Breast Sagging, why?

What is breast sagging?

First of all, you may wonder what breast sagging is exactly?  At one point you may notice the once perky breasts now sitting lower, the nipples may be pointing downwards instead of forward, the breasts do not look as full or rounded.

Breast sagging, also known as breast ptosis, is a common concern among women as we age, affecting our overall appearance and confidence. The female breast is made of fat and ligaments. Breast sagging is caused by gravity pull, genetics, weight fluctuations, pregnancy, breastfeeding, bad postures, lifestyle, and a natural consequence of aging.

How to check for breast sagging?

Breast sagging happens over time and is a gradual process. How check where you're at, stand naked and sideway to the mirror. Take notice of 1. the nipple position 2. the breast fold 3. the mid point of your upper arm. The lower the position of the nipples against the breast fold or the mid point of the upper arm, the more severe is the breast sagging.

Cause of sagging breast 

• Natural aging

As we age, our skin no longer generates collagen and elastin as efficiently. The skin becomes less elastic and the breast tissue becomes less dense, the breast tissue also becomes less glandular and more fatty, which contribute to sagging.

• Smoking

• Sunbathing

UV rates from the sun cause damages to the skin. The cumulative damages over the years will eventually cause skin sagging. As skin of various parts are connected, loosening of elasticity of the skin around the neck, chest, arm area will exacerbate breast sagging too.

• Weight fluctuations
  

Rapid weight gain or loss can stretch the skin and cause stretch marks and the breasts to sag. Women who have gone through crash dieting,  pregnancy and breastfeeding may experience breast sagging, as the breasts undergo significant changes in size and shape during these times. 

• Bad posture

Bad posture such as sitting and walking with hunched or bent back can cause your breasts to hang by their own weight. This will increase the tension on your breasts’ tissue and cause sagging over time. Sleeping with the breast compressed such as sleeping on your stomach or sleeping sideways can put pressure on the breast tissues, which may also lead to sagging.

• Wearing no bra or the wrong bra

Free-boobing or not wearing a bra may feel liberating but your breasts are hanging down without support thus the ligaments will be stretched out over time. Intensive high-impact exercises can cause tears to the breast tissue if unsupported by a properly fitted sports bra. Reversely, prolonged wear of a sports bra that is too tight may also put too much pressure on the breasts and that’s a no-no as well.

The degree of breast sagging varies from woman to woman and depends on several factors, including genetics, lifestyle, and age. In general, breast sagging increases with age, and women with larger breasts may experience more sagging than women with smaller breasts due to heavier breast weight subjecting to gravity pull. Women with poor lifestyles without regular exercise tend to be more affected as well.

Prevention is always better than cure, read our next blog on the most effective way to prevent breast sagging.