More men in the United Kingdom (UK) are having their “moobs,” (short for man boobs) reduced through the procedure known as gynecomastia surgery.

The British Association of Aesthetic Surgeons (BAAPS) says the procedure to produce a more masculine, flat chest increased 44 percent in the UK during 2008 – despite the recession.

In the United States, 17,902 men had gynecomastia surgery in 2008, according the American Association of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS).

And it’s not a cheap procedure! In the UK, gynecomastia surgery costs an average $6,922.00. (Read more about the report that includes male breast surgical reduction.)

But why would more patients be showing up in surgeons’ offices with large male breasts in the first place?

It may literally be something in the water.

Back in 2005, British surgeons and others studied water supplies and found that, while the water was clean, it nonetheless contained an unusually high concentration of female hormones. The source?  Birth control pills for women. Also, hormones are given to many large farm animals. All that can leach into the water.

(Read more about hormones causing gynecomastia.)

Could a similar situation be happening in the United States? Possibly. Some scientists have found populations of fish in which the males are developing female characteristics.

Gynecomastia can also be caused by:

• Use of illicit street drugs
• Side effects of some medical treatments
• Having large amounts of the female hormone, estrogen
• True female breast tissue that is too sensitive to even small amounts of estrogen

With 1,450 gynecomastia treatments via surgery under my belt, I have noticed that true breast tissue in males looks under the microscope identical to that of females. But the tissue is very dense and hard and can not be liposuctioned. Instead, it is removed surgically.

Take a look at how some males and teens look, before and after, in their gynecomastia pictures.

T.V. comedian Seinfeld once touched on the issue in a show, telling a large chested male friend, he should not wear a bra for gynecomastia, but a “bro.”

However, in real life, male breast enlargement in a young lad or is anything but a laughing matter.

We’ll touch more on some actual cases, next post.