In many cultures, the breast is regarded as one of the most important parts of the woman’s body.
Though, the breast comes in many shapes and sizes, one thing common to them all is the tendency to sag at one point or the other.
For most women, especially single ones, sagged breasts is a nightmare. But why do breasts sag? Below are five reasons which is well taken care of, may slow down the process.
1. Wrong exercise:
No doubt, exercise is good for the body, and people across all age groups are advised to engage in it. In fact, there are exercises that help to make the breasts firm, including push-ups and lifting dumbbells. But it has been found that some exercises are inimical to the firmness of the breasts, especially running. Findings show that when a woman is running and she is not wearing the appropriate bra, like a fitted sports bra, the breasts would naturally be moving up and down, which can lead to the breakdown of the connecting tissues, leading to sagging eventually. For those who are able to, findings have also shown that weight lifting also helps to make the breasts firm as it strengthens the muscles underlying the breasts. So, if you have the capacity, try it.
2. Wrong bra size:
One other factor that has been found to influence the firmness or otherwise of the breasts is whether women use the bra that is appropriate for their breast size. According to the gynaecologist, the breasts would likely sag if women with (relatively) big breasts do not use the size of bra that can lift the breasts and keep them in position.
And for women who wear the kind of bras that make the breasts to shake, perhaps to appear buxom, Edwards warned that the more the breasts bounce around, the more the skin of the breasts and collagen would be stressed, eventually leading to sagging. Thus, women should wear bras that keep the breasts intact and in shape.
3. Mismanaged breastfeeding:
It is largely assumed that a woman’s breasts tend to sag after pregnancy and breastfeeding, and this is entirely understandable because of the release of some hormones and the secretion of milk which could increase the size of the breasts. In fact, some people assume that with the way the baby draws the nipples in the process of suckling the mother’s breasts, the breasts would lose firmness and end up being droopy afterwards. But those assumptions may not be true. According to a gynaecologist, Dr. Bolanle Shukra-Okesina, women can retain the firmness of their breasts even after breastfeeding, depending on how the woman manages the breasts during and after the period.
“Breastfeeding per se does not make the breasts to sag. If the woman uses the appropriate bra size and she takes enough of fluid, especially water, when breastfeeding, the breasts will not sag, even after breastfeeding. Also, during pregnancy, the woman is expected to change the size of her bra as the breasts increase in size. She is supposed to use the appropriate size at every stage because the breasts need to be supported by a firm bra,” she told punchng.com.
“When the milk stops after breastfeeding, the breasts would on their own go back to their normal size. So, if the woman does the right thing, the breasts have no reason to sag.
4. Wrong diet –
This factor particularly applies to women who are watching their weight and are doing everything to lose some weight, especially people who are obese, because according to Shukra-Okesina, losing weight could make the breasts to sag. She said in the process of losing weight, a breast would also give up its fat and some ligaments and if the diet is deficient of fat and some calcium-building elements, it would eventually sag. “If a woman who is watching her diet is not taking balanced diet, perhaps to lose some fat, it can make the breast to sag,” she explained.
Furthermore, a breast surgeon and president of the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, Michael Edwards, in his piece on Women’sHealth, said, “Each time a woman gains and loses weight, breast tissue becomes slack.” He also believes that excessive exposure to the ultraviolet rays from the sun could take its toll on the breasts by stretching out the connective tissues and damaging the skin.
5. Smoking:
This act has been found to have serious adverse effects on the human system, especially the functionality or efficiency of some internal organs, but not many would know when women smoke, it tends to have some effects on their breasts. Edwards had this to say, “Any amount of smoking weakens and ages skin by decreasing the blood supply to the skin surface, and the breasts are not spared in this.” and according to a consultant endocrinologist, Dr. Olamoyegun Michael, smoking weakens the ligaments that hold the breasts, which could ultimately lead to sagging.
6. Aging: Because of the way that breasts are built, sagging is common and largely unavoidable. After all, breasts contain no muscles of their own to hold them up. Rather, breasts are made of fat, glands, milk ducts, and a type of connective tissue called the “Cooper’s ligaments,” which are thought to provide some structural support. As a woman gets older, these ligaments may get stretched and lose elasticity. Breasts may lose fullness and size as they lose their underlying support system of tissue and fat.
There are myths surrounding breasts sagging, and among them are excessive suckling or fondling and abstinence from bra. But according to Olamoyegun, suckling the breasts or fondling them does not lead to sagging.
In effect, doing the needful while breastfeeding, eating balanced diet and in reasonable quantity, avoiding too much exposure to sunlight, abstinence from smoking and doing the right exercises could reduce the likelihood of sagging.
