I believe God is a HE with a very twisted sense of humor. How else can one explain those wiry rogue hairs on old ladies' chins, the ones course enough to slice the heads clean off of live chickens. A SHE God would never have created such a thing, not to mention Menopause or PMS. Then again, after scrolling through dozens of pictures of Man Boobs for this article - C-cup, sports-bra-worthy, Man Boobs larger than my own female breasts - perhaps I should question the existence of God, HE or SHE, all together.

There are two main reasons guys develop Man Boobs. According to AskMen.com, "The first comes from simply being overweight. Man Boobs, or 'Moobs,' are composed of fatty tissue stored over the pectoral muscles." And short of liposuction, a healthy diet and interval training are necessary to remove stubborn fat deposits from any part of the body. To clear up a common misconception, EzineArticles.com further explains, "Spot workouts targeted towards getting rid of your man boobs won't actually work. In fact, they often tend to make the problem worse because the firmer muscles in that area simply push your man boobs out further."

Trey Jones, a self proclaimed "Chest Coach" who, after 32 long years, shed his own male breasts, has made it his life mission to help others like him get rid of their Man Boobs without going under the knife. According to his website, How-to-get-rid-of-man-boobs.com, he is "one of the world's leading experts on fast, easy, and painless chest fat losing techniques and strategies even the laziest guy can use right now, in the comfort of his own home." He even offers a free report called "Which of These Man Boobs Do You Have? And How To Get Rid Of Them Quickly!" What's the value of such free wisdom? According to him, 17$. As for the guys out there who've grown to like their plump and pillowy chests, I suggest they visit the following Man Boob "support group."

ManBoobs.co.uk is "The site that says 'We're fat and we're proud' and then quickly puts its T-shirt back on." And, yes, there are pictures on this site... lots and lots of Man Boobs ranging from the visually disturbing to the out right blinding. Many of the images include light-hearted commentary. Others include excerpts from journal-esque entries. Damien, for example, whose man breasts are (dare I admit) perkier than mine exclaims, "I Love my man boobs... I think all men like boobs even when they're on a man... my straight friends love to grab and play..." How much do you want to bet that big breasted Damien was head of the debate team in high school? Rebuttal anyone?

The second reason guys develop Man Boobs is due to a medical condition called Gynecomastia. As defined by WebMD, "Gynecomastia... occurs when glandular tissue of the breast swells, usually in response to an excess of the female hormone estrogen or a lack of testosterone, a male hormone." The American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS) estimates that Gynecomastia affects 40 to 60 percent of all men. According to Wikipedia, "Potential pathologic causes of gynecomastia are: medications including hormones, increased serum estrogen, decreased testosterone production, androgen receptor defects, chronic kidney disease, chronic liver disease, HIV, and other chronic illness. Gynecomastia as a result of spinal cord injury and refeeding after starvation has been reported. In 25% of cases, the cause of the gynecomastia is not known."

As reported by News in Science, a recent study published in the New England Journal of Medicine suggests that products containing lavender and tea tree oils may also be linked to some gynecomastia cases. "These plant oils were linked to abnormal breast development in three boys, which was reversed when they stopped using them." And studies at the US National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEGS) found that "They can also block male hormones that control both masculine characteristics and inhibit the growth of breast tissue." Although some cases of gynecomastia are an indicator of other underlying conditions, in most cases it is not physically harmful, and can be diagnosed during a routine physical examination.

For many who suffer from both the physical and psychological effects of Gynecomastia, anti-estrogen treatment is an effective remedy. Male breast reduction surgery is also an option, although Wikipedia reports "Most insurance companies deny coverage for surgery on grounds that is a cosmetic procedure."

The American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS) reports that 16,275 men had breast reduction surgery in 2005. The procedure ranked number five in the list of top cosmetic surgeries from men, just under nose reshaping (rhinoplasty), hair transplantation, liposuction, and eyelid surgery (blepharoplasty). The ASPS also reports, "As with any surgery, there are risks. These include infection, skin injury, excessive bleeding, adverse reaction to anesthesia, and excessive fluid loss or accumulation. The procedure may also result in noticeable scars, permanent pigment changes in the breast area, or slightly mismatched breasts or nipples... The temporary effects of breast reduction include loss of breast sensation or numbness, which may last up to a year."