Expert: Claes-Gustaf Nordquist, M.D. - 12/26/2004

Question
Dear Dr.Claes-Gustaf,
This may not be the appropiate section for my question, however, as you are the only Doctor listed in the field of Breast. I seriously would like you to give me the reasons why men (male), have breast & nipples, as we clearly know the reasons for women (female), to have breast & nipples.

Answer
Here we go again - you have no idea how many times I have received this question! Ok, sex development is rather late during our time in the womb. So each baby is equipped with rudimentary organs of both kinds - female AND male. In some cases the same organ is used either way - the female clitoris is a small female version of the male penis for example. So both males and females have the possibility to develop breasts but normally only females do - during puberty. The breast glands - actually tranformed sweat glands - are hormone dependent and respond mainly to female sex hormones. So breasts are fully developed at the end of puberty but both sexes have the possibility since that is how our bodies are constructed. Actually this is only one such example. Both sexes can grow beards for example, but only if enough of the male sex hormone testosterone is present and men can become bald headed only if enough testosterone is present - the rest is governed by genetics. So a eunuck normally does not become bald. Some OLD women turn bald, but only if they have the right genetics and a higher adrenal gland derived testosterone level than normally. We have several other old organ remnants with somewhat unclear remaining function, for example the appendix but that is of course not sex related. I do hope this answers your question!