Boston clinic links gynecomastia to muscle dysmorphia in young men

By AI, Created 4:46 AM UTC, May 27, 2026, /AGP/ – Boston Gynecomastia Specialists says a review of its surgical patients found a strong overlap between gynecomastia and bigorexia, or muscle dysmorphia, in boys and young men ages 16 to 25. The clinic is urging earlier screening and intervention, arguing the condition can worsen body image distress and mental health.

Why it matters: - Boston Gynecomastia Specialists says gynecomastia can trigger or intensify bigorexia in adolescent boys and young men. - The clinic argues earlier screening could reduce body dissatisfaction, anxiety, depression, extreme exercise, restrictive dieting and steroid use. - The report says timely treatment may improve both physical symptoms and psychosocial well-being.

What happened: - Boston Gynecomastia Specialists reviewed clinical experience from patients ages 16 to 25 who underwent male breast reduction from October 2022 to June 2025. - The review covered 68 patients. - 31 patients, or 45.6%, fit general criteria for bigorexia based on intake questionnaires. - Of those 31 patients, 24, or 77.4%, reported gynecomastia beginning in early adolescence before intensive weight training and dieting. - The remaining 7 patients, or 22.6%, said they noticed breast gland development after lifestyle changes and the onset of dysmorphic symptoms. - 14 patients, or 45.2%, admitted to anabolic androgenic steroid use. - All 14 started steroid use after age 18 and reported worsening existing gynecomastia or new gynecomastia.

The details: - Patients with both gynecomastia and bigorexia reported higher body dissatisfaction, anxiety and depression than patients without muscle dysmorphia. - The report links those symptoms to more extreme exercise, restrictive diets, supplements and anabolic steroid use. - All patients reported dramatic improvement in psychosocial symptoms after treatment at Boston Gynecomastia Specialists. - Gynecomastia is benign glandular breast growth in men and is typically associated with high estrogen and low testosterone activity during puberty. - The clinic says gynecomastia may affect up to 65% of adolescent boys. - The report says gynecomastia can cause pain, limit activity and alter posture. - The clinic says social media and influencer culture add pressure on boys during the years when body image, self-esteem and sexual identity are forming. - The clinic says weight loss and weight training do not correct true glandular enlargement. - Bigorexia, also called muscle dysmorphia, is described in the DSM-5 as an obsessive belief that the body is too skinny, too small or insufficiently muscular. - The clinic says bigorexia can lead to compulsive lifting, extreme dieting, supplements and androgenic steroid use. - The clinic says those behaviors can worsen hormonal imbalance and paradoxically enlarge breast tissue. - Dr. Edwin Ishoo, founder and director of Boston Gynecomastia Specialists, said the clinical review highlights a potential relationship between gynecomastia and the onset of bigorexia. - Ishoo said medical and fitness professionals should be aware of the connection and provide timely support and treatment. - Ishoo said adolescent boys and young men are susceptible to body dysmorphia and its physical and mental health effects. - Ishoo also said male breast reduction can improve psychosocial stress, quality of life, self-esteem, school achievement and socialization. - The clinic says male breast reduction can take 1 to 2 hours under local anesthesia, leaves minimal scarring and can permanently resolve gynecomastia. - The clinic says recovery is manageable compared with the emotional relief patients often report after surgery.

Between the lines: - The report frames gynecomastia as more than a cosmetic issue and argues it can be an early marker of deeper mental health distress. - The clinic is using the findings to push a broader message: adolescent boys may need screening for both body-image disorders and breast development, not one or the other. - The timing around National Men’s Mental Health Month reinforces the clinic’s pitch that male body-image struggles are often underrecognized.

What’s next: - Boston Gynecomastia Specialists is urging medical providers to screen adolescent boys for both gynecomastia and bigorexia. - The clinic is also calling for early intervention to limit long-term psychological harm. - Dr. Ishoo and his staff say they offer confidential consultations for people struggling with the physical and emotional burden of gynecomastia. - More information is available on the clinic’s Instagram page.