A 27-year-old bodybuilder has had to undergo surgery to remove his “boobs” believed to be caused by taking steroids.
Danny Smith, a drywall fixer from Manchester, took up bodybuilding as a teenager and fell in love with the sport.
But alongside training almost every day of the week, he also began taking anabolic-androgenic steroids.
Anabolic steroids are class C drugs which can only be sold by pharmacists with a prescription, but bodybuilders often take them to build muscle mass.
However when Covid struck the UK in March 2020 and lockdown meant the closure of gyms, he found himself unable to train.
Soon after, he began to develop “man boobs” which he believes were a result of taking the illegal drugs.
Danny has spoken about how as his breasts grew, the side effect began to take a toll on his mental health and left him insecure with his body.
In 2021, he underwent gynecomastia surgery to remove them.
The surgery aims to remove excess breast tissue, fat and sagging skin and cost the 27-year-old a whopping £5,000 in total.
Then, in a bid to achieve his fitness goals and “impress” his then-girlfriend, he began to work out again.
He said: “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.
“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.
“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.”
Danny traded his diet of McDonald’s breakfasts and takeaway lunches for fat-free Greek yoghurt and fruit, and a lot more veg.
Danny shared his fitness and surgery journey on TikTok and Instagram, where he has since received nearly half a million views in total.
In one clip he begins by showing himself before the surgery as he pinches his ‘man boobs.’
Shortly after, the clip cuts to show him wearing a vest-like bandage on his torso, which he removes to show scars and bruising.
Finally, he shows himself working out at the gym, before revealing his gym physique.
“Great job,” one viewer commented. Another person added: “This is f***ing good.”
“One hell of a surgeon. No scar at all,” someone else wrote.
One person said: “Huge respect, dude. Amazing work.”