A note on terms:

Breast cancer can affect anybody, and everybody is welcome in CoppaFeel!’s community. We’re actively inclusive in our language and we ask people how they want to be described. 

The word ‘chest’ is inclusive of all bodies and genders. When we need to be clinically accurate we use the word ‘breast’. You might prefer to call your chest something else, and that’s ok!

When we say breasts, we mean the part of your body from your rib cage up to your collarbone and armpits, including your nipples. This is where everyone has breast tissue, and people of all genders can get breast cancer. We often use the words ‘breasts’ and ‘chest’ in our breast cancer information. 

The more you get to know your chest, the more you will become familiar with natural changes that can happen. All bodies are different, and you are the expert on what is normal for you. It is important to pay attention to any changes to your chest. If you notice any changes you are worried about, speak to your GP.

Gynaecomastia 

Gynaecomastia (enlarged male breast) is a common condition that affects men, causing your chest to swell. It isn’t serious, and there are lots of potential symptoms, causes and treatments.

What is gynaecomastia?

Gynaecomastia is a benign (non-cancerous) condition that can affect men at any age, although it’s more common in teenagers experiencing puberty as well as in older men.

Also referred to as ‘man boobs’, or ‘moobs’, it affects most men at some point in their lives and is usually nothing to worry about. There’s often no treatment even necessary as usually it gets better naturally over time.

What are the symptoms of gynaecomastia?

There are a few symptoms you can keep an eye out for that could be due to gynaecomastia. These symptoms include your chest: 

• Feeling tender or sensitive to touch.
• Feeling more painful than usual.
• A lump or swelling (often behind the nipple but also common in the upper chest and armpit).
• Suddenly growing or swelling.

What are the causes of gynaecomastia?

Gynaecomastia is a natural change to your chest. The two main causes are puberty in younger men, and ageing in older men.

Puberty

Puberty affects all children and teenagers, in more ways than gynaecomastia. Puberty can affect children as young as ten. When puberty starts, teenagers’ bodies start producing more hormones, affecting how their chests develop.

Before puberty, chest areas in everyone develop in the same way. During puberty, if more oestrogen is produced than testosterone, it causes the chest area to change and grow.

Once teenage boys reach 15, testosterone levels start to settle, which stops the oestrogen affecting the chest. Usually once they reach 19, their hormone levels are steady, and gynaecomastia goes away by itself.

Ageing

When men age, they naturally begin producing less testosterone. This can cause the chest area to enlarge, as their bodies produce less testosterone and more oestrogen.

Weight gain

Weight gain can contribute to gynaecomastia in a couple of ways. Firstly, when we gain more weight, this can naturally form on or around the chestarea, causing them to enlarge.

People with more body fat also produce more oestrogen naturally. When there is more oestrogen being produced than testosterone, this can increase the chances of gynecomastia.

Medication

Various types of medication can cause gynaecomastia, including common medications used to treat:

• Heart conditions.
• High blood pressure.
• Stomach ulcers.

Other medication that can contribute to gynaecomastia are:

• Antibiotics.
• Hormone therapies.
• Steroids.
• Some recreational drugs like cannabis.

Alcohol

Drinking too much alcohol can cause your liver to produce less testosterone, which increases the level of oestrogen. This causes the chest area to grow.