One wonderful way to start this discussion would be talking about things you can actually do about breast sag then move on to the ones you can’t. Good news trumps bad always. Well, we wouldn’t be doing that in a strict sense. Instead, we’ll discuss causes of breast sag and draw inferences from the causes as pertaining to things that can or can’t be done. Medically, breast sag is known as breast ptosis. Eventually, ALL breasts sag. Well, it’s safer to say with old age comes saggy breasts. However, there’s no particular age after which breasts begin to sag. This is why a woman in her 20s may have breasts that sag while a woman in her 40s may still have perky breasts. Hormonal levels decline in menopause does seem to be a leveler of all and this might explain why it’s somewhat rare to see a woman in her 50s and 60s with perky breasts. Why age anyway? Ligaments in your breasts, called Cooper’s ligaments, lift and support your breasts. Over time, these ligaments can stretch out and cause the breasts to sag. This inevitably happens with aging. It’s no news that there’s little we can do about aging.
Women with smaller and rounder breasts tend to hold their shape better than women with larger and narrow breasts. This also explains early breast sag in women with a higher body mass index (BMI), a measure of one’s weight over height. Ordinarily, there isn’t much one can do about the natural breast size. Well, there’s surgery now and we all know that. However, it’s reserved for those who can very well afford it. A woman’s dietary choices is important in watching her BMI. What if a woman decides to work out to lose the extra weight? Gaining or losing a good deal of weight, especially quickly, can change the shape of the breasts and stretch or shrink the skin surrounding them. A woman working out to lose weight must also include specific routines for maintaining breast shape and preventing sag. It should also be noted that exercise that involves a lot of breast movement can put extra strain on the breast ligaments and sag is a possible sequela. Smoking has also been found to cause loss of skin elasticity hence breast sag in smokers. Genetics may also play a role. This means that a mother with breasts that sag at an early age may transmit this risk to her daughter.
Having discussed possible causes, let’s debunk some perceived causes. Breastfeeding does not cause breast sag. Breast sag noticed after this period is actually due to pregnancy as the breasts go through many hormones induced changes after pregnancy. Breastfeeding or not doesn’t halt these changes. Also, wearing a bra and using a bad bra have little evidence bases for causing breast sag. Proper hydration through water intake, avoiding smoking, maintaining a healthy weight and avoiding smoking are ways to prevent breast sag.
Reference: verywellfamily.com
