A Glasgow man has bravely spoken about the "embarrassing" condition he has after developing man boobs from a young age.
Martin Bryan, originally from Motherwell but now lives in the city centre, noticed his breasts were getting bigger from around 12-years-old and it knocked his self-esteem to the ground.
The now 34-year-old would often get picked on at school due to his obesity coupled with gynecomastia - a condition which causes the enlargement of breast tissue in boys and men.
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He went into his teenage years trying different diets but nothing helped rid him of the mental and physical pain he was experiencing due to his health battle.
His man boobs got so big that a consultant told him they looked like women's breasts and he described them as "DD breasts".
Martin said: "It’s not something that’s generally diagnosed. I didn’t know I had it until I went to my consultant.
"Nobody really understands it and it’s not talked about but it’s not a rare condition. At puberty, a boy could grow extra breast tissue for a couple of months and then it disappears.
"It can be long term and affected by obesity which makes it worse. I used to call them my DD’s because that’s what they were, they were a size of DD breasts that looked more like women’s than what they did male.
"My consultant measured them and said they were very similar in terms of size and shape, to women’s breasts.
"I felt as though I was a mutant. I was male but walking around with two boobs.
"I was bullied at school for that and people didn’t understand, they just thought I was overweight but it's a genetic condition that can affect most men."
Gynecomastia affects at least 50% of men globally.
Glasgow Live previously reported how Martin lost an impressive 11 stone in a year after weighing over 27 stone.
He underwent surgery to remove six pounds of skin and fat from his chest last month, at Ross Hall Hospital in Glasgow.
He said: "It affects your general day to day from going to school and getting changed in the gym hall to going swimming on holiday. It’s something at the back of your mind that affects you.
"I felt as if there was always a barrier between me enjoying my life. Children are innocent and don’t mean any harm but they are very inquisitive so when you’re sitting at a pool and you’ve got five or six years olds asking their mums and dads “why has that boy got man boobs” - it can be quite off putting.
"It’s really held me back in terms of my confidence. I wouldn't wear certain clothes or go to certain shops and the pool.
"I couldn’t go into water parks because I felt embarrassed. Part and parcel of the embarrassment comes from the lack of education around it.
"I feel so much more comfortable now. I’ve bought some new clothes and booked some holidays.
"It’s as if the weight has been lifted."
Martin will be under the knife again in July as he undergoes a two to five hour tummy tuck operation.
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