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Among the various potential causes of gynecomastia are puberty, steroid abuse, obesity, tumors, chronic liver disease, side effects of various medications including those with hormonal effects, castration, aging, and genetic disorders such as Klinefelter Syndrome and Gilbert's Syndrome. Marijuana use and animal hormones are also thought by some to be possible causes, though these are still debated.
Gynecomastia is not physically harmful, though it can occasionally indicate more dangerous underlying conditions. Its chief destructive effects lie more subtly in social and psychological results, including depression, withdrawal, peer ridicule, and complicated or obstructed relationships. Weight loss may benefit an obesity-related form known as pseudogynecomastia, and endocrinological attention may help during the first approximately 2-3 years. After that window, however, the breast tissue tends to remain, leaving surgery (through either liposuction techniques, glandular excision, or both) the only known physical remedy, ideally by an experienced plastic surgeon.