Like all the other horror stories that puberty brings on – such as a breaking voice, hair where there wasn’t any before and an outbreak of acne – gynaecomastia can be one of the facts of life for a teenage boy.

Gynaecomastia is a rather dramatic name for a hard yet tender swelling behind the nipples that give the impression of budding breasts, and it’s brought about by hormonal changes. Far more often than not, the condition calms down and eventually goes away as soon as puberty does. But in rare cases, it doesn’t.

What causes gynaecomastia?

Not just puberty. Some cases of gynaecomastia are hereditary. Alcohol abuse can bring on defects to the liver, altering the way the body metabolises hormones, which brings on breast enlargement. Other cases of gynaecomastia can be brought on by the development of cancer. A large proportion of prescription drugs - including amphetamines, antidepressants, blood pressure drugs, antibiotics, and ulcer medications, and even tea tree oil and lavender oil – can bring on gynaecomastia.

While gynaecomastia is often mistaken for obesity, it’s a fact that excessive fat gain stimulates the body’s production of oestrogen, which can cause the ailment. Steroid abuse can cause gynaecomastia, and it can even be brought on in later life when the body goes through more hormonal changes.

Why won’t they go away?

Even though we know the causes of gynaecomastia – which is otherwise known as ‘man-boobs’, or worse – it is often automatically dismissed as the inevitable result of a poor diet and a sedentary lifestyle, but that isn’t always the case. While it’s an undisputed fact that the chest area is one of the first parts of the male body to take on and store fat during weight gain, that theory literally carries no weight when there are otherwise lean and fit men who still suffer from breast-like protuberances, which are even more prominent when the rest of their upper bodies are as trim as can be.

Why am I way past puberty and starting to contract them?

Because the likelihood of contracting gynaecomastia flares up in later life, as the hormones go a little wild again – especially in men who are obese or overweight.

What’s the best way to eliminate gynaecomastia?

Cosmetic surgery is the simplest and most effective way to reduce the shape and contour of your chest. The method most commonly used is a minor liposuction procedure, followed by a removal of the prominent breast tissue. The procedure will remove the problem tissue, leaving nothing but very minor scarring around the nipple, which will be completely undetectable, if you have chest hair.

Gynaecomastia is a more common ailment than you think – and the amount of men who have undergone aesthetic procedures to eliminate it is larger than you think, too. By undergoing an incredibly simple and a hugely effective procedure, with the bare minimum of time taken out of your day-to-day routine, you can get rid of the moobs for good.