Lifestyle

10 Causes Of Sagging Breasts: Here Are Essential Reasons Your Boobs Are Fallen, Flat, And Not Firm

What are the causes of sagging breasts in women? Here are the top 10 reasons why your boobs are losing elasticity.

Breats are one of the most attractive parts of women. Interestingly, women themselves are wowed by their fellow women with firm and sparkling breasts as well as their male counterparts.

But the reality is every woman is beautiful, with or without firm boobs. Breast sagging is one of the many natural body changes women experience as they age. The female breasts are made of fat and tissues, there’s also Cooper’s ligament that’s responsible to lift your breasts! If it stretches and starts to lose its elasticity, then your breasts become droopy and deflated. 

But there are times when you wonder what really caused the sagging of your twins? Is it natural or is it triggered by a health issue? There’s no harm in having more knowledge about your body, and that’s exactly why we want you to know the cause behind saggy breasts. 

Scientifically, the sagging of breasts is called breast ptosis. This is a rather common issue, and so many women deal with it! Fortunately, you can reverse sagging in some cases; in other cases, it isn’t really in your hands. 

There are several reasons that influence the size of your breast. Some of them are related to your lifestyle, while there are others you inherit. 

What are the causes of saggy breasts?

Usually owing to age, ligaments in the breasts (called Cooper’s ligaments) stretch out over time. This is typically due to gravity, though other causes may be involved.

Information about what causes — or doesn’t cause — saggy breasts can be conflicting. Luckily, facts have been separated from misconceptions over time.

The loss of skin elasticity due to aging is the most common cause of saggy breasts. Another factor is smoking, which accelerates aging and thus contributes to sagging breasts, sometimes even earlier in life.

Multiple pregnancies are another cause, though breastfeeding is not. Hormonal changes shrink and expand milk ducts with each pregnancy, which can lead to sagging tissues. Rapid weight changes pre-and post-pregnancy can add to this.

Large breast size leads to a higher chance of sagging, solely because higher breast mass is more vulnerable to gravity.

However, choosing to breastfeed one’s child has no effect on breast firmness. Breastfeeding is commonly thought to stretch breast tissues and lead to sagging. However, there are conflicting studies that find this to be untrue.

Debunked causes of saggy breasts:

  • not wearing a bra
  • wearing a bad bra

What causes the breast to fall?

1. Genetics.
2. Aging.
3. Collagen deficiency.
4. Nutritional deficiency.
5. Larger breast sizes.
6. Multiple pregnancies.
7. Lack of exercise.
8. Rapid weight loss.
9. Smoking.
10. Lack of proper support.

Let’s figure out what are the ten (10) major causes that are leading to breast sagging:  

1. Genetics

You’ll be surprised to know but your genetics play an important role in deciding the strength of your Cooper’s ligament. Elastin and collagen fibers are proteins that support breasts, and their production is regulated by DNA. So, if any of your parents or grandparents have low ligament strength, then that might lead you to have sagging breasts.

2. Aging

As a woman gets older, the ligaments that make up the breast tissue stretch and lose elasticity. As a result, breast fullness is compromised as the underlying support system of tissue and fat diminishes. A change may be particularly evident during menopause.

3. Collagen deficiency

Breast sagging can be caused by connective tissue collagen deficiency as well. Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, for example, is a condition that causes breast sagging, among other problems.

4. Nutritional deficiency

Breast sagging can be caused by a nutritional deficiency, such as a lack of vitamins B and C. These two vitamins aid in the manufacture of elastin and collagen fibers, which help maintain breast firmness.

5. Larger Breast size

Large breast size leads to a higher chance of sagging, solely because higher breast mass is more vulnerable to gravity.

6. Multiple Pregnancies

Multiple pregnancies are another cause, though breastfeeding is not. Hormonal changes shrink and expand milk ducts with each pregnancy, which can lead to sagging tissues. Rapid weight changes pre-and post-pregnancy can add to this.

7. Lack of exercise

Most women tend to avoid upper body exercises, either due to lack of strength or they find it pointless. But you’ll be shocked to know that the absence of these upper body exercises can also lead to saggy breasts.

“Breast muscles require tightening. For that, you should do exercises like chest press, plank, and push-ups at least twice a week”, recommends Dr. Siddhartha.

8. Rapid weight loss

Major fluctuations in weight can cause unnecessary stretching of the breasts. Maintaining a healthy weight will help women avoid the progression of unnecessary stretching.

“The breast tissue has a lot of fat content, and the contour of the breast changes when there is a rapid drop in weight. The excess skin sags and the perkiness of your breast are lost,” says Dr. Ray.
Aging

In this case, breasts sag due to the loss of collagen in your body, or when you hit menopause. It’s all a play of hormones here, and it is completely normal ladies. So, do not panic at all!

Also, try not to lose excess weight as it is also a major cause of saggy breasts.

9. Smoking

Carcinogens in cigarette smoke cause elastin to break down in the body. These elastin fibers are responsible for skin elasticity throughout the body.

Collagen is one of the most important proteins in our body and is responsible for maintaining the elasticity of the skin. Its reserves get depleted, as you age, but if you smoke then its production gets hampered even faster, and you end up with saggy breasts.

10. Lack of proper support

Wearing a supportive bra is important to maintaining breast shape and lift. “Lack of proper support will take its toll over a 30- to 40-year period. I highly recommend women get professionally fitted for a supportive bra at a lingerie or department store that offers this service,” Dr. Roseman says.

Other causes of breast sagging are;

  • Wrong posture and Gravitational pull

If you always thought this is a myth, then you’re mistaken! If you slouch all the time, then the gravitational pull will accelerate the problem of saggy breasts. You can’t really feel it, but the pull impacts your Cooper’s ligament and stretches it. Of course, this happens over a period of time, but if you and your bra are not BFFs, then this problem can hit you early.

“Muscles and ligaments loosen up due to bad posture and lead to saggy breasts. Right posture, especially while sitting, is very important”, says Dr. Surabhi Siddhartha, consultant obstetrician, and gynecologist, Motherhood Hospital, Kharghar, Mumbai.

  • Sunburn

Ultraviolet rays damage the skin and cause loss of elasticity as well.

  • Estrogen deficiency
  • High body mass index
  • Menopause

Does breastfeeding cause breasts to sag?

Can choosing to breastfeed one’s child have an effect on breast firmness?. Breastfeeding is commonly thought to stretch breast tissues and lead to sagging.

The truth is that breastfeeding doesn’t affect breast shape or volume. Instead, the ligaments that support a woman’s breasts stretch as breasts get heavier during pregnancy.

Below are some remarks and advice medical doctors have shared concerning breastfeeding and saggy breasts.

“Post lactation, the fat cells shrink, and that’s why sagging happens. I advise women to keep exercising during the pre and post-breastfeeding period to avoid any kind of sagging”, says Dr. Siddhartha.

“Women avoid wearing bras during their breastfeeding period because they experience discomfort. But that shouldn’t be done, because your breast should have at least some support. Your bras should not be very tight, but comfortable”, says Dr. Sudeshna Ray, consultant obstetrics and gynecologist at Jaslok Hospital and Research Centre, Mumbai.

“Breast sagging is witnessed commonly in women when they hit their 30s”, says Dr. Siddhartha.

“One preconceived notion is that breastfeeding causes breasts to sag, when in fact research has shown that it is simply the size changes that a woman’s breasts undergo through pregnancy that causes sagging. For women who are concerned about this change, I recommend they lose the extra baby weight as quickly as possible after childbirth in an effort to go back to their ‘normal’ weight and size,” Dr. Roseman says.

He also encourages women to look beyond the social pressures of body image and focus on maintaining overall body health. This will greatly impact breast health along the way too.

So, for those of you who fall under the last three categories, there’s hardly much that can be done! For others, it’s time to buck up and lead a healthy life to get perky breasts!

Can you fix saggy breasts?

Saggy breasts are part of a change in breast appearance that most women experience, especially as they get older. This tends to be a completely natural cosmetic change. Still, some women may not want saggy breasts.

There’s lots of information about what does (and doesn’t) actually contribute to saggy breasts. Some are true, while some are misconceptions.

Regardless, there are ways you can prevent and improve saggy breasts.

How can you prevent or treat saggy breasts?

Want to reduce your risk of saggy breasts, or improve breast firmness? Here are some things you can do.

Manage a healthy weight

You don’t necessarily need to lose weight, nor do you need to gain weight. Instead, keep weight consistent, and at a level that’s healthy for you. This may prevent breast sag and make breasts firmer.

Find a well-fitting, comfortable bra

This especially applies to workouts, such as jogging. A sports bra with ample support (molded cups) can reduce breast motion. One study suggests that breast motion from exercise leads to stretching and sagging, though more studies are needed.

When not working out, the same study states that you don’t necessarily need a bra to prevent breast sagging. In fact, wearing the wrong bra size may have more negative effects than not wearing one at all.

Don’t smoke, or quit smoking

Smoking accelerates the aging process. Aging causes tissues — including breast ligaments — to lose firmness. Smoking specifically speeds aging by destroying elastin, a protein that helps skin remain supple.

Get a hormone test

A drop in the hormone estrogen, which occurs normally during menopause, may be associated with a decrease in tissue collagen. Finding healthy ways to boost estrogen levels (such as with phytoestrogens or supplements) may improve breast shape and form.

Talk to your doctor and get a test before trying to raise your estrogen levels.

Carefully consider pregnancy

If your desire for an unchanged breast appearance is greater than growing your family, consider avoiding getting pregnant. StudiesTrusted Source shows that the more pregnancies a woman have, the more likely she will experience saggy breasts.

Try a pectoral muscle workout

While there are no muscles in the breast itself, you can work the muscles underneath. These are called the pectoralis major muscles. Some workouts target these, and they may give your breasts a little natural lift.

Get plastic surgery

Many different surgical procedures can lift the breasts. These can help restore your breasts to a more youthful, supple appearance. It’s an expensive option but has the most dramatic results.

The bottom line

Saggy breasts happen for many reasons. Breastfeeding, wearing a bra, or not wearing a bra are not factors you need to worry about.

Normal aging, pregnancy, smoking, and hormones are the major factors. There are many ways to manage these in your own life to improve breast firmness.

Dee Darlingberg

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