Self-conscious

Conduct some research on male breast and meat. You might be surprised.

Hello R.,

I don't have any medical advice for you but my step-son at 14 was a little chunky and too was self-conscious and wore a t-shirt when swimming, he has since grown very tall and they have disappeared with time, however back then my husband would have him exercise that region. I am not saying to lift heavy weights but push-ups and some light lifting may help to tone that area and help! =) We also bought a punching bag and let him go at it with some cool gloves he actually enjoyed it.

I would also encourage sports...wrestling seemed to help as well. I think exercise is the best option.

Hope this helps, high school can be rough tell him to keep his head up and a growth spert is right around the corner.

L.

When boys enter into puberty they can have have excessive growth in their breasts (called "gynecomastia"). It can be a hormonal imbalance. Since you say your son is not overweight, this may be the case. Just like women get breast reductions, men can, too. It is a relatively uncomplicated procedure. They just take off the breast tissue and he will have a scar. It is usually hidden around the areola(dark area around the nipple). I am not sure if all insurances cover it, but you may want to check. It is tough enough to be a teen boy. Let him know that you are proud that he has lost weight and he is very handsome. That there is no reason to alter how he looks because he is perfect just how he is. God makes everyone special. If he is truly hurting, ask how you can help and tyr your hardest to do so(if it is feasible). I recently found out my son has a condition we may have to surgically correct as he grows. I will be in your same shoes in 14 years! Peace be with you!

Hi R.-
How much excercise does your son get? Since summer is just starting, he has time to reshape his body.
To talk to him, start with this: Say that you are concerned about the overall health of your family and want to make some changes for everyone, for their future. I don't know what your budget is, but there are some great workout DVD's for men like P90 and P90X at beachbody.com. Also, make time to go for walks after dinner, play board games around the table, etc. He has to get active. Being that he is still young, his body should respond quickly. And the younger he is when he learns good excercise and eating habits, the better. Take away soda from your house if you have it there. Replace it with water and tea. If tea is too bitter, tea with lime is good. Tastes may need to change a bit, but it is worth it. Add fruit and vegetables and lower the intake of foods like potatoes, bread, cereal, etc. For breakfast get him used to eating complex carbs like oatmeal, or porteins like egg whites with salsa.
It's going to take a life change to make a body change, but with positive encouragement (NEVER call him fat or overweight...) it can be done. But you may need to do it together. HIgh school is brutal, and if he is self conscious now, I can't imagine what high school will do. But if he gets himself into shape and healthy, remind him not to make fun of or tease the overweight kids.
Last thing- take a picture of him in his swim trunks, no shirt. Have him keep that on his wall as inspiration. And every week or 2, take another, so he can see the transformation. Take the same pic of you (with a tank top on, or course), to show him you are serious and willing to make this work. If you are already in shape, do it to refine your muscularity or reshape your abs. I just think that he needs help doing it and you have to be excited for the both of you before he will be. And he may just need that extra push from you.
Good luck! And don't forget to tell him how proud of his efforts you are and how much you love him.
-E.

Hi R.,

This is not uncommon anymore and is probably linked to estrogen-like chemicals found in the environment and in foods, leaching from plastics and such. Reducing them is a good idea anyway, for general health, and there are some steps you can take in your own home. Microwaving foods with saran wrap is bad (actually Saran Wrap is bad, it's just worse when heated up.) Microwaving foods in certain plastic containers is bad (ceramic is a great alternative, but it can get hot so use care when handling) and water bottles are sources of leachate. I switched from a plastic Nalgene bottle to a steel bottle, but the ubiquitous Crystal Springs and Gaterade bottles are notorious, especially because they are often kept in hot trucks during transport, increasing the amount of leaching into the liquids. There are other endocrine-disrupting chemicals out there, for ex. there is a lot of concern about growth hormone used to increase milk production in dairy cows, this is considered by many to be contributing to the epidemic of girls starting to menstruate at earlier ages (6 to 8 years old) and I would think could be linked to breast tissue in boys. There are also estrogenic compounds in shampoos, lotions, etc. There are, thank goodness, alternatives and I hope you will do some research to find out what's going on. And maybe you can reassure your son that this is becoming widespread, so he isn't alone, and you can take steps together to try to change it. Taking a good look at what's in your cupboards is a good start. All the best.

R.,

My son had a similar problem. I took him to the doctor's and was told that it was hormones and totally normal. It should go away. The doctor said it happens to so many boys and they just don't talk about it. My son's is gone now and he is almost 16 and has forgotten all about it. It may ease your son's mind to go see his doctor.

J.

This is a normal thing for a teen to go through caused by hormones. Part of the reason boys are getting bigger breasts at this age is all the extra hormones we are consuming in our foods (meat and dairy products).

My son has the same problem, but has learned to accept his body. My son likes to wear the swim shirts and it is great because they block UV too! My son is also going to start jogging and lifting weights (supervised) mostly because he will be training for high school football. My son has also been doing push ups for a few months, which is helping.

Even if your son is not involved in sports at school, talk to the Athletic Director to find out if he could do some weight training over the summer with the boys playing sports. My son's school requires an hour of weight training evey day during the summer to play football. Maybe you could get him a summer membership at a gym or something...

Good luck!

Get him a weight set and have him lift weights....

Hi R. - I'm so glad you brought this subject up. My son is almost 12 and he is starting to develop this same thing. I was reading about it and it's totally natural. However, sometimes knowing that it's a normal thing doesn't always make it any easier to deal with, especially when you are going through adolescents. I might suggest that he wear a simple under tank top for when he's getting changed for gym, or even wear a t-shirt to go swimming. I see kids do that all the time. Also, just reminding him that this is a totally normal thing and that there are other boys out there who are experiencing the same thing may help ease his anxiety. This swelling around the breasts should go away; it's just part of growing up.

My advice may be controversial but this web site is about putting out all kinds of ideas. I have heard of other males having this same issue, and it seems to be one of the more devastating ones for them. I think anything that is grotesquely abnormal or causes a child to be so self conscious that it interferes with his/her life should be addressed. (And I don't mean something like a teen girl who wants bigger boobs.) In a case like this if something like liposuction would take care of it I'd do it for my child.

Hi R., I saw a story on this (gynecomastia) on tv. The story revealed that one of the reasons this condition is showing up a lot more is because of the weight problem that is facing America. There is a lot to read about this on line. I recommend talking with your doctor about this. You say that your son lost weight...is there more that he can lose? This is such a sensitive subject. I wish you luck; trust that your son would appreciate any concern and awareness that you bring to this.

Not to say hiding something about your body is a heathly thing....we are all made different, and as teenagers it seems like they are attached to neon lights. :o) I know in our school district, if you pass the test you can opt out of swimming. But, I think as a parent....you can tell the school that you don't want your son to participate in swimming this year and have him go a to a different class. Another thought, I don't know how well you know your son's doctor. But the doctor can write an excuse for him too without saying why. If it is going to cause mental anguish, I would pursue getting him exempt. You are the mom! And you know him best. Good luck!

Check with the doctor. Some men develop breast tissue - it could be a hormonal imbalance, or just random tissue growth. My husband had an unexplained tissue growth on his chest, and after they did all kinds of tests, the doctors decided it would be best to remove it because they felt that there was a small chance it could become cancerous at a later date. They did the surgery via two tiny incisions on his chest and did liposuction. Anyhow, minimal bruising, insurance covered the whole thing, and his chest looks fabulous now! The recovery time was minimal - he was up and around the day following the surgery and did not need pain meds at all. He had to wear an elastic wrap for a few weeks so the skin could properly heal against the underlying tissue. All in all, not a big deal. You may want to check with the doctor to see if this is a possibility for your son, especially if it may affect him socially in high school. Good luck!

I had a nephew with the same problem. He just wore t-shirts. When he went into the service (Navy), he simply had a breast reduction surgery done. Problem solved. Even though it may be difficult, you need to discuss this with your son. He may not have a problem with it, or he is simply waiting for you to broach the subject.

Hope this helps.

You should take him to his doctor and have him checked out. He may just have a hormone imbalance that can be easily corrected. Teasing in school can be so mean and hurtful. You only need to tell him you just want to make sure its not a problem. My son had a third inverted nipple below the left breast. It just looked like a little dent in the skin but I just wanted to know what it was. If he is having breasts he could be at more of a risk for breast cancer.

My son has the same problem. He is now 19 and in college. He was somewhat overweight in high school and the doctors just said to wait until he lost weight and maybe it would improve. Well, he lost every ounce of fat on his body and it is still there although better, the nipples are stilll large and protrude. So the only other option is cosmetic surgery which we will probably do at some point. They won't usually do it until at least 18 years of age. In high school my son somehow managed to avoid swimming (maybe there are some alternatives for your son). He always wore a shirt at the beach or pool. Try and encourage your son to be very active and eat healthy and see if a little more weight loss will help, but I doubt it will completely take care of the problem.

Have him start lifting weights. That will firm up the pectoral muscles. Nothing massive! Have him start with 5 pounds doing dumbell flies or just using the bar doing bench presses.

My son went through that, it goes away....One thing to think about.....Marajuana use in teens causes that symptom in some instances, that does not mean he is using, but it might be something to discuss with him.....we as parents never want our kids to be using any form of drug, but it is a fact that in today's society, that 75% or more of teens in school do. Another thing you should check out is the milk you are drinking.....Hormones in the milk from "Walmart" and any other store that sell milk from hormone fed cows can also cause this symptom.

I would talk to the doctor about it. He could have a hormonal problem. You need to talk to him about it, if you act embarrassed about it, he will feel even more self- conscious about it. Let him know you are there to talk to and that you want to find away to help him with this problem.

R.,
After raising a son(now 20) I do realize the importance of the teenage male ego and their insecurities..
I would suggest calling ahead to the Dr. letting Him/Her know of your concern. Then tell your son you are making an appointment for a check up..Let the Dr. bring it up and then they can discuss his comfort/embarrassment level and a solution.
For your son, simply talking about it may help, especially once he knows what the cause and effect are and any solutions.
Way to go for being sympathetic to his feelings!
M.