what is gland?

[Azguy]

I'm seeing a doctor Wednesday about my gynecomasti and have been trying to gather as much information as I can before I see him.  The general feeling here is that lipo alone is not enough to get a good result and the gland should be removed too.

I'm wondering if someone can help me understand what the gland is and how I can tell if my situation is glandular and not just fat deposits.

I'm 52, 6"1 and weigh 205.

Thank you all for your support!!
 

[Paa_Paw]

The gland is the part of the breast that could, with the right hormones and stimulation, produce milk. All mammals have it and it is present in both sexes. The question is not if you have glandular tissue but how extensive it is.

[Azguy]

Thanks for the information.  Is there a way to determine by self exam if the gland is enlarged?

[Paa_Paw]

People will tell you that fatty tissue is soft while glandular tissue is firm. Life is just not that simple. Sometimes even a skilled surgeon can be fooled and what they find in the course of surgery does not match their impressions based on examination before surgery.

For the surgeon, this could make a difference as the operation proceeds. for us and our concerns this really makes no difference at all.

Some people use a variety of terms for Gynecomastia. They will distinguish between "True Gynecomastia" and "Pseudo Gynecomastia" with the former being glandular growth and the latter being fatty tissue growth. This distinction is moot at best since both fatty and glandular tissue exist and the varience is only in the percentage of each.

For our purposes here, any excess of tissue in the male breast is termed gynecomastia. Whether the excess be glandular growth, adipose (fatty) tissue or skin is of no difference.

[Azguy]

Thank you for your reply. This is all good information but I go back to my original question.  The general feeling by reading the posts here is that lipo by itself generally does not produce the best results. Is there a way I can tell independently if my gland is enlarged?

I do feel a firm mass below under my nipple on both breasts, maybe the size of a lemon cut in half. It feels like its above my chest muscle. Does this sound like the glands?

Just writing the word "mass" makes me feel nervous but they have been there for many, many years.

Thanks!

[TigerPaws]

Thank you for your reply. This is all good information but I go back to my original question.  The general feeling by reading the posts here is that lipo by itself generally does not produce the best results. Is there a way I can tell independently if my gland is enlarged?

I do feel a firm mass below under my nipple on both breasts, maybe the size of a lemon cut in half. It feels like its above my chest muscle. Does this sound like the glands?

Just writing the word "mass" makes me feel nervous but they have been there for many, many years.

Thanks!

Generally your description sounds like your breast gland is growing. If you have any soreness, itching these are but a few of the more obvious signs. You should see a competent endocrinologist and get some blood work done on your hormone levels.

[Azguy]

If doc will treat it with lip, removal of gland or both, why bother with endocrinologist?  What am I missing?

[xelnaga13]

If doc will treat it with lip, removal of gland or both, why bother with endocrinologist?  What am I missing?

To put it simply: Your hormones caused your condition. If you remove the gyno and neglect to treat the underlying hormonal imbalance *which may or may not exist* it will return.

[Azguy]

aahh, now I get it.  Thank you so very much for all the information you have provided.  I look forward to seeing my doc Wednesday!

[Azguy]

I was thinking about this again.  Assuming my hormones are out of balance but gland is removed, what can grow back?

[Paa_Paw]

Cut it out!

I have found that the things I worried about the most never actually happened. You sound like I would have sounded many years ago.

Do yourself a great favor and stop micro analyzing things.

At some point you will need to trust your Doctor to make sure there is little to no chance of regrowth. The Doctor is paid to worry about this so you do not have to worry.

[Azguy]

we may have a misunderstanding here.  You said:

To put it simply: Your hormones caused your condition. If you remove the gyno and neglect to treat the underlying hormonal imbalance *which may or may not exist* it will return.

Then i asked if the gland is removed how can it grow back? 

And you replied I'm micro analyzing.

[xelnaga13]

we may have a misunderstanding here.  You said:

To put it simply: Your hormones caused your condition. If you remove the gyno and neglect to treat the underlying hormonal imbalance *which may or may not exist* it will return.

Then i asked if the gland is removed how can it grow back? 

And you replied I'm micro analyzing.

You are confusing posters. Reread who said what.