Gynecomastia in Adolescence

The term gynecomastia denotes any enlargement of the male breast. Although personality reactions to this cosmetic defect have been such that they are listed by plastic surgeons as one of the chief indications for reconstructive surgery,¹⁻³the subject had never been adequately investigated. The present study which covered a period of 13 years was undertaken to fill this gap in the psychiatric, psychological, and psychoanalytic literature.⁴⁻⁷ This series consisted of 284 cases,*38 of which had pendulous gynecomastia. There were 5 groups of patients divided according to diagnosis and age of onset of the condition. Group I consisted of 150 cases of pubertal hyperplasia, with onset in adolescence.† Group II contained 38 cases, of pendulous gynecomastia, 31 with onset in adolescence and the other 7 with onset in maturity. Of a total of 69 cases in Group III, all with generalized and pectoral obesity,