Adolescence is a time of many changes, both physical and emotional. As girls begin to change physically, the need to know that they are "normal" is important. Many teens have questions about breast development, but they need to understand that there is no perfect pair of breasts, or the right size and shape, because every woman's breasts are unique.
Types
According to the Center for Young Women's Health, normal breasts can be large or small, light in color or dark, lumpy or smooth. Many teenagers like to compare their breasts, but need to understand that their breasts will change a great deal from pre-adolescence to the age of 17 or 18. Some pairs of breasts grow unevenly, and that is common. If the nipples go inward instead of outward, they are called "inverted." This, too, is normal and represents no health problem, reports the University of Illinois, which recommends keeping inverted nipples especially clean to avoid any skin infections.
Identification
Many teens are unaware of the names for the different parts of the breast. The breasts are made up of fat tissue and a large number of glands that will produce milk when they give birth; these are called mammary glands. As breasts begin to develop, a small bump begins to grow underneath the nipple; this is called the breast bud. The round, dark area around the nipple is called the areola. The areola can be many different colors, ranging from light pink to dark brown, depending on the teen's skin color; fair-skinned girls tend to be pinkish and olive-skinned or dark-skinned teens will have light to dark brown areolae. Some may notice hair growing around their nipples, and this is also normal, according to the University of Illinois.
Time Frame
TeenGrowth.com identifies five stages that breasts will undergo in a span of about 5 to 6 years. Stage 1 is the flat-chested childhood stage; Stage 2 is marked by breast "budding," where the nipples swell and become tender; in Stage 3, the breast glands and fat tissue begin to grow, and this is typically when the first menstrual period starts; Stage 4 is when the breasts change in shape and size, and the nipples begin to protrude; in Stage 5, breast growth is complete -- around years 17 or 18 -- and the bra size will no longer increase unless the total body weight changes significantly. The process from the first period to the end of Stage 5 usually takes about 4 years.
Considerations
If the skin expands quickly with breast growth, the delicate tissue underneath the breast can tear, causing stretch marks. The skin may look pink or red while this expansion is happening, but should become silvery white or the natural color of the teen's skin within a year or so. TeenGrowth.com says that some stretch marks are unavoidable, but girls can use products that contain cocoa butter, vitamins E or aloe vera to avoid worsening them. In teenagers, breast tissue is firm and dense; this tissue will become softer and more fatty with age.
Expert Insight
KidsHealth notes that adolescence is a good time to begin breast self-examinations, or BSE. Breasts usually become tender with menstruation, so teens should wait one week after their period begins to do the exam. KidsHealth also says it's important to examine the breasts at the same time every month. If cysts, dimples in the skin or discharge from the nipples is noted, teens need to see a doctor. Breast cancer is extremely rare in teens, so if there's a lump, it is probably a noncancerous fibroadenoma, which is a harmless, fluid-filled cyst.
