It’s unfortunate that there’s a lot of confusion when it comes to the difference between gynecomastia and pseudogynecomastia.
However, it’s easy to see why this is the case. After all, both of them lead to the same embarrassing condition called “man boobs”.
While you can refer to your condition as having man boobs, it’s important to know what the difference is for proper diagnosis and of course, proper treatment.
In order to know what the difference is, it’s important that we define both conditions first. This way, you’ll have a good idea as to what they are which will help you understand their difference better.
What is Gynecomastia?
This is a condition that leads to swollen breast tissues. This condition affects men and is caused by hormonal imbalance; specifically the hormones testosterone and estrogen.
Simply put, your body produces an abnormally high level of estrogen and an abnormally low level of testosterone.
Being a man, it should be the other way around. Men have testosterone and this is one of the things that separate us from women. On the other hand, women have estrogen and it’s what makes them feminine.
If you have low levels of testosterone and high levels of estrogen, it follows that you’ll develop feminine traits – one of which is to have man boobs.
What is Pseudogynecomastia?
There is also an enlargement of the breast with this condition.
However, instead of it being caused by hormonal imbalance that leads to swollen breast tissues, pseudogynecomastia is caused by an excessive amount of adipose tissue.
This usually happens when fat is deposited in the area. This is why most obese men are suffering from this condition. Fat will be deposited in your chest area as well and this will lead to you having bigger boobs.
Gynecomastia vs Pseudogynecomastia – The Difference
The end result is the same. You’ll have bigger boobs. The main difference is the cause. As mentioned, gynecomastia is caused by a hormonal imbalance that leads to higher estrogen and lower testosterone while pseudogynecomastia is caused by fatty deposits.
This means that the underlying issue for the former is breast tissue while the underlying issue for the latter is fat.
What are the Other Differences?
Here’s a list of the other differences of the two conditions:
Diagnosis
In both conditions, the patient will be asked to lie down with his hands beneath his head so that he can be examined.
The one examining the patient will pinch the breast from either side of the nipple. If the patient has gynecomastia, the examiner will feel a rubbery mound of tissue around the nipple area. For the other condition, no such mound will be felt.
Treatment Options
You can regularly wear compression shirts for both conditions. At the very least, these shirts can improve the appearance of the man boobs.
These shirts can also help encourage you to seek treatment. You’ll see how you’ll look like without the man boobs which of course can encourage you to seek treatment.
Gynecomastia pills may be recommended by a specialist. There are also some pills available online that are worth a look.
If you choose wisely, you can find a good pill such as Gynetrex that can help you with your condition.
In some cases, this condition will go away without treatment. This is especially true among boys going through puberty since this stage is known for causing a hormonal imbalance in the body. Hormonal imbalance can also happen to older men.
For pseudogynecomastia, it can be a simple change in your lifestyle. Obesity can easily lead to this condition since it’s basically caused by fatty deposits.
This means that with the right diet and exercises for chest fat, you can improve its appearance and maybe even completely remove your man boobs.
One major difference as far as treatment options are concerned is it’s easier to treat pseudogynecomastia.
Sure, gynecomastia may go away on its own in some cases. But generally speaking, it’s easier to cure pseudogynecomastia since it can usually be treated with a change in diet and exercise.
Nowadays, there are also pills that are specifically designed to treat this condition and they’re worth a look as well. These pills are designed to reduce the fat in the chest area which of course is the underlying issue of this condition.
Surgical Procedure
In extreme cases, surgery may be recommended by a surgeon for both conditions. Consider this as the last resort if the treatment options don’t work or if you really want immediate results.
For gynecomastia, the procedure calls for an excision to be done. For the other type, liposuction is done. Surgery for men costs around $3,500-$5,500 and cannot be covered by medical insurance.
What to Do Now
Even if they’re caused by different things and they have differences, the best thing to do right now is to consult with a gynecomastia surgeon.
This is the specialist that can provide you with the right diagnosis. In addition, you can also explore the treatment options provided in the list above.
It’s okay to feel embarrassed whatever type you may have. You can have one condition or the other but at the end of the day, you have man boobs and they can be very embarrassing.
This is why it’s a good idea to have the right diagnosis so you can get the right treatment.
As you can see, there are several gynecomastia treatment options available for both conditions so this means that it’s not the end of the world for you. With the right treatment, your embarrassing days will soon be over.
