Why Do Breasts Sag And How Can You Stop It

No matter what underlies behind it or how it happens, women hate saggy breasts not only because they don’t find their loose downward breasts as attractive as the perky ones, but also because they sound like a sign of aging. And being old is not exactly the best thing women would like to be identified with. 

Well, aging is inevitable, at least so far, and it brings you many surprises, most of which are not taken so well. Saggy breasts are considered to be one of the most hated of such surprises among women. Many women complain about their breast sagging and while an older age is the main cause of sagging, there are still other factors contributing to this issue that can speed up the process, causing breasts to sag at an earlier age or to a higher degree.

So, reversing those factors, as much as possible, can help you maintain your firmer upright breasts for longer and slow down the sagging process. Let’s see how we can prevent saggy breasts but first, we need to identify the underlying reasons and how they collaborate with a gravitational pull to cause downward breasts.

What Causes Saggy Breasts?

As already mentioned, aging is the main cause of breast sagging. But there are several factors, directly and indirectly, contributing to breast sagging. 

Aging

As we age, certain changes happen at the molecular and cellular levels, resulting in obvious differences both in the appearance of our body parts and their structural tissues and also the function of the organs.

Loosening and sagging of the breasts are one of those changes, whic increases with age. On one hand, breast ligaments stretch out, compromising the breast integrity as the support for the fat and tissue diminishes. On the other hand, skin elasticity decreases due to the loss of collagen and elastin, the elements of firmness and youthfulness of the skin.

Menopause

While changes happen over time as we get older, menopause may be a turning point for more abrupt changes where sagging becomes more obvious.

Since hormonal changes and estrogen deficiency cause the breast connective tissue to become dehydrated and lose elasticity. Moreover, sagging skin and increased wrinkles are also attributed to low estrogen levels.

Multiple Pregnancies

Multiple pregnancies also come along with hormonal changes which can similarly affect breast sagging. Unlike the prevalent misconception that breast sagging is related to breastfeeding, the noticeable sagging after pregnancy is mainly due to the hormonal and size changes a woman undergoes during the pregnancy.

Also Read: Evrything You Need to Know About Mommy Makeover

Smoking

Smoking can speed up aging and cause saggy breasts at an earlier age.

The carcinogens in cigarette smoke break the elastin fibers and decrease the skin elasticity resulting in saggy breasts.

Lack of a Proper Support

Not wearing a bra or wearing unsuitable bras can increase breasts sagging since the unsupported breasts tend to stretch more as you move or exercise.

Weight Fluctuation

Significant weight gain followed by a weight loss can affect breasts as it causes the skin to stretch considerably and lose its elasticity.

Sunburn

Since the ultraviolet (UV) rays can damage the skin, resulting in loss of elasticity, too much sun exposure could be another reason for increasing breast sagging.

Also Read: Sun Protection: All You Need to Know About SPF, UVA, and UVB

Large Breast Size

Although all women experience breast sagging at some level,

having larger breasts may also contribute to increased sagging as gravitational pull affects heavier breasts more.

How To Stop Breast Sagging?

Considering the main causes of saggy breasts, we can now get to the ways to prevent the breasts from sagging or delay and decrease sagging. Well, of course, we’re not going to ask you not to age, but you can try to avoid premature sagging or reduce it to a minimum.
 

Watch Your Weight

Slight weight loss and gain are normal and will not threaten your health nor will they put you at risk of saggy breasts. But as mentioned above, extreme weight loss and gain cause significant stretching of the skin and sabotage skin elasticity.

Bear in mind that as we age our metabolism slows down and we’re prone to enormous weight changes so taking better care of your food intake and having regular exercises help stay away from extreme weight changes.

Also Read: Start Your Day Right: A Healthy Breakfast and Effective Diet for Weight Loss and Fitness

Use Standard Bras

It is recommended that you support your breasts using well-fitted and comfortable bras to reduce breast pain and prevent stretching too much and sagging.

Wearing a supportive sports bra in a suitable size can be very helpful to reduce motion especially when you work out.

Quit Smoking

Considering the fact that the chemicals in cigarettes break down elastin and cause premature breast sagging, to keep this protein for longer and have your breasts tight and upward, you should consider quitting your smoking habit. Just think about all the health problems caused by smoking, among which saggy breasts might be a minor issue. Quitting smoking is worth it anyway.

Avoid Sunburn

As UV rays damage your skin and cause breasts to sag by reducing collagen resources of the skin, you should avoid too much exposure to sun rays.

If you’re used to lying on tanning beds, you’re probably at risk of premature breast sagging. Use sunscreen as a daily habit to protect your skin and maintain your youthful appearance. 

Keep Your Hormone Levels Up

As you age, the level of estrogen reduces. You will experience a more significant reduction in the estrogen level and also collagen of the skin after menopause. Therefore, a hormone test and consultation with your doctor may be helpful to find the best method for raising your hormone level and preventing extreme changes in your skin elasticity and breast form.

Exercise

Although breasts do not contain muscle, some pectoral muscle workouts can still help.

Specific exercises targeting and strengthening chest muscles underneath the breasts can help with keeping the breasts firm and in good shape. Adding such moves to your regular exercise could be effective to prevent breast sagging.

Also Read: Breast Implants Shapes and Profiles

Conclusion

We reviewed all the main causes of breast sagging. However, some factors like whether to wear or not wear a bra are less significant than others and you should not worry about them much. The main factors of concern are aging, multiple pregnancies, smoking, and hormone levels.

Yet, to get the best result and avoid breast sagging you should try to benefit from all the preventative methods mentioned above. However, if your efforts do not seem to be successful and you’re not still satisfied with the result, you may want to consider having a breast lift as an effective solution to enhance your breasts' firmness and appearance regardless of aging.