![]() The underlying cause of the rapidly growing breast connective tissue, resulting in gigantic proportions, has not been well elucidated. Two case reports of prepubertal breast hypertrophy, both in infants, have been reported. Other types and causes of breast hypertrophy include idiopathic, drug-induced (e.g., penicillamine, cyclosporine, bucillamine), autoimmunity-associated, tumors, and syndromes. Only 15% of cases of breast hypertrophy are unrelated to puberty or pregnancy. ![]() This is not always the case however and in some only partial reduction in breast size may occur, necessitating surgical breast reduction. īreast size in women with gestational breast hypertrophy typically reverts to approximately pre-pregnancy size or near it after pregnancy and cessation of breastfeeding. Gestational gigantomastia is estimated to in 1 out of every 28,000 to 100,000 pregnancies. The swelling can suppress the milk supply, pinching off the milk ducts, and leading to mastitis. The woman's breasts can generate extraordinary discomfort, turning feverish, red, itchy, and even causing the skin to peel. The extremely rapid growth of the breasts can result in intense heat. The swelling increases with each subsequent pregnancy. When the swelling in the connective tissue occurs after birth, it can negatively impact long term milk supply. This same effect can also occur at the onset of pregnancy or between the 16th to 20th week of gestation. Īs of 1992, 70 cases of virginal breast hypertrophy had been reported. Īt the onset of puberty, some females with who have experienced little or no breast development can reportedly reach three or more cup sizes within a few days (see below). In severe cases of VBH, hypertrophy of the clitoris occurs. Women with VBH often experience an excessive growth of their nipples as well. ![]() This may cause considerable physical discomfort. Some adolescent females experience minimal or negligible breast growth until their breasts suddenly grow very rapidly in a short period of time. Some women with virginal breast hypertrophy experience breast growth at a steady rate for several years, after which the breasts rapidly develop exceeding normal growth. Some doctors suggest that the rapid breast development occurs before the onset of menstruation. A diagnosis is made when an adolescent's breasts grow rapidly and achieve great weight, usually soon after her first menstrual period. Along with the excessive breast size, other symptoms include red, itchy lesions and pain in the breasts. When gigantomastia occurs in young women during puberty, the medical condition is known as juvenile macromastia or juvenile gigantomastia and sometimes as virginal breast hypertrophy or virginal mammary hypertrophy. Many definitions of macromastia and gigantomastia are based on the term of "excessive breast tissue", and are therefore somewhat arbitrary.Ī total of 115 cases of breast hypertrophy had been reported in the literature as of 2008. Breast hypertrophy is classified in one of five ways: as either pubertal (virginal hypertrophy), gestational ( gravid macromastia), in adult women without any obvious cause, associated with penicillamine therapy, and associated with extreme obesity. The effect can produce a minor size variation to an extremely large breast asymmetry. The condition can also individually affect the nipples and areola instead of or in addition to the entire breast. Hypertrophy of the breast can affect the breasts equally, but usually affects one breast more than the other, thereby causing asymmetry, when one breast is larger than the other. The enlargement can cause muscular discomfort and over-stretching of the skin envelope, which can lead in some cases to ulceration. Some resources distinguish between macromastia (Greek, macro: large, mastos: breast), where excessive tissue is less than 2.5 kg, and gigantomastia (Greek, gigantikos: giant), where excessive tissue is more than 2.5 kg. There are varying definitions of what is considered to be excessive breast tissue, that is the expected breast tissue plus extraordinary breast tissue, ranging from as little as 0.6 kilograms (1.3 lb) up to 2.5 kilograms (5.5 lb) with most physicians defining macromastia as excessive tissue of over 1.5 kilograms (3.3 lb). The indication is an excess breast weight that exceeds approximately 3% of the total body weight.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |