Having a young son diagnosed with gynecomastia can take parents by surprise. Read on for information about what causes the condition and what you can do about it.

What is Gynecomastia?

Both men and women have breast tissue. In men, this tissue normally remains undeveloped. But if the level of female hormones in a man’s body increases enough in comparison to his levels of male hormones, the female hormones can trigger his breast tissue to develop the same as it normally does in a female body.

This male breast growth is what’s known as gynecomastia. Gynecomastia can happen to a male at any point in life, most commonly during infancy, puberty or middle age and later. Gynecomastia in boys can be particularly troublesome, as it can have profound emotional effects in addition to the physical ones.

Gynecomastia is different from an abnormal development of fat tissue in the breast area, known as lipomastia or pseudogynecomastia. True gynecomastia is an enlargement of the breast tissue itself, and it doesn’t go away with weight loss.

Doctors treating gynecomastia will look for the root cause, and treatment may consist of removing whatever is causing it. But in some cases, the abnormal breast growth is permanent. Some patients may require surgery to remove the excess tissue.

There are several different gynecomastia causes that can lead to the imbalance of hormones. Sometimes that imbalance happens naturally. Other times gynecomastia results from a medical condition: hyperthyroidism, malnutrition, or disorders of the male genitalia are all known gynecomastia causes.

Gynecomastia can also be a side effect of several different medications. Risperdal is one such medication that has become notorious for its link to gynecomastia in boys.

Risperdal, also known as risperidone, is a psychiatric medication that’s been on the market since 1993. It’s now FDA-approved for treatment of schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and irritability associated with autism.

Risperdal Side Effects

Though this drug was developed to avoid certain side effects associated with older psychiatric medications, Risperdal side effects present their own problems. The drug’s link to gynecomastia in boys may be associated with its ability to increase levels of the hormone prolactin, which stimulates breast growth and milk production.

Manufacturer Janssen Pharmaceuticals and its parent company Johnson & Johnson have faced hundreds of lawsuits over Risperdal side effects like gynecomastia, in addition to fines levied for alleged improper marketing of the drug. Parents of young boys who developed gynecomastia allege that their sons’ Risperdal side effects have caused extensive physical injury and emotional harm.

Risperdal is now approved for certain uses in younger patients, but that wasn’t always the case. The FDA initially approved the drug for use only in adults. It wasn’t until 2006 that Risperdal was first approved for use in younger patients.

Plaintiffs in some Risperdal lawsuits have alleged that Janssen improperly promoted Risperdal for use in children and adolescents long before the FDA approved it for use in young patients. They allege that Janssen knew about Risperdal side effects, including gynecomastia, and did not properly warn physicians or their patients about the associated risks.