What does it really feel like?

[haisook]

Every website I read that talks about gynecomastia says that the gland should be just under the nipple. It's confusing me because mine are like round firm discs that wraps around the nipples. Just under the nipples they're hollow. I'd say they're like donuts. I have puffy nipples as well.

Today my dad and I were out for a home treadmill. He's a physician. On the way back, I told him about how it's annoying that all the fat I got is in my chest and stomach. He said I just needed more exercise. I'm not sure how I got the courage to say it, but I told him I think it's not just fat, and that I have a gland beneath, and that I believe I have gynecomastia. He pinched my breasts, and told me it's not a gland. It's some sort of a round muscle called something he was not sure about. When I told him there's no such muscle, he said it could just be puberty, but I'm 22, and I think I'm out of it already.

So was my dad trying to not make me worry about it? Or could I really be mistaken and I don't really have it? I've never been checked by a doctor, and I've had this for 6 years. My hormones are all normal.

I feel stupid for asking about this now after 6 years of believing I have the condition.

What do you think?

[turtle78]

Even though your father is a physician, he just may not know much about this.  My physician is learning about this as we go along as well.  My endocrinologist knows everything about it.  Show your dad some evidence of gyne online, including where it talks about the shape.  My gyne is exactly like yours.  I have a round circle, just like a donut.

[Paa_Paw]

What you feel or what can be palpated is not a reliable measure. Sometimes even an experienced surgeon can be misled by such an examination.

This is a subject that comes up regularly here.

This is why many surgeons like to keep their options open prior to surgery so the procedure can be adapted to meet the conditions found as the surgery progresses.

The most common belief is that glandular tissue is more firm than fatty tissue but this is not always true. Some people describe the gland as a ball like a large pea or small marble, others describe it as a firm disc behind the nipple. It could be either or it could be neither, we are all unique.

[headheldhigh01]

what they said, you're neither stupid nor wrong.  the ring is just another form of the same thing.  puberty brought it on but xix years later forgot to take it away.  you can always print out something for him that mentions the ring version. 

[haisook]

Thanks for your replies. I'm sure my dad was trying to not make me worry about it.

[Dr. Elliot Jacobs]

Having examined untold numbers of male chests, I have come to the conclusion that one cannot specifically discern, except on rare occasion, what is "gland" and what is "fat."  Both fat and gland can be firm or soft.  And when you look at an excised specimen of tissue, you can see streaks of gland interspersed with areas of fat.

What can define gynecomastia is an excess amount of tissue (fat and gland together) on the chest wall.  This is best determined by performing a pinch test.  Pinch the skin and fat just below the collarbone.  Ideally, you should have this same pinch all the way down to the fold below the breast.  If you run into a thicker pinch in and around the areola, then this, by definition, can be considered gynecomastia.

Dr Jacobs

[DrBermant]

Every website I read that talks about gynecomastia says that the gland should be just under the nipple. It's confusing me because mine are like round firm discs that wraps around the nipples. Just under the nipples they're hollow. I'd say they're like donuts. I have puffy nipples as well.

Today my dad and I were out for a home treadmill. He's a physician. On the way back, I told him about how it's annoying that all the fat I got is in my chest and stomach. He said I just needed more exercise. I'm not sure how I got the courage to say it, but I told him I think it's not just fat, and that I have a gland beneath, and that I believe I have gynecomastia. He pinched my breasts, and told me it's not a gland. It's some sort of a round muscle called something he was not sure about. When I told him there's no such muscle, he said it could just be puberty, but I'm 22, and I think I'm out of it already.

So was my dad trying to not make me worry about it? Or could I really be mistaken and I don't really have it? I've never been checked by a doctor, and I've had this for 6 years. My hormones are all normal.

I feel stupid for asking about this now after 6 years of believing I have the condition.

What do you think?

Gynecomastia Examination by feeling alone can be misleading. Fat tends to be soft, gland tends to be firm.  Fingers of gland often dissect between fingers of fat.  Look at this Gynecomastia Anatomy drawing and move your mouse over the arrows.  However, gland can be soft and fat firm confusing the picture.  Gland tends to be located under the nipple and pinching pressure can sometimes tether to the nipple pulling it in.

Male Body Fat tends to collect first on the chest and abdomen.  Have you checked out your BMI Body Mass Index? 

Hope this helps,

Michael Bermant, MD
Learn More About Gynecomastia and Chest Surgery

[charlie1821]

I too have the donut shaped ring of glands under the nipple area.