What Is VBH?

VBH, also known as virginal breast hypertrophy and by the more general term, macromastia, is a rare condition that involves the abnormally rapid growth of a woman's breasts. VBH is characterized by a distinct set of symptoms and can result in a number of other health problems. Although the cause of VBH is known, a way to prevent the condition is not known at this time and there are few viable treatments.

Definition

• VBH, virginal breast hypertrophy, is a condition in which a pubescent girl's body responds too strongly to the release of the two hormones, estrogen and progesterone, at the onset of puberty. In normal development, a young woman's breasts grow following stimulation by estrogen. In a woman with VBH, the breasts develop, but grow to an abnormally large size, sometimes becoming as heavy as 20 lbs. each.

Symptoms

• Women with VBH experience a number of unpleasant health problems, all related to the abnormal size and weight of their breasts. Most suffer from chronic back and neck pain, headaches and a sensation of numbness in the arms and fingers. Rashes on and beneath the breasts are common, as well as scarring and irritation due to ill-fitting and heavily strained bras and bra straps.

Aspects

• While VBH always begins with the beginning of puberty and the girl's first sensitivity to both estrogen and progesterone, a woman suffering from this condition does not necessarily experience all excessive breast growth at once. Most women with VBH undergo spurts of growth, in which the breasts will grow slowly for a time, then very rapidly in a short amount of time. During these spurts, the woman usually is in a great deal of discomfort; the breasts and the skin surrounding the breasts often become red, irritated and extremely sensitive.

Other Problems

• VBH often involves not just over development and excessive growth of the breasts, but abnormal growth of the clitoris and breast nipples as well, shortly following the onset of a young woman's first menstrual cycle.

Treatment

• There is no known cure for VBH. The only effective treatment of the condition is breast reduction surgery, in which enough breast tissue is removed to make the size of the breasts proportional to the rest of the woman's body. Because VBH is an abnormal health condition, breast reduction surgery performed to correct the abnormality is completely covered by most health insurance plans.