Involution is a fairly broad concept that covers both the entire human body as a whole, and its individual organs. Many, not understanding the meaning of this word, try to interpret it as a disease when a certain organ refuses to work or hair and teeth fall out. This is far from the case. We hasten to understand in more detail.
The concept of involution. What it is?
This term applies to different areas of our lives. Each dictionary interprets it in its own way, here are a few examples:
1) from the point of view of personality development, this is the withering of its basic qualities;
2) on the part of sexuality - a decrease in the sexual desire of the partner to the opposite sex;
3) when it comes to health - the deterioration of his condition, the occurrence of problems in the work of organs;
4) psychologists interpret involution as the extinction of the human mental functions.
Therefore, it is necessary to understand that involution is a whole complex of ideas that can relate to absolutely different areas of our lives.
Involution of the mammary glands. Does all women face this?
Doctors give an unambiguously positive answer to this question. Only the age of such changes in the female body will be completely different for all the fair sex. Of course, there is a certain framework, that is, mammologists talk about 35-40 years, but this figure fluctuates for many reasons. This process is a certain degeneration of tissues in the breast in women. In fact, mammary gland involution is the time during which the functional glandular components of a given part of the body lose their direct function (in childbearing age they are responsible for breastfeeding). It begins gradually, mainly from the lower part of the mammary glands. Here the process is more rapid. By the way, during involution, not only the functional elements fade away, but also subcutaneous fat grows.
Are there involutional fat changes?
Yes of course. In general, involution is a combination of two processes: fatty and fibrous. In a healthy female body, they will flow simultaneously. But there are cases that fat involution predominates. Then in the chest of the female representatives, between the glandular components, adipose tissue actively grows , which in the end will replace these areas. Therefore, they say that after 40 years, the bust may become sagging, because the tissues are thinning. You yourself are unlikely to reveal such changes. They are visible only with the help of special medical equipment, with the simultaneous consultation of an experienced doctor in this matter.
Those places in the chest that have already undergone transformations will be quite bright on the x-ray. Fat involution can be both an absolutely natural process and a serious problem. Here it is necessary to analyze several key points: did the woman give birth, what is her age, does she have hormonal problems and diseases of the endocrine system. Reliable answers to these questions will help the doctor to draw the right conclusions and, if necessary, to prescribe competent treatment. The age of a woman as a whole is divided into three stages:
- from puberty to 45 years - the active phase, when healthy women have a reproductive function;
- from 45 to 50 years - the time of significant changes when the menopause begins;
- after 50 years - the senile stage of development.
All this suggests that at the moment when the active phase predominates, the woman gives birth and breastfeeding, she simply should not encounter involutional changes. This is later considered the norm. Therefore, doctors strongly recommend women who are accustomed to carefully monitor their health and examine this area of ​​their body twice a year. Fat involution is not so dangerous if it is detected in the early stages of its development, since correctly prescribed drugs will be able to regulate the hormonal background and stop this process.
Another type of mammary gland involution
This option for tissue changes in the woman’s chest is much less common than the above.
But still it has a place to be, so your education in this regard will not hurt. Fibrous involution is the replacement of glandular lobes in the mammary gland with connective tissue. In this case, the appearance of fat deposits is practically not detected. In this case, large sections of dense connective tissue can remain in the chest. Roughly fibrous strands are also found.
The doctor examines the mammary glands for a long time so as not to confuse the skin folds that appear in the sagging flabby breast with fibrotic manifestations. Usually they should not cause alarm. Fibrous involution of the mammary glands is a natural process for women whose age is close to menopause. In the opposite case, when the childbearing period continues, there is a serious reason for a visit to the doctor.
Fibrous-involution as the most common change in menopausal women
When women talk about this state in adulthood, when the process proceeds slowly, starting from the deep and lower parts of the chest and ending with its upper square, then this is the absolute norm of aging of her body. Another thing is when such changes were revealed during a thorough ultrasound and examination by a competent mammologist in young ladies who, as they say, are in their prime, are able to have children and must breastfeed.
It is even sadder if formations of this nature are focal. Naturally, it already makes sense to talk about a certain pathology, hormonal malfunction and violation of the patient’s endocrine system. It makes sense for an adult woman to regularly consult a doctor when she was diagnosed with fibro-fat involution in menopause. Two examinations per year will be enough to exclude the formation of benign and malignant tumors in the chest, which is why this age has recently been so dangerous for the entire female population.
Involution as a process occurring in the uterus - is it a disease?
No, this is a natural stage in this body, which was conceived by Mother Nature herself. It can be divided into two types: postpartum and menopause. In the first case, changes in the female body occur according to a certain schedule, that is, after the baby is born, the uterus must restore its former size. This lasts about 2 months and is due to a decrease in the amount of certain hormones in the woman’s body: progesterone, estrogen and oxytocin (which is produced by breastfeeding). Postpartum uterine involution may be delayed or impaired for several reasons:
- the number of births - the more there are, the longer the process;
- carrying twins and more fruits;
- age after 30 years, in the woman who gave birth, the uterus contracts much more slowly;
- complications that have arisen: inflammation, bleeding, etc .;
- lack of natural breastfeeding.
Also, involutional changes can cover the uterus of a woman whose childbearing age has come to an end (climacteric involution).
The danger of involutional processes
In this situation, the doctor will always pay attention to the age of the woman who came to him for an examination. The patient must clearly understand that involution is a pathology only if it is young. And in ladies of mature age, the reproductive function of which is fulfilled, this is an absolutely natural process that prepares the body for menopause. The main task of a mammologist is to exclude any inflammatory diseases, as well as formations of a different nature. Therefore, representatives of the fair sex need to take note of the scheme for visiting this specialist:
- Starting from 36 years - 1 time per year.
- After 50 years - 1 time in 1.5-2 years.
Lactation involution - myth or reality?
Only those women who have fully experienced the joy of motherhood, thanks to breastfeeding, will understand what is at stake. Of course, here the meaning of the concept of involution is slightly different - after all, it is rather not a withering of the feeding functions, but its temporary cessation. WHO experts advise feeding a child up to 2 years old, it is by this age that mother’s milk will provide him with all the necessary vitamins and minerals for further full growth and development. And by the 24th month, the breast of a nursing woman is able to complete her mission without any special consequences for her.
Remember, dear ladies, mammary gland involution is not a sentence, you just need to turn to a competent specialist in time, who, thanks to modern medications, will be able to regulate the body and stop this process.