Your Boobs Can Change A Lot as You Age
There is one piece of advice that's pretty much universal: know your own breasts when it comes to breast cancer screening. The notion is that the more familiar you are with your girls, the more inclined you should observe any possible signs of cancer, like lumps, dimpled skin, or swelling on one side. However, as you keep tabs on your breasts, it may be helpful to know there is a host of other breast developments that are normal. Here's a look.
Puberty
Everyone's born with some breast tissue and nipples; however, it is not until puberty that our boobs as we understand and love them start to appear. When a young girl's body prepares to ovulate and menstruate, "progesterone and estrogen kick it into gear," states Christine Graves, MD, an ob-gyn at Orlando Health Hospital. "Our mature mammary glands begin to develop, and by the time of our adult lifetime, we have what you and I understand as breast tissue." This procedure has a health name: thelarche. And it's usually complete by the time you turn 20, Dr. Greves adds.
During puberty, you may have gained some stretch marks along with breasts. When breasts grow fast, "the skin can't keep up," says Dr. Greves. "There is nothing to actually do about stretch marks if you are destined to get them."
Your 20s
By now your boobs are fully formed, and with any luck, your menstrual cycle has settled into a routine. It is common to detect breast changes before or during your period, thanks to hormone levels. "Throughout our period, just like we feel bloated, fluid growth applies to the breast tissues too," Dr. Greves says. You might notice you are more voluptuous than normal--or maybe in a little bit of discomfort. "The swelling may make breasts more tender during that time," she states.
In certain individuals, that extra fluid can also cause lumpiness, according to the National Cancer Institute (NCI). Talk with your doctor if these lumps concern you; see you again at another point in your cycle, and she or he may want to do a test.
At their firmest and perkiest, your breasts are now in your lifetime. They are also in their twenties--so they feature more fibrous tissue (belief glands and ducts) and not as fatty tissue. (To learn more, take a look at this explainer on what it means to have dense breasts.)
Your 30s and 40s
Lots of women have children and pregnancy, and breastfeeding may usher in breast changes. When you're pregnant, more milk-producing lobules grow, and the milk ducts begin working, Dr. Greves states. These gland changes can sometimes feel like bumps. (You should still mention some lumps you detect for your doctor.)
You may notice that your areolas get darker. "We do not really know why, but some say it is because infants' vision is only good in telling the difference between light and dark," Dr. Greves says. In the event the place right around the nipple is more easy to distinguish from the rest of your breast, the concept goes, your baby may have a simpler time breastfeeding.
Both pregnancy and breastfeeding may add your chest and some heft. "Just like childbirth, pregnancy or breastfeeding causes breasts to expand very quickly over a brief period," Dr. Greves says, which can lead to more stretch marks.
Breastfeeding may also cause some lumpiness to grow. Whether this lumpiness is accompanied by soreness, warmth, or a red hue in your skin, you could have an infected or blocked milk duct, known as mastitis, that is treatable with antibiotics.
Whether or not you get pregnant on your 30s or 40s, "gravity takes effect" through those decades, Dr. Greves says. Some amount of breast feeding is pretty much unavoidable. Time is simply stretched out over by the ligaments on your breasts.
Your 50s
"I see a lot of patients with complaints like, 'My breasts were so fine and supple before, and now they hang down! ''' says Dr. Greves. A number of that sagging may be the result of prior pregnancies and breastfeeding; but some is due to the hormonal shifts of menopause.
"As we age, the levels of estrogen and progesterone decrease," explains Dr. Greves. Progesterone and estrogen raise the growth of other tissue in the breasts, ducts, as well as glands; so as those hormones decline, the breasts wind up with more fatty tissue. "Breast tissue may not be as round and might sag just a little bit longer," she states.
After menopause, the skin on your breasts may change as well. It may become drier and thinner, states Dr. Greves, which may also contribute to a droopier look.
When in doubt, talk to people
Since many breast changes are normal and nothing to worry about, if you discover anything that worries you, mention it your primary care physician or ob-gyn, Dr. Greves urges: "Bring it up, and don't be shy." It's always best to err on the side of care.
