How to get bigger breasts or how to increase my breast size?
It is understandable that women and especially teenagers in the USA (and elsewhere in similarly affected cultures) are very self-conscious about their breasts and many worry about their breast size. But the fact is, there is not much you can do to change your breast size - for smaller or bigger. Consider the following things that will NOT make your breasts bigger:
- There is NO food that will make your breasts bigger.
- Exercising in general will not help much. Breasts do not have muscles. If you tone your chest muscles that are underneath the breasts, the effect will be slight (see below for more).
- Sleeping position has no effect on breast size.
- Nor will wearing bras or not wearing bras.
- Rubbing or squeezing won't affect breast size.
- Nor do they get bigger when a woman starts having sex.
So what will affect breast size?
- Mainly your genes. Look to your mom, sisters, aunts - their breast size will usually give you an indication of your final breasts size.
- Breast growth during puberty is driven by two hormones, estrogen and progesterone. Hormonal imbalances could therefore affect breast growth.
- Breasts contain fat, so slim and thin people often (not always) have smaller breasts than overweight/obese people.
- If you gain weight overall, some of that fat goes to your breasts. Exception: it is possible in certain situations to only gain fat in your waist area or abdomen (pot belly). But if you're overweight in general, with fat all over, then losing weight WILL cause your breasts to be somewhat smaller since you will lose fat from all over your body. Anorexic girls typically have very very small breasts.
- What about taking extra estrogen? Theoretially this might work. BUT if you are a woman, taking extra estrogen on top of what your own body already produces will definitely increase your breast cancer risk, may cause nasty PMS, and other unwanted side-effects as well.
- Toning/exercising the pectoral muscles: If you really get the muscle under the breast to grow bigger, that DOES have a slight effect on the overall appearance of your chest, and can make the breast appear a tiny bit bigger. Read the words of one female softball pitcher:
"I have been a serious softball pitcher for the past 10 years of my life and for this reason my right breast is much harder and feels more muscular than my left and is also more perky (I pitch with my right arm in a windmill motion). The difference is not incredible, but it is certainly noticeable. Also, a lot of my friends are softball players and other pitchers have the same issue."
How much exercise is needed for this is an open question. So it is possible to "push" your breasts out a little by building up your pectoral muscles (inclined/declined/flat pushups). Technicallly it is an illusion since the breasts don't get any bigger. - The bra industry has created numerous breast enhancer things such as silicone enhancers, gel-filled bras, padded bras etc. to create the illusion of larger bust.
- BRAVA - a vacuum bra system that is supposed to induce breast tissue growth, but apparently does very little. Check out the website BRAV-ARGH! for more info.
- What about taking extra estrogen? Theoretially this might work. BUT if you are a woman, taking extra estrogen on top of what your own body already produces will definitely increase your breast cancer risk, may cause nasty PMS, and other unwanted side-effects as well.
- Toning/exercising the pectoral muscles: If you really get the muscle under the breast to grow bigger, that DOES have a slight effect on the overall appearance of your chest, and can make the breast appear a tiny bit bigger. Read the words of one female softball pitcher:
"I have been a serious softball pitcher for the past 10 years of my life and for this reason my right breast is much harder and feels more muscular than my left and is also more perky (I pitch with my right arm in a windmill motion). The difference is not incredible, but it is certainly noticeable. Also, a lot of my friends are softball players and other pitchers have the same issue."
How much exercise is needed for this is an open question. So it is possible to "push" your breasts out a little by building up your pectoral muscles (inclined/declined/flat pushups). Technicallly it is an illusion since the breasts don't get any bigger. - The bra industry has created numerous breast enhancer things such as silicone enhancers, gel-filled bras, padded bras etc. to create the illusion of larger bust.
- BRAVA - a vacuum bra system that is supposed to induce breast tissue growth, but apparently does very little. Check out the website BRAV-ARGH! for more info.
Bumps on areola
If you worry about those 'funny bumps' on the areola, those are supposed to be there; they are called Montgomery glands or areolar skin glands. Their function is partially unknown, but scientists suppose they are there to lubricate the nipple/areola area.These Montgomery glands can be about unnoticeable, OR stand out as bumps on the areola. They often become more prominent during pregnancy. Also, it appears they are white in some women.
Some women have squeezed them and can get a white substance out, but please do NOT squeeze them because that causes them to become infected.
In one study, it was noted that women with more areolar glands had better or more optimal breastfeeding start after delivery. They also noted that the glands were seen in virtually all women in the study but with great interindividual variations; their areolar distribution was nonrandom, and about 1/5 of the women had glands giving off a secretion (this is about women who have just given birth).
Also, many women have some hairs around the nipple (on the areola). This is perfectly normal because there are hair follicles in the areola. There is no need to "treat" the hair, but if you absolutely don't like them, trim them carefully with scissors. Don't pluck them with force, because that can make them grow back thicker and darker, or cause them go become ingrown under the skin which leads to scarring. It is also possible that the hair follicle gets obstructed, which can cause a sebaceous cyst to form under the skin, or that the follicle gets infected. Apart from using scissors to remove the hair on areola, laser hair removal treatment is also possible.
However, if the hairs are so many that they mimic the male hair pattern on chest or if they keep growing in larger and larger quantities, that may mean that the body has higher levels of androgens (male hormones) than normal. If a woman has excessive hair growing in typical male hair pattern, the symptom is called hirsutism. There are many causes for hirsutism, so please follow the link above to learn more.
One common cause for such hirsutism is polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). However, don't use the mere existence of hair as a "diagnosis" for that but consider all the other factors and possible symptoms as well.
f your nipples are 'puffy' and not constantly erect they are called flat nipples. That is perfectly normal too, and fairly common among teens. Typically the nipple "sticks out" (becomes erect) when stimulated by cold, clothing, or rubbing.
This puffy or flat appearance may stay as it is until a woman becomes pregnant. For most women with flat nipples, the nipples evert (poke out) during pregnancy as the elasticity of the skin changes. Even if not, a full-term baby can usually suck out a flat nipple.
Also it's a total misconception that all females get erect nipples in sexual activity like men get an erect penis... not every woman does. Nipples are not to be compared to penises. The organ in females that corresponds to the male penis is clitoris, and clitoris can and does become erect.
Areola skin tones are caused by two pigments: red and brown. Therefore, the resulting areola color can be various shades of pink and brown till very dark brown. Dark skinned individuals usually have a darker areola than light-skinned individuals. However, areola color also varies quite a bit between individuals. Some pale-skinned individuals can have totally pale areolas where it does not appear darker than the other skin.
During pregnancy, the areola usually darkens substantially. This will create a large contrast between the areola and the rest of the breast. Newborns have limited vision, but can see such a contrast easily, and thereby the darkened areola helps the newborn locate the nipple. In a few months after giving birth, the areola will start fading. However, it usually does not fade back to the pre-pregnancy color but remains slightly darker.
Areola color is also known to change because of hormonal changes, birth control pills, aging, or because of certain medications.
An inverted nipple is 'turned inside' instead of pointing outside. It appears like a indentation in the middle of the areola.
It is possible to "coach" the inverted nipple out so it becomes an 'outie' and everts.
If a nipple that was an "outie" suddenly inverts, this along other symptoms such as itching and pain may be a sign of inflammatory breast cancer.
We've made a separate page about inverted nipples where you can read more
Nipple piercing has become more and more popular in recent years. Nipple piercing procedure has the risk of infection, mastitis (serious breast infection), scarring, jewelry rejection, boils, risk of HIV or hepatitis transmission (from unsterilized equipment), and more (it has even led to a partial mastectomy).
The jewelry may also cause problems while wearing it because clothing you wear can catch it.
As far as breastfeeding and nipple piercing is concerned, you can breastfeed as long as you don't have a buildup of internal or external scar tissue. If you do, or if the piercing became infected during the healing process, you may have a problem with milk flow. Most moms with pierced nipples can breastfeed fine. They just should remove the jewelry while breastfeeding.
This was just too good not to share. The only question I have is… That’s a very feminine watch, so is this game for girls only or can boys play too?
MotherLove's Nipple Cream is a softening salve for sore, cracked nursing nipples that quickly heals skin and relieves pain. All ingredients are safe for ingestion, so it does not need to be washed off prior to nursing. The only nipple cream that carries the USDA Organic seal. Its simple yet effective formula of marshmallow root, calendula, olive oil, shea butter, beeswax also doubles as an excellent diaper rash ointment.
