A bodybuilder has opened up about getting surgery to combat a negative side effect of him having taken steroids. You can see him before and after the surgery below:
After taking up the competitive physical activity when he was a teenager, 27-year-old Danny Smith decided to also take anabolic-androgenic steroids - testosterone-mimicking drugs - alongside his training.
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However, when the coronavirus pandemic hit, the Manchester drywall fixer was left unable to go to the gym to workout.
Smith resultantly developed 'man boobs', which he believes were a side effect of the steroids.
Specialist in gynecomastia surgery at Harley Street, Dr Hassan Nurein explained: "Gynecomastia means enlarged breasts in males or female-like breasts in men.
"Men who use anabolic steroids can end up with enlarged breasts due to imbalance of sex hormones leading to enlarged breast tissue.
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"This usually affects confidence choice of clothing, limitations in social activities, e.g. swimming holidays and even going to the gym."
Using his social media to document his journey with his body, in one video, Danny showed followers how his nipples look 'pretty big' and 'do look pointy' especially in white t-shirts.
As a result of his more pronounced and developed chest, Smith's mental health declined.
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Subsequently, last year the sportsman got surgery to reduce the size of his 'man boobs', which cost £5,000 ($6,500).
In an update after the surgery, Danny explained how he felt 'a bit crap' on the night when he got back.
He described the feeling as 'muscle soreness' and a 'stinging sensation' on his nipples.
However, he noted that he was 'staying positive'.
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Despite developing an infection in one of his pecs, Danny has continued to recover well, updating followers with videos and images of his chest to show them how he was healing post surgery.
The bodybuilder has since started to work out again too.
Danny reflected: "Before, I hated my body and I would put tape over my nipples to feel confident and would be scared to take off my t-shirt on holidays.
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"Because I had surgery, I couldn’t lift anything over 10lbs for four weeks. My best friend is an online coach, so I spoke to him for some guidance and we got a calorie deficit diet plan together.
"After gyms opened, I started lifting weights again and I trained six times a week."
While the bodybuilder has received floods of support from his over 78,000 followers on TikTok, Dr Nurein warned that surgery should be considered 'a last resort if other means fail'.
"Male chest reduction is quite common partly because of social media and due to increased awareness of this condition and available advances in surgical treatments.
"It is crucial that this condition is initially assessed by your doctor and any concurrent medical conditions or sinister causes are ruled out first."
Danny concluded: “Now, I’m confident and get a lot of attention from females. Mentally, I am strong and physically, I’m in the best shape of my life."
If you're experiencing distressing thoughts and feelings, the Campaign Against Living Miserably (CALM) is there to support you. They're open from 5pm–midnight, 365 days a year. Their national number is 0800 58 58 58 and they also have a webchat service if you're not comfortable talking on the phone
Topics: Health, Mental Health, TikTok
Poppy Bilderbeck