King Tut didn't appear to be bothered by his breasts' prominence, but my friend Robert Hamas, M.D., tells me that it can be an emotionally crippling problem for 20th-century guys. He has seen men who avoid locker rooms, wear bulky clothing to disguise the condition, and even keep a t-shirt on to swim.
Breast enlargement has a number of causes.
Nearly two-thirds of young men have some breast growth as their hormones change during puberty. They should be assured that this is normal and that their breasts will shrink with time. Later in life, breast enlargement can be brought on by excessive alcohol use, anabolic steroids, marijuana, and a number medications. Not surprisingly, being overweight makes large breasts much more likely. The condition also appears to passed from father to son or may have no obvious cause at all.