breast development

NOTE:

A newborn baby has nipples, areolas, and the beginnings of breast tissue,

but most significant female breast development occurs in two separate phases of a woman’s life:

First, and most importantly, during puberty, then during pregnancy.

Breast development during puberty

The beginning of breast development is one of the earliest signs of puberty in girls, the appearance of pubic hair being the other. In other words, pubic hair and breast buds appear close together time wise.

Breast development normally begins about 1 year before the menstrual period begins. The development takes several years and is usually divided into five stages according to Tanner. These stages of Tanner describe the physical appearance of the breast. Not everybody goes through every Tanner stage, and they should be taken just as a generalization of the way many teen girls breasts look like as they grow.

In the first stage (during childhood) the breasts are flat.
The second stage is called the breast bud stage. In it, the nipple and breast are slightly raised as milk ducts and the fat tissue begin to form. Also, the areola begins to enlarge.


The very very early breast bud of a 11-year old girl. You might almost miss it, the change from flat breasts is so slight.	The only difference is that now the nipple area looks a little 'puffy'.	A few months later the nipple is puffier and darker.

In the third stage there is further growth. Initially this happens in a conical shape, and later on in a rounder shape. The areola begins to darken.
In the fourth stage, the nipple and the areola form a separate mound ('mound on mound'). Menstruation typically starts within two years from reaching this stage. Some skip the 'mound on mound' stage altogether.
In the fifth stage, the breast finishes its growth during puberty, and is round shaped.

In the initial stages of breast development, it is the hormone estrogen that drives the development, causing fat to be deposited in the breast, and the milk ducts to grow. This is the time for the biggest growth in size. After the girl gets her period, the ovaries start producing progesterone, and that hormone then causes the milk glands to develop at the ends of the milk ducts.

During breast growth, you may experience some pain and hurt or tenderness in your breasts. That is normal. Also the skin may be itching, which is a sign of skin stretching.

The whole process from the breast bud stage till Tanner stage 5 usually takes about 3-5 years, but for some girls it may take close to 10 years. After these five stages, the breast is still NOT considered mature or fully developed. Only pregnancy brings about the fullness of breast growth and development.

The breast development can start as early as 8 years or as late as 13 years. If a girl does not have breast buds nor pubic hair, which are the first signs of puberty, by age 14, it is recommended that she see a doctor. The same is true if a girl does not get her period by age 15 - this is called delayed puberty, and there are several possible reasons for it. It is advisable to visit a doctor.

Though most of this development is over in a few years after getting your period, many girls can get a little rounder and fuller breasts in their early twenties, when they naturally get even more feminine and mature appearance with 'feminine curves' (meaning girls gain a little weight leaving the skinny teenage look behind).

Occasionally, a girl's breasts keep growing and keep growing way past those about 5 years of typical development timeframe, and become very large. This condition where the breasts don't stop growing is called virginal (or juvenile) hypertrophy of the breasts(see a picture).

Hi, I have a question. I got my period when I was 10 1/2, and I'm 15 now. Starting puberty so young, I thought I was gonna have DD's by now... haha. That's definitely not the case. I don't even fit into a 32A bra, and I was wondering if I'm going to be "flat chested" forever or if there's still time to develop... If there is still time, I was wondering, how can I know if they're growing? Will there be soreness or something? How can I tell if they are already fully developed?
Thank you so much,
CJ

While breast tissue is developing, there may be soreness. Also the skin may itch from stretching. If the growth was slow, then you wouldn't necessarily have the itching. And not all girls have the soreness, either. So in that sense there are not definite signs of breast development.

And also it's hard to tell if you're fully developed because that would involve examining the actual glandular tissue. See, the difference in between A and B cup, say, is mostly fat (and some connective tissue). So you probably have the milk-making system in your breasts now and just less fat than someone with DD's. The milk-making system fully develops only during pregnancy, by the way.

Your breasts are probably fine. It's just that not everyone gets B or C cup breasts... it varies just like our height varies. If you're underweight or real skinny, then if you ever gain weight, your breasts will also 'gain some fat' and appear bigger.

Breast development during pregnancy

Breasts grow in size considerably during pregnancy because of further growth of the milk ducts and milk producing glands. Teenagers breasts are mostly fat, but during pregnancy that fat gradually disappears and gives space for the milk-producing system.

Also the areola enlargens and becomes darker, as if really pointing out where the 'nutrition center' (nipple) is. Thus the breasts will be fully mature and ready for their job, producing milk for the child.

Changes during menopause

In menopause, the milk producing system - ducts and milk glands - shrink, and are replaced by fat. That makes the breasts softer. Also the connective tissue loses strength, which makes the breasts sag more.

Teens worry if their breasts are normal

As the following comments sent to this website show, teenage girls do worry a lot about their breast size/shape/development, and many young girls naively wish for larger breasts:

Visitor comments:

Hii..i am 15yrs old .. my breasts have started growing but not like my other friends.can you plz give me a solution to help make them grow bigger."

"I REALLY LIKE YOUR PAGE BECAUSE ITS VERY INFORMATIVE BUT I HAVE A PERSONAL QUESTION I WAS JUST WONDERING BECAUSE I HAD MY PERIOD FOR ALMOST A YEAR NOW AND MY BREASTS ARE STILL IN THE BREAST BUD STAGE AND ITS VERY EMBARASSING BECAUSE IM 13 AND HAVE TO GO TO HIGHSCHOOL NEXT YEAR SO DO YOU HAVE ANY NATURAL WAYS TO EBLARGE BREAST WITH OUT PILLS OR PLASTIC SURGERY."

"i feel that the size of my breasts are too big which gives me a bad figure what should i do to reduce it.My age is 20,what should i do?"

"thanx for your site i'm 10 years old and i thought i had normal breasts but all the other girls make fun of me. only one other girl has breasts but not like me. they say my breasts are to big for me (i'm 4'8 and 84 pounds) and now i wear sweaters alot to hide it. when is the normal age to have breasts and will they get smaller again? i like your site but i dont see any pics of women that look like me :'("

"thank you so much. i was very concerned about my developemend. but i am still unsure, i am 16 years old and one of my breasts is larger than the other one. is this normal?"

"My niece is 9 and only one of her breast is starting to develop. Is this normal or should both start developing at the same time. My sister is a little concerned that it might be som type of deformity. Can you give me any answers? Thank you."

"I'm a 16 year old who is still in high school. I was embarassed all the time because I have small breasts. It runs in my family, and all my friends have large breasts. I was afraid to wear bathing suits, dresses, tank tops, and pretty much and cute shirt. But because of this site I have a new confidence in myself. I play volleyball, soccer, surf, snowboard, and love dancing. But my small breasts held me back, and yes I did think ALL THE TIME about getting implants. All the girls on my teams had nice large breasts and they bragged about them and showed them off in revealing shirts. Now that I really think about it, it is the people who mark you for your breast size who need to grow up. THANKS!
~*~*Gillian*~*~

First of all, it is very normal and usual for one breast to bud before the other, or the breasts to develop at different rate so that they are lopsided for a while. They usually even out eventually for the most part so that the uneven sizes are not real noticeable. However, a big portion of adult women do have different size breasts, usually one is just slightly bigger than the other, or maybe has a different shape.

Secondly, many teenagers get concerned when they see their friends' breasts growing and theirs are not. There is usually absolutely NO REASON TO WORRY because the timing varies greatly from girl to girl. Some start developing breasts as early as 8 years old, some as late as 18, though in most girls the breasts start budding between 9 and 12 years. In any case, your breasts WILL develop in time for their purpose of feeding your baby!

"I'm scared my boobs are tubular or whatever. They dont really look like the boobs you have in the picture you have of tubular breasts, but the nipples on mine are really weird. like they form a second little mound. its really hard to tell though, cause my boobs are a 32a so they're incredibly puny which makes me depressed but anyway, when they're erect they look normal but when they're not they look weird.

"my breasts are kinda small..but are starting to take a round shape..however they are still pointier than those of my friends...my nipples are always seem to be puffy and look like the photos form "mound on mound stage of puberty.." but im 17 and ...have had my period for a long timem...i don think it is puberty.... they are always puffy and swollen looking ..like one big mound rather than that of a nipple and its areola...any ideas?"

These are describing a certain stage of breast development, 'mound on mound' look. Development should continue from this so the breast takes on a rounder shape. When the nipple is not erect, it's called a flat nipple. That is fairly common and more so among teenagers. Nothing to worry about. Most flat nipples start sticking out during pregnancy. See also the links on our nipples page.

"I'm 13 and in my school girls have big breasts and it seemes that im the only one flat chested. People say that i still hae time to grow. And this site has helped me see that I do have time to grow."
Lisa

"Wow- this site sure helped me feel a bit better and more informed!
I am 18 and never really had any breasts. All the fat cells that I would love to have in the right place went to the hips and butt.
But you helped me realize that medium big and perky just isn't the norm."
Kirstin

In fact, you might be lucky if you develop later! It used to be that the average age of beginning of menstruation (menarche) in the 1800s was 16-17 years, whereas now it is between 12-13 years. So girls are maturing much earlier than they used to. Something in modern life has made this change, and probably the girls in ages past were better off. It is easier to deal with the raging hormones and other changes of puberty when your mind has had time to develop.

We also get lots of requests for help from girls who have A-cup size breasts:

"im 12 and i had my period i think as 11 yrs. old my breast are hard around the nipple and are a 32a barilly what can i do to make them bigger everyone else has bigger ones my cousin is 2 months young than me and she is an 36a no problem im scared because im small still and she young but bigger breast pplease help me !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! im inbarressed to wear a bathing suit i weigh 101 and i dont know what i can do to make them bigger!!!! please help me asap!!!!!!!!!!!"

"I am 14 yrs. old and had just gotton my period 2 months ago. I have gotton signs of puberty such as pubic hair, growth spert (im 5'9"), and mild acne. The only thing is my breasts DON'T GROW!!!!! I barely fit into a 32A!!!! I heard that you should look at your relatives but it's confusing. My mom and oldest sister are C's, my 2nd oldest sister in a DD, and my aunt is an A!!!!! I am so confused! Puberty seems like it is working except it is skipping the breast stage! Will my breasts get bigger and how much longer do I have until they stop growing? PLEASE HELP!!!! Katie

i'm a 32a and i got my period back in 7th grade (i'm going into 10th now) and im sick of it. my boobs are all pointy but round underneath. its weird, and the nipples are puffy and they make this little mound above my boob except when its cold then they look normal. i got these sports bra tops from target the other day and i dont even fill those out...and it was a size small for crying out loud!!! i really want breast implants and it doesnt matter if it messes up my breastfeeding things or whatever because guys hate me and they'll never talk to me much less get me pregnant or marry me or even like me. they hate me. i just want some self esteem with having bigger boobs. not to impress guys since they hate me and never want to talk to me. so do you have any tips on how to make boobs bigger or something before i go all the way and have surgery.

(Actually those puffy nipples that look 'normal' in the cold are flat nipples that become erect when cold... that is normal.)

Since these girls have gotten their period already, it sounds like they are going to be small-breasted as adults. Or, if they are skinny, they may get somewhat fuller and rounder breasts later when they gain a little weight. But why is it such a catastrophe to have an A-cup as breast size? It is very normal. Many women are small. (Otherwise we wouldn't get so many emails about this very situation). It only seems distressing when the media has brainwashed us into believing that "breasts make a woman" or that breast size is the main thing that makes a girl attractive to guys.

This is simply not true.

While boys usually do want to see breasts - they are often just plain curious about it, since they are kept so well hidden from their view - they are far less concerned about breast size than girls and women themselves are!

Remember, what makes a woman attractive is her general appearance, behavior, personality, attitudes, sense of humor... and that can include a lot of variety in the actual physical attributes.

Read also; What do guys really think of the size of girl's boobs? (that web page's discussion about Brava system is somewhat inaccurate, though. Please see BRAV-ARGH! before believing in BRAVA system.)

And if you're worried about clothes fitting - if you have some special occasion to wear some special dress for example - check this link about Small bust can be beautiful! - an example how a bra is used to create a fuller look. In fact, the majority of the most elegant and sensual lingerie designs are created for the lithe figure and breast size of the fashion model, not the overly endowed or artificially enhanced woman.

And next, if you have large breasts, it is very normal that they start 'sagging' or drooping some already during your teen years. It is a natural process that happens to everybody at some point, and there really isn't anything you can do to prevent it - for example bras won't keep breasts from sagging (except while you wear them). Below you can see what comments some teens have left on our breast gallery page about this fact. If you're a teen and have sagging breasts, you are NOT alone!

I normally thought I was abnormal as at the age of sixteen I have sagging breats. But now I know that I am normal.
thank u
pooh bear

Is there anyway that you can prevent your boobs from sagging when your around 13
Ghina

I'm 18 and my breasts are already pretty saggy. They resemble the breasts of a 40 year old mother of two. Although, I appreciated seeing normal breasts, I was wondering if it is common to have overly saggy breast at this young an age?
Erin

i have a question, i'm 15 years old and i'm at a D bra now and my breast without my bra are sagging or i think they are sagging. how do i know if they are sagging when they are so big and what can i do about it?
ashley

I am only 16 but I worry about my breasts. I have natural size c-cup breasts and I have worries that are are too big, already. My breasts have already began to sag and it worries me but I'm beginning to see that breasts of all sizes are normal and this site has helped me to see this.
Shari

Thank you. Until I saw this website I was convinced that my saggy, lopsided breasts were absolutely abnormal and hideously ugly. Working on a college campus, I'm surrounded by the perky breasts of girls in their late teens and early 20's and this has distorted my perception of "normal." Growing up overweight, my breasts developed (and began to sag) earlier than most. I never experienced "perky", or at least was too young and asexual at that point to enjoy them. Thank you for helping me understand and appreciate my body for what it is. :o)
Danielle

I think this web site is great, i am 19 and being a 32H they are sagging a bit and thought i was too young for this to start happening to me, but seeing these picutres of other people it has made me feel alot better about my self, thank you.
lucy

Sometimes you may think you have sagging breasts when in reality you really don't, or it is very minimal. You can read What causes sagging breasts? to find out more.

Breast size

Breast size is determined by your genes. You can look to your mom and other female relatives and get somewhat of an idea of what your breast size might end up being, though this is NOT a guarantee.

Another factor in breast size is how skinny/fat you are. As mentioned already, breasts have a lot of fat in them. The skinnier you are, the less fat your breasts contain and smaller they are. When you gain weight (or fat) in general, some of that fat will get deposited in your breasts, so that is why obese people will have bigger breasts. And if you lose weight (fat) from your body, some of that fat will be lost from your breasts, too. This explains why athletic girls often have small breasts - their body's fat content is fairly small. The same is of course true for anorexic girls.

Unfortunately, when you lose weight and your breasts will be smaller, they often end up sagging more, as the skin is already streched but now there is less 'stuff' to fill it. There is no sure way to prevent this but try studying into which nutrients best preserve skin elasticity.

Exercise won't make breasts bigger because breasts don't have any muscles. Nor will sleeping position, wearing bras or not wearing them, milk or any other foods - but of course it is important to eat a healthy diet so your body can develop as it is supposed to.

There are no reliable means of increasing your breast size other than breast implants. But you should know those carry with them very serious health risks.

Some girls end up being flat-chested - for reasons we do not know. Flat-chested girls lack the fat in breasts but they have the milk producing system in there and can breastfeed. Please read our page about being flat-chested to learn more. Being flat-chested doesn't mean you have to get worried - but if you don't get your period by age 15, that is a sign of delayed puberty.

Read also our breast questions page fo r more details and links about what affects breast size and about herbal breast enhancement pills.

We hope knowing these facts will ease your mind off from worrying. You may have heard or read these same facts about breast development elsewhere, too. They are commonly known and commonly noted. So the chances are you are developing just normally and there's no reason to be concerned.

this is such a good site. it has made me feel so much better. i used to think i was abnormal. now i know... i'm normal :)
a teenager

I am 21 years old and ever since my teens I have thought my breasts were ugly and deformed. I have recently tried to commit suicide and as a result was a patient in a mental health ward, all due to the way I perceive my breasts. This site has helped me to understand that I am a normal woman. I hope it will stop other women from suffering the way I have over the years.
Thankyou!
kate

Why do teenagers worry so much about breasts?

But it might be worth your while still consider this one thing: WHY is it that teenage girls worry so extremely about their breasts? Is it just normal human nature? Do you worry equally much about the shape of your lips or eyes? Usually not. So something else enters the picture.

The culture that surrouds you - especially magazines, TV, music videos, internet - has influenced your (and your friends' and your parents') thinking. The media images leave the impression that normal kind of breasts are fairly big and perky with small areola - the ones you see supermodels have. But remember that those photos in magazines are retouched - THE PHOTOS ARE NOT REAL!

Hollywood has promoted a "big breast" image to the modern world - BUT it was also Hollywood that in the 1920s was promoting the flat-chested look. Women in that time tried to bind their breasts to make them look smaller.

So what you see in media does NOT reflect the reality of women's breasts! Female breast is the one body part that varies most of any body parts in size and shape. You can be smarter than to fall into this trap and think for yourself! There is NO precise rule as to what is "normal" when it comes to breasts.

The North American culture also makes breasts to be primarily a sexual body part, and does not emphasize their feeding function. Remember, breasts are for breastfeeding, and when the time comes, your baby will LOVE your milk and the closeness of being held next to mom's bosom no matter what size or shape your breasts or areola or nipple are.

The best thing to do is just try to learn to be GLAD YOU ARE YOU, instead of trying to copy other people. When/if the time comes that you find yourself a husband someday, he will hopefully fall for YOU - and not some Hollywood stereotype!!!!!!!!

For helpful educated advice on problems concerning family and personal relationships that you can’t share with anyone else, you may email MsStarBrite for honest answers on any subject.

Other people's comments

Disclaimer: Information here is not medical advice. It is not intended to diagnose or treat any disease, nor to replace the advice you could get from a health professional. If you are in doubt, please see a doctor (or several). So if you're in doubt, and especially if you have some other symptoms, please see a doctor.

The following comments are from various visitors to www.007b.com, and may or may not agree with the viewpoints presented on this website. The comments are posted here because they might further help and encourage men and women who visit this website; however STARNET-TV.COM is not responsible for this content or any loss/damage caused by reading these.

My breasts were really small until this past year. i am 14 and i have 32c's. Last year i was a not even an ‘a’, but other young girls like me need to know that just cause your small now doesn't mean you are always going to be that way. you have support from me and just so you know you can be very beautiful even without big breasts!

Salina

I am an 18 year old female with asymmetrical breasts. I don't mind that my breasts are small, and I don't mind that they are uneven. However, I have become very insecure with my body because my breasts do not look like fully developed breasts. My areola is very large and it protrudes away from my chest. It basically looks like I have small mounds. There is little or no breast development around my areola. I don't know if this makes sense. But I don't know how else to describe my breasts. Do you think I am a late bloomer? My breasts look like they just stopped developing before it ever got the chance to finish. They have looked like this for about 5 years and I also got my period when I was 12. Do you think my breasts will continue to develop or am I stuck with my little uneven nubs?

It sounds like all is well and normal.

Your breasts probably developed just fine and finished developing back years ago. This 'mound' thing is very common and normal, nothing to worry about. I'm guessing your nipples are flat. Go look at the pics on our gallery page and see the VARIETY. Maybe yours are the size of someone else there, and have nipples that look like somebody's nipples there. Don't worry. All it is, is the media images make us think that breasts are supposed to look 'this' way, whereas in reality there is a LOT of variation.

I'm thirteen and I was afraid my breasts were deformed.... I thought they were small, but besides that, well let's just say there was some hair there. Thanks to your site, I've learned that a few hairs were ok. I feel so much more confident about my breasts too. I mean, I'm not scared or afraid of them being small or my friends laughing at them. I'm not very tall (4'11") plus I'm not done growing yet, so I know my breasts will mature as I do. I can't thank you enough!

I'm an 18-year-old with small, sagging breasts and large areolas, and I always thought that there was something wrong with my breasts sagging so early in my life. I never seemed to match what the media told me was "normal" for girls my age and even women older than me. We girls get few chances to see what other girls' breasts look like (in normal settings), so we have to see what is normal for women with what is available - super-models and actresses, which can foster the belief that that there is something wrong with girls like me. So, thank you again for having your site, with pictures, so that I now know that there is nothing wrong with my breasts. This had greatly boosted my self-confidence, so, thanks again!

I was feeling really low about my breasts and my body image, i had lost a lot of weight and i was more miserable then ever because of my breasts. I had always had this vision growing up and having a perfect little body like my mother enjoyed in her youth or having perky breast like my friends, but when i looked at my own, i thought something had gone terribly wrong. Since the only breast i'd ever seen were those of my young friends, i had no idea, until i saw your web-site that i am perfectly normal. I have a much more possitive body image now, and even though my breasts may be bigger and sagging for someone of a young age, they are mine, given to me to feed an nuture my children and i won't trade them.

Thanks a lot!!!! I'm 13 years old and I'm a 34A. My breasts are starting to get rounder but are still a bit pointy. I was really worried that the *pointyness* wasn't normal until I found your site and started reading. Now I know that it is normal and know that they will continue to get fuller and rounder!! Thx again!!!
Keep up the good work.

Jezz

Hi there!
I am a 21 year old female with 32D breasts (sounds big but they're not, really) and large areolas, I'm only 5'2" and I have an hourglass figure. I also have a strong upper body because I'm a glassblower (the amount of jokes I've heard about that. All from men. Funny that.). I went to the gym once to see what the fuss was about and HATED it so I never went back. I do not count calories and I do not do fad diets! I love curvy women and think that skinny women need a cheeseburger.

When I read some of the problems some girls - particularly young teenagers - have about their breasts it made me so sad I felt compelled to write you a story:

I had never been embarrassed about my body: I always believed the human body is a beautiful thing. After I split with my first love (because of distance) when I was 18 I went out with this guy as a rebound who turned out to be a complete punk. He put me down in anything I did and the most horrible thing he said to me was my breasts were ugly, that my nipples were too big and my actual breasts were a horrible shape. I won't even tell you what else he said about the rest of my body. Anyway after I got rid of that guy I met someone else, a friend I had known for a long time. I told him what that guy had said to me and he looked puzzled.What he said next made me cry:

He told me I was a goddess, that I had the most perfect body he had ever seen and my breasts were amazing. After that my confidence came back and I just soared. Now I have no inhibitions about nudity: I've got what I've got and I have a man I love that thinks I'm the most beautiful woman in the world.

What I'm trying to say is that as long as you have confidence, anything you do is beautiful. Never EVER think you're not beautiful and NEVER let anyone tell you otherwise. Anyone who tries to belittle the way you look are just taking their own insecurities out on you. Give them a slap and tell them to grow up and deal with it. That's what I did - literally! ;)

I hope this helps. Thank you for such a great site!

Kira x x
Scotland

hey, im 14 and my breasts are diffrernt sizes. i would understand if they were not obvious but they are.one is like a 34b and the other a 32c i am really worried. will they grow to be the same? shall i change my diet to help the other one grow? please help me!

I understand you can feel worried with your situation. I really don't know if they will grow to be the same or not. Only time will tell. They may end up being about how they are now - it just happens to some women. Or, the difference may even out somewhat but not completely.

Diet will not help, because anything you'd try do, would affect the other breast also. Plus, there really isn't much you could do anyway, as far as diet goes.

You can study into gel inserts people put into bras if you wish to hide this from others. But, it's best for your OWN mental health if you can accept your body as it is - I'm afraid the situation with your breasts will not go away completely. Why feel unhappy about it? It's your life, your body. You will feel better if you accept the situation even if you don't "like" it - see most of us have something about our body we don't like. Live your life, be happy about other things, and try not think too much about this one thing.

Thank you for such a wonderful site! The pictures are good to see, but for me it was wonderful to read the comments, to know that there are so many other women like me with a deep, painful insecurity about their breasts but who are still strong enough not to go through surgery. I have always been a 34AA (training bra size) and am now 20 years old. I spent my entire teenage years waiting for my breasts to grow, wishing and crying and thinking I was ugly or unwomanly. To all you young girls out there who have gone through this or are going through it now, you are beautiful in so many ways, and no guy who wants a girl for her boobs, or who complains about your chest size, is EVER worth it. I am now going out with a wonderful, attractive man, and my small chest does not bother him. And once guys and girls get past their hormone driven immaturity, there are few people who judge you on the size of your chest, and those who do are still not worth your time.

Angela

help i'm 14 i'm only 8 stone and slim, i'm a dancer and very fit but i'm coming up with stretch marks all over my bum and thighs, i have put on a stone within the last year could this be why? what shall i do i'm so self concoius about it
anomonous

i just notieced stretch marks on my boobs... im a 34B.... 16 yrs old.... they have [not] "grown" suddenly, nor have i been pregnant/gained a great deal of weight suddenly..... great nutrition as well... so whats the deal!? how can i make them go away??? katie

Hi Katie, I'm not sure why the stretch marks have come. Please bear in mind that the tendency to get stretch marks is largely hereditary, though diet plays a role too. Also people with dry skin get them easier. Stretch marks typically appear if the skin stretches in short period of time, like during rapid growth. Once you get them, they don't go away but they do fade a lot over time and can become practically invisible in untanned skin. Please read also the page Picture of stretch marks on breasts & links to other resources.

WHAT CAN YOU DO ABOUT PIMPLES OR LITTLE BUMPS ON YOUR BREASTS? ISN'T THERE A WAY TO GET RID OF THEM WUTHOUT SURGERY?

PRINCESS

If you mean bumps on the skin of your breasts, those are no different than bumps on skin in other parts of your body. Good diet with antioxidants and good fats and avoidance of junk food and trans fats might help. But if you mean 'bumps' on your areola, those are called Montgomery glands, and they produce a special oil that lubricates the nipple/areola complex. Montgomery glands will become even more visible during pregnancy. You certainly need them and wouldn't want to get rid of them!

I had my son at 18 and even though all the young moms I knew formula feed I was determined to never have a bottle touch my son's lips.
When my son was born he was small and didn't take to the breast that easily, everyone for the exception of my husband wanted me to give up and formula feed. But it was my strong will that made it happen and now my son is 2 years old and loves his boo-boos as he so calls them.
I never once had complications with my breast and I must admit now that he is weaning away from them I begin to miss that comfortable feeling of having him on them.
It is amazing on the strong bond you feel when nurishing your child, I wouldn't trade it for the world and I know for a fact any other children I have will always be breastfeed.

Tanya

is it alright to wear a bra to bed? I dont want to make my breasts smaller because there already small but what exercises should i avoid so my boobs dont get smaller? oh yeah does sleeping on your stomach or with a bra make your boobs bigger?
laura

my friend stuffs her bra and i was wondering does that slow down or stop her breast from growing? really important!
confused

hi ! i'm 19 and i'm really worried about my breast size they are one cup and i don't know what to do! i really have lost my confidence in myself i'm a nervous person and always sad because of this!!! is it true if a girl doesn't wear a bra then the breasts grow better or bigger? or when wearing bra while sleeping will increaze their size??? is all that true? please help me! do you think am normal so? am i attractive this way?? and what kind of food will maybe increase their size or be good to breast ??? there must be some food, please name some.
Mary

These are just myths. Exercising or not should not make any difference in breast size or development. Of course it is good to exercise for your general health's sake. You can sleep whatever way is comfortable to you.

Bra wearing or not also should not affect breast development at all, or stuffing your bra or not. Now, it is good not to wear a bra to bed and at home so that your breasts will get some free time so the lymph can flow freely within the breasts. If you wear bras, they should not be tight anywhere, and you should preferaly get them fitted with a professional.

In general, you should eat a healthy diet and avoid junk foods so your body has all the building blocks it needs for its development, but otherwise normal foods or normal eating doesn't affect breast development. It is determined by your genes. See also the answer about milk and breast growth.

Cup size one (or size A) is just fine and normal! Your breasts are fine and there's NOTHING wrong with them. Some women have cup size A, some have B, some have C, some have D. Breasts come in all different sizes, just like some people are tall and some are short. The final breast size is determined by your genes and there's nothing you can do about it. And, breasts of all sizes produce milk!

Every girl can be attractive - regardless of breast size. Attractiveness has a lot to do about being happy and joyful, helpful, showing positive attitudes to others. It's that kind of persons that other people like to be around. And many men actually think small-breasted women are attractive. But if a man ONLY likes you because of your breast size (small or big), and doesn't really care about YOU, what you are inside, then he's not worth it - and is likely to dump you oh so soon when something changes about your breasts (like during pregnancy).

hi my name is kaitlyn and I have a question! I was wondering if it is normal that I have basically no breasts (size AA34). I am 13 years old and have not started my period yet. I was wondering how long it would take for them to grow and how much time I have left! My mom is kinda overweight and I only weigh 70 pounds. I dont think that I will look a thing like my mom I am really skinny and short (4'6"). I get really embarassed about my breats and wearing a swimming suit because everyone makes fun of me. I really like this site!! Thank you!

Kaitlyn

It can be normal that you don't have any breasts yet. Breast growth can take 5 years or longer total, and the development continues for several years AFTER you start your period. You don't mention if you have any signs of puberty (pubic hair or breast buds). It sounds like you haven't yet started the puberty growth spurt though. It is recommended to see a doctor if a girl doesn't have ANY signs of puberty by 14 years. See also Puberty - What happens When?.

im 13 years old and my breasts are 38 inches. they are much bigger than my sisters and she is 16. im afraid they are going to get too big and are going to sag A LOT when im older.

jenna

I want to know about most girls my age. I am gonna be 12 in september... School is going to start, and I already know the girls are going to have breasts. Not me... I feel left out, I get asked out by boys, lol, but I get told ALL the time about breasts. Everytime one of my friends that I hanged out with last year, and on and off this year, they talk about that.
Ash

Girls vary a lot as to when their breasts develop. You are not behind in development because NOT everyone develops at the same time. There is a variation: some start early, some later, some in between and everyone is developing in their own time. It depends on your genes and you cannot change it. You may time your development somewhat by asking when your mom started breast development and when she had her first menstrual period. Typically girls develop in the same age range as their mom or a little earlier.

You didn't mention if you have pubic hair or if your breast development has already started. These are the first signs of puberty. Puberty in girls typically starts anywhere between 9 and 13 years of age.

The breast deveopment starts with a 'bud' stage, which is that your nipples are enlarged or 'swollen' and there is a small elevation of the breast from the surrounding skin. Breast development typically takes 4-5 years or even more. see also Budding Breasts in Females

So don't worry about your development as compared to others - it will happen in its time whether you worry or not.

OKAY I AM ABOUT 5'1 AND I ONLY WEIGH ABOUT 84 POUNDS AND I AM WONDERING IF I GOT TO ABOUT A 100 POUNDS WOULD I HAVE BIGGER BOOBS BECUASE I THINK ITS BECUASE THAT I AM SO SKINNY THAT I HAVE NOT DEVELOPED. I AM 13 BY THE WAY. IS MY WEIGHT CAUSING ME TO HAVE SMALL BOOBS? BECASUE EVEN WHEN MY FRIEND WAS 70 SOMETHING POUNDS SHE HAD BIG BOOBS.ARE THERE ANY FOODS THAT YOUR BREAST LIKE?OH YEAH SOME TIMES MY BREAST ITCH AND MY MOM SAYS ITS BECUASE THE SKIN IS STRECHING IS THAT TRUE? THANK YOU SO MUCH THIS WILL TELL ME WHAT I SHOULD DO,

LAURA

Yes, itching is usually a sign of skin streching, so sounds like your breasts are starting to develop. Just eat healthy foods (unless allergic) like whole grains, vegetables, some omega-3 fats, fish, low-fat meat, eggs, fruits, nuts, olive oil, and other natural foods, and avoid candy, pop, french fries and other junk food, and refined foods like sugar and white bread and margarine, and processed ready-made foods, so you will have plenty of good nutrients as the 'building blocks' for your body, and wait.
I cannot tell if your weight is a problem, but if you think so, you could see a nutritionist. But please do not try to increase your weight with junk food or sugary foods; those foods will lack minerals and vitamins, and have instead harmful substances in them.

i'm 16 and my breasts are really flat not even the size of 32 a.. can i use any method lk drinking papaya milk shake can make my breast bigger.. i heard ppl say 16 is the last stage...
evelyn

No, you can't make your breasts bigger with any specific foods. But it is important to eat a healthy, balanced diet, and avoid sugar and junk foods, so your body will have all the nutrients it needs when it's growing.

well i am 13 and i have a little breast and i want to know well they grow over the summer or during the summer
anita

Your breasts are probably still developing and will probably grow with time.

I know I'm only fourteen years old and all but are my breasts going to get any bigger? I wear a 34A but I also haven't started my period yet and I stopped growing in height as much as I used to. Is this normal? Have my breasts stopped grwoing for good?
Unsure

if you haven't started your period yet, then your breasts will still develop for several years from now.

Hi I'm 15 years old, my boobs are not very big at all and I was getting really worried, but when I came to this page I started feeling much better. I went to this one site that said that you should have your adult breast by 15, and it had me really freaked out cause mine ain't big right now. But it says on here that the normal age is between 16-17 and I really hope it's right. (but I think it is). I am just slow thats all. And all the things I have read on here about sagging, I am sort of glad I ain't getting them fast. So I am really just giving a thank you to this site
bye bye

Sarah

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