Fact Check: No topical creams or supplements can help reduce gynecomastia

Hyderabad: A Facebook advertisement claims that a topical cream (applied on the skin) can treat gynecomastia. One such product advertised as a Gynecomastia Cream entices prospective customers with anecdotes of success with ‘before’ and ‘after’ pictures as apparent proof. It promises to ‘restore your masculine chest with our gynecomastia cream.’

Let’s find out if the product’s claims are authentic.

Fact Check

NewsMeter found that the product is a scam as there is no clinically proven technique, cream or pill to treat gynecomastia.

What is gynecomastia?

In simple words, gynecomastia is an increase in the amount of breast gland tissue in boys or men, caused by an imbalance of the estrogen and testosterone hormones. Gynecomastia can affect one or both breasts, sometimes unevenly, explains Mayoclinic.

Refuting the claim that an external supplement can treat the condition, Healthline states, “No supplements are proven to treat gynecomastia. No supplements, including Ayurveda herbs, have been scientifically proven to treat gynecomastia. Even the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) also hasn’t approved any medications for the treatment of gynecomastia.”

According to Healthline, lifestyle changes such as a healthy diet and regular exercise might help control the hormones to an extent. You cannot target fat loss in one particular area of the body, but you can work to strengthen the muscles in specific areas. Some chest exercises such as barbell bench press, pec deck machine, and bent forward cable crossover can target the chest area.

Lifestyle changes that help control hormones include:

- minimising alcohol consumption

- avoiding/reducing stress

- aiming for at least 7 hours of sleep a night

- performing at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise a week

- strength training in all major muscle groups at least twice a week

- eating a balanced diet with an emphasis on minimally processed foods

“There are no available pills or cream to reduce gynecomastia as it is glandular plus fatty growth”, says Dr Gautam Gangurde, a cosmetic surgeon from Nashik.

Even after maintaining a healthy lifestyle, if you feel any tumour or no improvement in the condition, get in touch with your cosmetic surgeon as soon as possible for surgical treatment, if required.

Hence, it is evident that topical treatments and pill supplements have not been scientifically proven to effectively resolve gynecomastia.