Breasts come in all shapes and sizes, with UK cup sizes starting at AA and spanning up to M. Numerous factors influence breast size, from age and ethnicity to your diet and the number of pregnancies you’ve had. Inevitably, genetics also play a big part, in much the same way as it determines your height or shoe size. Breasts can even change size during a woman’s life, with weight loss or gain, pregnancy and menopause all potentially having an effect.
If you have small breasts or your breasts are not growing as you might have expected, medically speaking, it’s not usually something to worry about. However, it can have a significant impact on your confidence and self-esteem. In this article, we’ll explore some of the reasons why your breasts may not be growing and discuss what you can do about your underdeveloped breasts.
Why do some women have small breasts?
While it’s completely normal for breasts to be different shapes and sizes, you may be interested in learning about the different factors that are at play.
Genetics
Genetics plays by far and away the biggest role in determining the size and shape of your breasts. If you have a family history of small breasts, the likelihood is that you will follow suit. Your genes also influence your hormone levels, another factor in breast size. Perhaps surprisingly, these genes don’t just come from your maternal side. Genetic influences from both sides will have an effect.
Hormones
Hormones have a significant impact on breast size, with the levels of oestrogen and progesterone during puberty influencing their development. As you get older, other hormonal fluctuations also come into play.
During pregnancy and breastfeeding, your breasts can grow several cup sizes, while many women’s breasts sag and get smaller postpartum. Similarly, during menopause, hormone levels change and your breasts may become smaller. Your menstrual cycle can also have an impact, with breasts swelling closer to your period and returning to their normal size once your period is over.
Weight
Breasts are made up of fatty tissue, connective tissue, milk glands and ducts. As you gain or lose weight, the amount of fatty tissue you have increases or decreases accordingly. Therefore, if you’re underweight or lose weight quickly, you can expect to have smaller breasts, but if you gain weight, you can expect your breasts to grow.
The concentration of fatty tissue you have in your breasts differs from woman to woman. Those with more fatty tissue will see a greater difference in their breast size when they gain or lose weight.
Medical conditions
Several medical conditions can impact the size of your breasts. Micromastia is the term used to describe medically underdeveloped breasts. It can be caused by conditions including Poland syndrome, where there’s very little breast tissue at all, and tuberous breasts, where the breast tissue doesn’t develop properly. You should contact a doctor if you think you have a medical condition that is affecting the size of your breasts.
Are my breasts small?
Beauty is very much in the eye of the beholder, and small breasts can be just as beautiful as anything else. However, what we are exposed to – television, magazines and social media – can affect our perceptions of what beautiful is and give women the view that their very normal breasts are smaller than they really are.
As we see more women with DD, E and even F cups appearing in the media, it is distorting our perceptions and increasing aspirations for larger breast sizes. But what’s important is not whether your breasts are small, average-sized or big – it’s how they make you feel. If your breasts make you feel unhappy and self-conscious because of their size, shape or asymmetry, there is something you can do about it.
What are the signs that your breasts have finished growing?
Typically, you can expect your breasts to stop growing between the ages of 17 to 18. Many girls’ breasts stop growing around two years after their first period, which is when puberty starts to slow down. However, as we’ve discussed, you can expect your breasts to change in size and shape throughout your lifetime due to factors such as hormones and diet.
The best indication that your breasts have stopped growing is not noticing the common signs of breast growth any more. They include:
- Soreness and tenderness
- Darkened nipples and areolas
- Sensitivity around the nipples
- An itchy feeling in the breast area
How can you enhance small breasts?
You’ll find all sorts of supposed ways to enhance underdeveloped breasts online, from vitamins and supplements to lotions, creams and even electrical stimulation. However, as yet, there’s no research to suggest that any of these methods actually work.
In terms of the practical things you can do to make your boobs look bigger, you can wear a padded or gel-filled bra to create the effect of a fuller chest. There are also exercises you can do to strengthen the back, shoulder and pectoral muscles, which can improve your posture and alter the overall appearance of your chest. Similarly, exercise can decrease the size of your waist, which can have the effect of making your breasts appear proportionately bigger, although as we’ve discussed, substantial weight loss will also reduce the volume of your breasts.
If you are worried about being flatchested, the only reliable way to increase the size of small boobs is to have breast enlargement surgery. It’s a safe and popular cosmetic procedure in the UK where an implant is placed under the breast tissue or chest muscles to increase the size and appearance of your breasts. The surgery takes one to two hours to complete and most patients make a full recovery in four to six weeks.
Explore your breast enlargement options
Find out everything you need to know about breast surgery and breast enlargement at the Enhance Medical Group. We will talk you through the procedure, including the cost and recovery time, and discuss the different implant types, sizes and shapes that are available. Book your free consultation with our dedicated team of specialist cosmetic surgeons today.