. Endoscopic mastectomy is an effective treatment method, helping patients regain their figure and confidence.
