Do I have Gynecomastia?

[thebeast]

I am tall, naturally athletic, broad shoulders... I don't really think I have a hormonal problem.

But my nipples are puffy. They look like they're swollen and they're soft. In cold weather (I live in a very hot country), or when I am swimming, they become normal.

I looked carefully at my chest area, and everything seems normal - no excess fat tissue anywhere, except the nipples are puffy.

It's kind of visible when I wear tight clothes.

Do I have gynecomastia? (I am 20 y/o btw)

[Dr. Elliot Jacobs]

Gynecomastia is a condition, not a disease.  It can be loosely defined as any excess tissue on a male chest.

What you are describing, puffy nipples on an otherwise normal appearing male chest, therefore falls into the category of gynecomastia. In essence, you have some excess tissue (usually gland) directly beneath the areola which then pushes it outward to make it look puffy.  The fact that it looks better at certain times is more a physiologic change of the areolar muscle -- it does not change the amount of tissue under the areolas themselves.

If you have had this for more than 2-3 years, then the condition is probably permanent.  You then have a choice of living with it or considering surgery to remove the excess tissues.

Dr Jacobs