When will my breasts go away?

Last updated on September 26, 2020

Question:

When will my breasts go away?  I have had them since the beginning of sixth grade.  I’m short and a little fat.  When I say little, I mean little.  Could the breasts be due because of the little fat? I’m beginning eighth grade now. 

Please help.

Answer:

When a boy is in his growth spurt, the body tends to set aside extra fat prior to the growth to help fuel the changes. These reserves are typically used up by the time the growth spurt begins to slow down again. I don’t know how far in your development you are, but generally, the fat in your breasts should disappear by stage 4. It may not if you are overweight, even a small amount. In that case, exercise and eating more sensibly will remove the remaining excess.

There is another condition that is similar but has different symptoms. Instead of just of bulging breasts because of excess fat, some boys also find their nipples getting larger. Both conditions are called gynecomastia, but this latter one is due to hormone problems. See: Will my huge poked-out nipples go away?