Prevent Your Boobs From Sagging: keep it Firm

Time and a pesky little thing called gravity are working against us, and none of us are looking forward to the day when what used to be firm and bouncy starts feeling loose and droopy. While we know saggy boobs are in all of our eventual futures (hopefully our far, far-away futures), we’re still fighting back.

Farouzanpour, a plastic surgeon and founder of Beverly Hills Cosmetic Surgical group, sagging is based in biology. “Breasts are composed of fat cells, milk ducts, milk glands, and Cooper’s ligaments,” he explains. “As women age, milk glands in the breasts are replaced with fat tissue [that has] less support.” While he says that breasts can sag at any age, he adds, “Most females do not experience sagging during their teenage years or early twenties unless their breasts are extremely large [or] the person is obese.” Sagging isn’t purely biological, however. Dr. Farouzanpour notes that a number of external factors can speed up the process. In addition to genetics and the stretching of the skin and the Cooper’s ligaments, he cites “gravity, weight gain and weight loss, pregnancy, certain sports that can cause the breasts to bounce, and possibly cigarette smoking” as key factors behind the boob droop.

How to prevent the boob droop

1. Wear a supportive sports bra Dr. Farouzanpour says a snug sports bra is the key to maintaining firmness. “[A supportive sports bra] can prevent the skin and ligaments from stretching,” he explains. “Women with larger breasts [especially] should wear more supportive bras to prevent the breasts from bouncing while jogging.” Bouncing only puts more strain on our skin. The definition of support goes beyond simply preventing the boobs from flying in our face mid-workout. Look for sports bras with adjustable straps, inner seaming that circles the sides and bottom of the breast, and cup size differentiation (rather than just XS-XXL). If it’s thin, flimsy, and unstructured, chuck it in the trash.

2. Know your bra size Most ladies don’t realize that they aren’t wearing the right bra. You could chalk it up to the fact that we’re focused on more important things. 80% of women are wearing the wrong bra size. It would be one thing if incorrect bra sizing only resulted in mild discomfort, but it turns out that the right bra can keep our boobs perkier longer.

3. Don’t Smoke As if you didn’t have enough reasons to stay away from cigarettes before, we’re giving you another that you probably hadn’t considered: your boobs! “Smoking… can also cause stretching of the breast tissue,” Dr. Farouzanpour elaborates. “So, [this is a] no-no if a woman wants to prevent her breasts from sagging.” “Smoking breaks down a protein in the skin called elastin, which gives youthful skin its elastic appearance and supports the breast.”

4. Protect the boobs from UV rays Sunburns are never any fun, no matter what part of your body they’re affecting. The good news is that most burns fade within a few days. The bad news is that if that burn happened to be on the undersides of your breasts, you’re more likely to have droopy boobs down the line.

5. Maintain a stable weight Another major cause of breast sagging is weight fluctuation. “Weight gain associated with the consumption of alcohol and junk food” – i.e., weight gain from an unhealthy diet rather than weight gain from muscle-building exercise – “can also cause stretching of the breast tissue,” Dr. Farouzanpour elaborates. While muscle building makes you heavier, it doesn’t affect your breast tissue (which is why, sadly, no specific exercise or workout will keep your breasts firm and tight). Weight in the form of body fat, however, does affect breast size.

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