The perfect figure is an elusive goal for many women, one that might never be attained. Hollywood standards have convinced many women that large breasts and a tiny waist should co-exist, but this ideal is a fallacy. Since your breasts are largely influenced by your body fat, significant weight loss will have an effect on your size. While some women have naturally large breasts, they too are likely to experience change to their size if they lose weight.
Breast Change
Breasts, whether on a man or a woman, are mostly composed of fatty tissue, according to Dr. Philip S. Chua of the CEBU Cardiovascular Center. As weight changes, so too will your breasts. Pectoral muscle exercises can help to push the breasts forward for a more pert appearance, but ultimately weight loss will reduce the size of your breasts.
Weight Loss
Weight loss that affects your breast size can occur for a number of reasons. Diet and exercise are just one way to reduce breast size. Breasts can double in size during pregnancy due to hormonal changes, according to the Vermont Department of Health. Breastfeeding can burn calories and cause a reduction in both weight and breast size. The oral contraceptive pill can also cause weight gain and increased breast size, which may be reversed if you discontinue taking your pill.
Health Risks
If you experience any weight loss or change in breast size that cannot be attributed to a change in diet, contraceptives or nursing, see your doctor immediately. According to MedlinePlus, breast changes or weight loss can be signs of a cancerous breast lump. You should also check for swelling, lumps, skin or nipple changes or nipple discharge.
Prevention/Solution
There are a a few ways to increase breast size after weight loss. The most obvious of these ways is to regain some of the weight you have lost. If this is not an option and pectoral exercise does not help, surgery may be your last option. Breast augmentation can improve the appearance of breasts by using implants to bulk out the breasts. According to the University of Michigan Health System, this can be done as an outpatient procedure and usually takes between one and two hours.
Warning
Breast surgery, like any surgery, carries health risks. Saline implants can burst, deflate or leak and have to be reinserted. Scarring, infection, adverse reactions or deformity are all possible. Scar tissue can harden around the implant, leading to rippling of the skin and causing pain. Loss of feeling to the breasts or nipples is also common and in some cases is permanent. Always consult a doctor before undergoing any cosmetic procedures.
References
- SpringerLink: Breast Size Perception and Satisfaction, Body Image, and Psychological Functioning in Caucasian and Asian American College Women
- Cebu Cardiovascular Center: Female Breast Enlarger
- Vermont Department of Health: Breastfeeding Information for New Mothers
- East Carolina University Student Health Service: Oral Contraceptive Agents or Birth Control Pills
- MedlinePlus: Lumps in the Breasts
- University of Michigan Health System: Breast Enlargement
Member Comments