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Saggy Breasts
A Nonsurgical Lift
They've added to your sex appeal. They've given sustenance to a child. But now your formerly round, firm breasts are, at the unfair age of 40 or so, drooping toward your waist.
Besides being attractive, breasts are functional units of milk glands and fat supported by muscles of your chest. Unfortunately, over time, the ligaments from which your breasts are suspended stretch, and your breasts sag.
"Once you reach your forties, the skin becomes more lax, the milk ducts shrink and fat replaces the ducts," says Debra Price, M.D., clinical assistant professor of dermatology at the University of Miami School of Medicine and a dermatologist in South Miami.
What Women Doctors Do
Works Out Every Other Day
Debra Price, M.D.
Like a lot of women her age, Debra Price, M.D., wants to keep her breasts firm and youthful as long as possible. A clinical assistant professor of dermatology at the University of Miami School of Medicine and a dermatologist in South Miami, Dr. Price relies on exercise to counter the effects of gravity on breast tissue.
"I work out every other day," says Dr. Price. Her trainer, Bini Masin, an exercise physiologist in Coral Gables, Florida, recommends push-ups, in particular.
"The push-up is the best and most effective exercise to build the pectoral muscles in the chest that underlie the breast,"
says Masin.
Dr. Price also applies a suncreen when wearing chest-bearing clothes, like tank tops or swimsuits with a low neckline, to protect her breasts from the damaging effects of the sun.
"I always use a SPF (sun protection factor) number greater than 15," says Dr. Price. "But I really like the nonchemical sunblocks with titanium dioxide that reflect the sun's harmful rays--both ultraviolet A and B."
This process tends to occur earlier--or is more pronounced--in women who have had children and breastfed, according to Anita Cela, M.D., clinical assistant professor of dermatology at New York Hospital-Cornell Medical Center in New York City.
WHAT YOU CAN DO
Other than visiting a plastic surgeon, the only thing that you can do to prevent your breasts from sagging (or firm up already slack breasts) is to build up the pectoral muscles under your breasts and fill the sag with muscle, says Dr. Price.
Here's how to give your breasts a lift.
Try the fly. "To build more muscle, try what's called the dumbbell fly, using a pair of one- to three-pound weights," says Peggy Norwood-Keating, director of fitness at Duke University Diet and Fitness Center in Durham, North Carolina.
To start, pick up one weight in each hand, then lie back on the floor. Extend your arms out at shoulder level on the floor with your palms up, clutching your weights. The weights should be parallel to your body.
Draw both arms straight up together above your body, keeping your elbows slightly bent, so that the weights meet over your chest, says Norwood-Keating. Then, return the weights out to your sides at shoulder height, as if you were drawing a semicircle or half-moon over your body.
Repeat the exercise 12 to 15 times, then rest for 1½ minutes, says Norwood-Keating. Repeat the exercise a second time and rest once again. Then repeat the exercise for a third and final set.
The stronger you become, the more weight you'll be able to handle. This means that you should be able to gradually increase your weight (by one to two pounds) while decreasing repetitions (8 to 10) in order to work your muscles gradually, says Norwood-Keating. Your goal here is 8 to 10 repetitions in three sets.
Try a chest press. A variation on the fly that also builds chest muscle is the chest press, says Norwood-Keating. This time, pick up a five-pound dumbbell in each hand and lie back on the floor. Extend your arms and hold the dumbbells up in the air over your chest, parallel to your body. Then, bend your elbows and lower the dumbbells toward your chest, with your elbows out to the sides at shoulder level. Extend your arms straight back up over your chest and repeat the exercise 12 to 15 times. Rest for 1½ minutes, then do a second set of 12 to 15 repetitions. Rest again and do a third set.
As with the previous exercise, if doing this exercise as described gets easy, increase your weights by one or two pounds. Your goal, says Norwood-Keating, is the same as above: 8 to 10 repetitions in three sets with as much weight as you can safely and comfortably handle.
Round out your workout. All these exercises may be great for your chest, but you need to round out your workout with an exercise that strengthens your back muscles, says Norwood-Keating. Otherwise, you're likely to become round-shouldered and weaken your back. So pick up a five- to ten-pound weight in your left hand, then lean on a bench or a low, sturdy table by placing your right knee and right hand down on its surface. Your left foot should be on the floor.
Bend your left elbow, bring the weight up to your armpit and try to squeeze your left shoulder blade toward your spine. As you resist gravity, slowly lower the weight back down until your arm is fully extended. It won't be easy, but resist letting the weight fall by squeezing with your left shoulder blade as the weight returns to the starting positon, explains Norwood-Keating.
Repeat the exercise 12 to 15 times, rest for 1½ minutes, then do a second set of 12 to 15 repetitions. Rest again and do a third set.
Don't forget sunscreen. Since sun exposure can speed up the aging of the elastin fibers that keep your skin from sagging, make sure that you wear a sunscreen whenever you wear a sundress, tank top or bathing suit with a low neckline, says Dr. Price.
Many dermatologists recommend a sun protection factor, or SPF, of 15, she adds. Whatever you use, don't forget to reapply regularly.
Wear a bra. To prevent your breasts from sagging further, wear a bra. "It does help," says Petra Schneider, M.D., a plastic surgeon in private practice in Melbourne, Florida. "Wearing a bra puts less stress on your ligaments. The more you wear one during the day, the more it helps."
Wearing a bra is especially important if you jog, play tennis, do aerobics or participate in other forms of exercise that bounce your breasts. If you're a C cup or larger, look for sports bras with good support that control your breast movement, says Dr. Price. Some women find that nonelastic shoulder straps are best for minimizing movement. Sports bras are available in the lingerie department of some department stores or in sporting goods stores.
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Breasts are like any other part of our body, and therefore very much susceptible to wear and tear, toxins and other related problems. Breasts lose their tone and elasticity with age. This generally happens during the middle age. However, a woman can maintain healthy breasts through several ways.
Measures should be taken earlier in life to prevent, or at least reduce, sagging later in life. They include wearing supportive brassieres during pregnancy, breast feeding, and exercising.
Exercise and massaging:
Massage aids in the enhancement and rigidity of breasts. Breast exercises help firm up the pectoral muscles below the breasts. Once the pectoral muscles become firmer, the breast tissues also follow making the breast tissues stronger. Breast exercises are the most natural and safe way for a better and firm bust size. Breast firmness exercises also make you generally healthy.
Breast massages consist of different pressures applied on the breasts leading to better circulation of blood in the breast.
Breast firming products:
Many breast-firming products are easily available in the market today. Breast firming products available in various forms include creams, pills, lotions and sprays.
Most of these products stimulate the growth of breast tissue, and thus help in maintaining the firmness of the breasts. It is believed that theses products contain plant estrogens, called as phytoestrogens, which stimulate the growth of breast tissue and give rigidity to the breast. A lot of research on breast firmness products is continuously going on to introduce new and unique products.
One should also be regular in wearing supportive bras during breast-feeding. Special types of such brassieres are now available in the market, which provide support during lactation, so as to prevent sagging.
Breast Pumps:
Breast pumps also help enhance the breast size and give rigidity to the breast. It consists of two cups attached to a vacuum generating device. These cups are to be placed over the breast. Pressure is created when the air is sucked out of the cups, thus increasing the blood circulation in the breasts and providing firmness to it. Breast pumps help in flushing out any toxic materials that settle in the breasts from time to time.
Breast implants:
This is a surgical procedure, and is used to increase the size of the breast and give it a more firm and rounded look. This cosmetic procedure is increasingly becoming popular nowadays, amongst women of all age groups. However, one should be well aware of the pros and cons of any surgery before going ahead with it.
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Question :
Ok. I'm not trying to sound gross or trampy, but is there any way to make your bust bigger? I don't want a product, I want something I can do at home without having to buy something. Please help me. Thanks.  --lansa
Answer :
Hey, no need to apologize. All women want great looking breasts. But before I answer your question, let me give you a quick anatomy lesson. Your breasts are actually made up of fatty or adipose tissue, so their size depends upon how much fat you tend to store there, which calls in factors like your genetics, your weight, your health and your age. The muscles that reside directly underneath your breast are called the pectorals. They are partly responsible for the "perkiness" of your breasts.
So to answer your question: No, you can't do anything about the size of your breasts (short of gaining weight or getting surgery.) However, you can make them appear bigger, firmer and more shapely by working your pectoral muscles, a.k.a your chest muscles.
But the good news is that you can tuck that twenty dollar bill back inside your bra -- there is no magical product, cream or device that will help you put your best breasts forward. I'm going to recommend three exercises for you to do at home that won't cost you a dime and will put more boom in your boom-chicka-boom in 6-8 weeks. Simply do 1-3, 8-15 rep sets of each move, 2-3 times a week and I guarantee you'll see results! Have fun.
1. The Modified Push Up
1. Lie on your stomach, bend your knees, and cross your ankles. Bend your elbows and place your palms on the floor a bit to the side and in front of your shoulders. Straighten your arms and lift your body so you're balanced on your palms and knees. Tuck your chin a few inches toward your chest so your forehead faces the floor. Tighten your abdominals.
2. Bend your elbows and lower your entire body at once. Rather than trying to touch your chest to the floor, lower only until your upper arms are parallel to the floor. Push back up. Don't lock your elbows at the top of the movement and don't do the dreaded "head bob." That's when you dip your head toward the floor without moving any other part of your body.
2. Soup Can Press
1. Lie on your back with your feet flat on the floor and a soup can or dumbbell in each hand. Push the soup cans up so your arms are directly over your shoulders and your palms face away from you. Pull your abdominals in but don't jam your back into the floor; don't let it arch way up, either. Tilt your chin toward your chest.
2. Lower the soup cans down and a little to the side until your elbows lightly touch the floor. Push the weights back up, taking care not to lock your elbows or allow your shoulder blades to rise off the floor. (Note: Use soup cans of equal weight. When those get too light, you can fill two Pinesol bottles with dried beans or pebbles.)
3. Incline Fly
1. Lie on the floor with your head, neck and upper back propped up against several large pillows. Hold a soup can or dumbbell in each hand and press the weights directly above your chest, palms facing each other. Tuck your chin to your chest to align your neck with the rest of your spine, and maintain your natural back posture, neither arched nor flattened.
2. Spreading your arms apart so that your elbows travel down and to the sides, lower the weights until your elbows lightly touch the floor. Maintaining a constant bend in your elbows, lift the weights back up, imagining that you have a barrel lying on your chest and you have to keep your arms wide to reach around it.
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Firm Breast recipe (from free beauty tips.com)
To firm breasts and tighten the skin, mix one teaspoon of vitamin E oil with one tablespoon of yogurt and an egg.
Massage this mixture into breasts and wear an old bra over the mixture for at least twenty minutes.
Rinse off with warm water.
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__________________
Maturity is knowing you were an idiot in the past. Wisdom is knowing that you'll be an idiot in the future. Common sense is knowing that you should try not to be an idiot now. - J. Jacques
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