Just a thought: Renaming Gynecomastia

[Plarkin]

It sounds so girly with the Gyne, like a gynecologist. Can't we rename it like MACE, Male Chest Enlargement or something, and the surgery CRS or something. That might make it (a little) easier for people to talk about it, no? Sufferer sometimes rename or acronymize their aliments. I know it would mean a lot of work for Merle, but one has to start somewhere. Might help the destigmatize.

[sunny007]

yes,you are right.
MACE, Male Chest Enlargement is right word for to tell someone that he has Enlarge Chest than Enlarge breasts.

[boobman1968]

Breasts?

[rage.against.the.machine]

I do not think gynecoMASTIA sounds girly personally..

[Plarkin]

It's the gyne. trust me, I worked in branding and media. If gynecomastia.org were my client. I'd be showing you a Powerpoint and pitching the word MACE, or something else, on it. It masculinizes a condition that suffers from a stigmatization of feminization. Seriously. Merle. Think big.

[Paa_Paw]

The first known use of the term dates to the second century when it was used by the Greek physician Galen.

Since it is a perfectly accurate descriptive term and has been in use for over 1800 years, I think we are stuck with it.

There are other terms that are also used, Moobs for example; but the use of various slang terms have not replaced the word used by Galen.

If we are still around in another thousand or two years, we might find that our current choices would be considered vulgar and there would be a movement to return to Galens original term. Who knows?

The stigma is usually self inflicted in most cases anyway so the name really means little in the final analysis.

Over the years since I have been following this site, there have been many young men who were actually relieved to learn that the condition had a name and was common. Many young men suffer in silence thinking that they are alone and have some sort of freakish condition. They actually find comfort in the fact that the condition was identified and named so long in the past and that it is common.

[rage.against.the.machine]

The first known use of the term dates to the second century when it was used by the Greek physician Galen.

Since it is a perfectly accurate descriptive term and has been in use for over 1800 years, I think we are stuck with it.

There are other terms that are also used, Moobs for example; but the use of various slang terms have not replaced the word used by Galen.

If we are still around in another thousand or two years, we might find that our current choices would be considered vulgar and there would be a movement to return to Galens original term. Who knows?

The stigma is usually self inflicted in most cases anyway so the name really means little in the final analysis.

Over the years since I have been following this site, there have been many young men who were actually relieved to learn that the condition had a name and was common. Many young men suffer in silence thinking that they are alone and have some sort of freakish condition. They actually find comfort in the fact that the condition was identified and named so long in the past and that it is common.

Well Said.  When an operating nurse was talking to me, he told me that most people with this condition do not know that it is common, and he tried to explain to me it was common.  I just told him I already knew, and really I wouldnt have known it was so common if it weren't for this site

[Jackd]

I agree actually. I find talking about it really hard and if it was refered to as something like "M.A.C.E" I think I would find it easier to talk about.

[wolfman]

Who cares what it calls u still have the condition.i dont think u feel any better if it calls gynocomastia or mace or commando or anything els.

Bye Henrik

[dondante]

Gynecomastia - literally translated means, women's breasts. While it does come as a relief to finally discover that this condition exists and it does have a name, it is more than a little emasculating to find out that your condition literally means that you have women's breasts. Maybe some effective re-branding is in order.

[Grandpa Bambu]

I agree actually. I find talking about it really hard and if it was refered to as something like "M.A.C.E" I think I would find it easier to talk about.

Hypothetical situation:

15 year old to his mom and dad...  'Hey mom! hey dad! I have MA.C.E! Really son, what it that? Oh, that means that I have enlarged breasts!'....  NOT!!!  C'mon guys, do you really think that by calling G 'MA.C.E.', or anything else, it would be 'easier' to talk about? I doubt it! The embarrassment you feel inside cannot be lessened or eradicated by giving the condition an aggressive name.


However, as we all know, this is a common 'male' condition, why should it be compared to women? Maybe the condition should have a new name. IMO though, MA.C.E. would be confused with mace, the spray. How about  H.I.M.C.E? Hormonally Induced Male Chest Enlargement...   


GB

[Plarkin]

Ok, I hear all the pros and cons out there, and personally I am past it (making an appointment with Dr. Jacobs). But name changes on maladies do occur for all sorts of reasons -- but not overnight. Nicknames create themselves. I'll be posting  on this board between now and surgery in June and afterwards to update. A thought for Merle, if so include: A link on your home page with other names for gynecomastia, suggestions, less female-oriented nicknames. The poster who said it means 'women's breasts' said it all from a stigma point of view. Now I realize that any maybe half of the guys out there feel the stigma is in person's head not the name, and perhaps some of that is true. But I would bet that half the guys out there would find it easier to say to a friend, parent, whatever, that they have something that sounds less gyne. That's my two cents.

[Merangue]

A name change would be great since saying 'gynecomastia' makes having it even worse. However, it wouldn't make too much of a difference to the outside world since they'd still refer to it as "man boobs" (gawd I hate that term) and even I didn't find out it was called that for years.

[Toneloc3]

yea i feel you, the name does sound lame. not to mention the condition. lol. i think gyno sounds a little better. i mean thats what i say when i talk about it. but all in all everything sucks about it. right..

-loc

[monsterclean]

A syndrome is usually a collection of signs/symptoms that usually occur together in a specific disease.