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Age, Genetics, and Babies: The Impact of Life on Your Breast Appearance

Breast size and shape change throughout a woman’s life. These changes may be influenced by lifestyle factors, genetics, age, weight fluctuations and pregnancy. While some of these changes are minor, others may dramatically affect the appearance of the breasts. Let’s take a closer look at these changes and explore which cosmetic breast procedures can help women look and feel their best at every stage of life.

How Breasts Change Throughout Life

Age

Throughout a woman’s 20s and early 30s, her breasts will likely have a well-defined shape and a youthful position on the chest. Due to hormonal fluctuations, some women experience a slight growth spurt of their breasts during their late 20s.

While many women are happy with the appearance of their breasts during their 20s and 30s, those with very large breasts begin to see unwanted changes prematurely. These changes include sagging and a flattening of the breast shape. Significant weight fluctuations can also accelerate sagging and changes to breast shape.

As gravity, aging and lifestyle factors continue to take their toll on the breasts, the late 30s and early 40s bring more changes. By this point, most women see increased sagging because of gravity and thinning skin. The distribution of fat also shifts, with the upper portion of the breasts losing volume over time.

To address these changes, many women opt for cosmetic breast surgery. Breast augmentation performed with breast lift surgery restores the breasts to a more youthful appearance. This surgical combination provides natural-looking volume to the breasts using implants. Fat transfer is also an option for patients who are seeking a moderate increase in breast size. Excess skin is also removed, and the breasts are lifted to a higher position on the chest.

Genetics

In addition to age, genetics influence the way breasts change over time. Changes in skin elasticity and breast density contribute to sagging, and all of these factors may be linked to genetics. Some women are simply more prone to breast sagging and opt for procedures such as breast lift surgery in their early 30s. This is especially true for those who have naturally large breasts. It’s common for women with excessively large breasts to also undergo procedures such as breast reduction to achieve a proportionate and comfortable breast size.

Pregnancy and Breastfeeding

Pregnancy and breastfeeding can dramatically affect the breasts. During pregnancy, the breasts swell and often become several cup sizes larger. The areolas usually become larger as well. After pregnancy and breastfeeding, the breasts shrink and may take on a “deflated” appearance.

For some women, the breasts remain larger after pregnancy but lose their youthful position and well-defined shape. A breast lift/augmentation combination is an excellent option for addressing cosmetic changes caused by pregnancy and breastfeeding. During breast lift surgery, the areolas can also be resized and repositioned for a fully rejuvenated look. These procedures are popular options for women undergoing a mommy makeover.

As your breasts change throughout life, there are cosmetic breast procedures available to reverse what aging has altered. Women considering cosmetic breast surgery can take the next step by scheduling a personal consultation with plastic surgeon Dr. Eric Pugash. Contact his office today to get started on your personalized treatment plan.