Women's lumps and bumps have long obsessed a hypercritical under the spotlight as moobs take centre stage
Moob, the most recent insult du jour (see also man breasts, man cans, man boobs and, our favourite, chap baps): the slang word used to describe the soft, saggy pockets of breast tissue, often rounded, protruding from men's chests. For a visual, loo
k no further than the much-publicised holiday snaps of 'moobies' or 'moobsters', such as Simon Cowell, Johnny Vegas and Jack Nicholson.
Yet while Cowell et al are in receipt of gentle jibes, thousands of men in the UK continue to suffer in silence, ashamed, depressed and embarrassed by gynecomastia, to use its correct medical term, and at least two men every week in Scotland are undergoing surgery to correct it.
A survey by weight management supplement LIPObind found that gynecomastia was seen as the most unattractive male body feature, with a quarter of the 5,000 respondents voting the moob the least aesthetically pleasing part of a man's body.
Needless to say, the more the issue has been discussed in the media, the more the public have focused their attention on it, helping to pave the way for previously reluctant men to go under the knife – or to make serious lifestyle changes – to combat their enlarged breasts.
Experts suggest that gynaeplasty – a form of liposuction used to remove excess tissue – has jumped from eighth to third place in the top ten cosmetic procedures undergone by men, with the number opting for liposuction almost doubling. According to the British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons, 4,000 operations were carried out last year, compared with 2,100 two years ago.
In case you were wondering, there is a big difference between moobs and a pair of toned pecs. From Action Man to Arnie, well-developed pectoral muscles have long been a sign of virility and an indication of a toned physique, as long as you have the complementing six-pack. Most of the moobsters, though, have only a beer belly. If that sounds like you, perhaps style guru Gok Wan's light-hearted offer to design a 'manbra' is worth following up.
Mark Butterworth, a consultant in Plastics and Aesthetics at the Spire Murrayfield Hospital, in Edinburgh, believes that increased discussion of gynecomastia has made it easier for men to ask for help. "Surgical procedures have undoubtedly become more popular," he says. "That is mainly because men are more concerned about their appearance generally. Secondly, since the moob has been getting so much publicity, albeit as a point of ridicule, it has helped to show people they are not alone."
Butterworth performs around two gynaeplasties a week, and says he sees a notable difference in patients after the procedure. "They are initially very shy and embarrassed. Often they'll say they feel self-conscious in front of their partners and uncomfortable when they have to strip off on holiday. For many, it can have a real psychological effect."
So what exactly causes moobs? Research suggests that in some cases breasts can enlarge simply because fat has built up there due to over-eating and a lack of exercise. In others, the breast tissue has overdeveloped during a boy's teenage years. "There are all sorts of reasons for the condition," explains Butterworth. "Sometimes it is down to a physiological response to puberty that never rectifies itself; in other cases, it is caused by the side effects of certain medications, genetic conditions or excessive cannabis use. On rare occasions, it is down to obesity."
Others believe one potential cause could be the female hormones from contraceptive pills and HRT treatments finding their way into the water supply.
Ewan, a 41-year-old clerical worker from Glasgow, says he has been aware of his moobs for the last ten years. He is reluctant to go under the knife, though, and has opted instead for a healthier diet and a specific workout schedule at the gym. "I put on a bit of weight in my 30s and friends started teasing me about my chest around that time," he remembers. "They had no idea how upsetting I found it, and in the end I wouldn't go swimming or on holiday with them.
"Over the last few years I've definitely felt more comfortable talking about it, and when I spoke to my instructor at the gym he told me how common moobs are."
David Calder, a personal trainer and Spectrum's fitness expert, has plenty of experience of working with men with moobs. He believes that if the condition is weight-related, help is at hand. "It's a self-esteem issue for many men," he says. "If they have prominent boobs, it can have serious psychological effects. Unfortunately, most of us are very shy and not confident enough to broach the issue. But I hope that is changing.
"You can't really remove fat from once specific area of the body through exercise. It's better to look at your whole workout and your diet and see what works for you. The first step is to open up and talk about the issues."
David Calder's exercise column returns next week. He can be contacted at david@bodytension.co.uk or 07775 811 197. The British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons can be contacted at
www.baaps.org.uk