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Breast Anatomy Breast Composition Breast Development Stages of Breast Development Breast Size, Appearance and Change Over Time Effect of Hormones Growth Mechanism Factors Effecting The Breast Breast Sagging Levels of Sagging Shape of Breast Breast Facts Myths About Breast |
Lerning
About BreastAnatomy The
breast is a mound of glandular, fatty and fibrous tissue located over
the pectoralis muscles of the chest wall and attached to these muscles
by fibrous strands (Cooper's ligaments). The breast itself has no
muscle tissue, which is why exercises will not build up the breasts.
A layer of fat surrounds the breast glands and extends throughout
the breast. This fatty tissue gives the breast a soft consistency
and gentle, flowing contour. The actual breast is composed of fat,
glands with the capacity for milk production when stimulated by special
hormones, blood vessels, milk ducts to transfer the milk from the
glands to the nipples and sensory nerves that give feeling to the
breast. These nerves extend upward from the muscle layer through the
breast and are highly sensitive, especially in the regions of the
nipple and areola, which accounts for the sexual responsiveness of
some women's breasts.Because the breast is made up of tissues with different textures, it may not have a smooth surface and often feels lumpy. This irregularity is especially noticeable when a woman is thin and has little breast fat to soften the contours; it becomes less obvious after menopause, when the cyclic changes and endocrine stimulation of the breast have ceased and the glandular tissue softens. Estrogen supplements after menopause can cause continued lumpiness. The breast glands drain into a collecting system of ducts that go to the base of the nipple. The ducts then extend through the nipple and open on its outer surface. In addition to serving as a channel for milk, these ducts are often the source of breast problems
Breast consists of Cooper's Ligament: A strong ligamentous band extending upward and backward from the base of Gimbernat's ligament along the iliopectineal line to which it is attached -- called also ligament of Cooper. Pectoralis major: A larger chest muscle that arises from the clavicle, the sternum, the cartilages of most or all of the ribs, and the aponeurosis of the external oblique muscle and is inserted by a strong flat tendon into the posterior bicipital ridge of the humerus. Pectoralis minor: A smaller chest muscle that lies beneath the larger, arises from the third, fourth, and fifth ribs, and is inserted by a flat tendon into the coracoid process of the scapula. Connective tissue: A tissue of mesodermal origin rich in intercellular substance or interlacing processes with little tendency for the cells to come together in sheets or masses ; specifically : connective tissue of stellate or spindle-shaped cells with interlacing processes that pervades, supports, and binds together other tissues and forms ligaments and tendons. Blood vessels: Any of the vessels through which blood circulates in the body.Ribs: Any of the paired curved bony or partly cartilaginous rods that stiffen the lateral walls of the body of most vertebrates and protect the viscera, that occur in mammals exclusively or almost exclusively in the thoracic region, and that in humans normally include 12 pairs of which all are articulated with the spinal column at the dorsal end and the first 10 are connected also at the ventral end with the sternum by costal cartilages. Subcutaneous fat: fat cells being, living, used, or made under the skin. Infra-mammary crease: Infra- meaning below, mammary meaning breast. The fold or crease under the breast where the breast lobe meets the torso. Breast fat: Fatty tissue found above the glandular tissue of the breast. The breast is mostly made up of lobules, milk ducts, fat, and glandular tissue.Ducts: A bodily tube or vessel especially when carrying the secretion of a gland, specifically breast milk. esp. lactiferous ducts, milk ducts. Glandular tissue: Of relating to, or involving glands, gland cells, or their products; specifically breast milk production. esp. lobules. Nipple: The protuberance of a mammary gland upon which in the female the lactiferous ducts open and from which milk is drawn. Lobules: The glandular part of the breast where milk is produced. Breast envelope: The skin which surrounds the structure of the breast. 
TopBreast CompositionThe breast is a mass of glandular, fatty, and fibrous tissues positioned over the pectoral muscles of the chest wall and attached to the chest wall by fibrous strands called Cooper’s ligaments. A layer of fatty tissue surrounds the breast glands and extends throughout the breast. The fatty tissue gives the breast a soft consistency.The glandular tissues of the breast house the lobules (milk producing glands at the ends of the lobes) and the ducts (milk passages). Toward the nipple, each duct widens to form a sac (ampulla). During lactation, the bulbs on the ends of the lobules produce milk. Once milk is produced, it is transferred through the ducts to the nipple.
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Breast DevelopmentThough breast growth is not visible until puberty, breast development begins very early in the embryo and can be discerned within just a few weeks of conception. Interestingly, the earliest stages are identical in male and female fetuses, so many men could develop fully functioning breasts given the right hormonal conditions.After birth the breast has only two phases of development; the first at puberty with the outpouring of the hormones oestrogen and progesterone; the second during pregnancy and lactation, when the milk-producing lobules become larger. If puberty is stunted or if a woman remains childless, her breasts will not fully develop. The first stage of breast development begins in the embryo at about six weeks, with a thickening in the skin called the mammary ridge or milk line. By the time the fetus is six months old, this extends from the armpit to the groin, but it soon dies back, leaving two breast buds on the upper half oft he chest. Occasionally, rudimentary mammary glands develop along the milk line forming additional nipples or breasts that sometimes persist into adult life. More rarely, the two breast buds fade away with the rest of the milk line, so that the nipples are absent from birth. Because the initial development of the milk line is the same in male and female fetuses, this development can appear in the male and the female. When a female fetus is about six months old, 15 - 20 solid columns of cells grow inward from each breast bud. Each column becomes a separate "sweat" or exocrine gland. With it’s own separate duct leading to the nipple. By the eighth month of fetal development, these columns of cells have become hollow so that, by birth, a nipple and a rudimentary milk-duct system have formed. No further development takes place until puberty. The first external signs of breast development appear at the age of 10 or 11 - though it can be as late as 14 years. The ovaries start to secrete estrogen leading to an accumulation of fat in the connective tissue that causes the breast to enlarge. The duct system also begins to develop, but only to the point of forming cellular knobs at the end of the ducts. As far as we know the mechanism that secretes milk doesn’t develop until pregnancy. Although the breast may appear fully grown within a few years of puberty, strictly speaking, their development is not complete until they have fulfilled their biological function - that is, until the woman carries a pregnancy to term and breast-feeds her baby, when they will undergo further changes. Maturity of the breast Once a young woman reaches puberty, and ovulation and the menstrual cycle begins, the breasts start to mature, forming real secretory glands at the ends of the milk ducts. Initially these glands are very primitive and may consist of only one or two layers of cells surrounded by a base membrane. Between this membrane and the glandular cells are cells of another type, called myo-epithelial cells, these cells are the ones that contract and squeeze milk from the gland if pregnancy occurs and milk production takes place . With further growth, the lobes of the glands become separated from one another by dense connective tissue and fat deposits. This tissue is easily stretched. This is where the natural enlargement formula comes in and allows the enlargement that normally occurs during pregnancy when the glandular elements swell and grow The duct system grows considerably after conception and many more glands and lobules are formed. This causes the breast to increase in size as it matures to fulfill its role of providing food for the baby. FEMALE CHANGES Most women notice that just before menstruation their breasts enlarge and their nipples become sensitive and even painful. The texture of the breasts change and they become rather lumpy, with small discrete swellings that resemble orange pips in both texture and size. These lumps are glands in the breast which enlarge in preparation for pregnancy. If pregnancy doesn’t occur, breasts return to their normal size and the glands become imperceptible to touch within a few days, ready for re-growth the next month. These changes in the breast are only one part of many changes that occur in the female body as the result of the monthly ebb and flow of the female hormones estrogen and progesterone . AGING OF THE BREASTS. As we get older, our breasts tend to sag and flatten; the larger the breasts, the more they sag. With the menopause there is a reduction in stimulation by the hormone oestrogen to all tissues of the body, including breast tissue; this results in a reduction in the glandular tissue of the breasts. So they loose their earlier fullness. Regular exercise would have however prevented or slowed down the ageing process. Much of the connective tissue in the breast is composed of a fibrous protein called collagen, which needs oestrogen to keep it healthy. Without oestrogen, it becomes dehydrated and inelastic. Once the collagen has lost its shape and stretchability it "was" believed that it could not return to its former state or condition. Top
Stages of Breast DevelopmentHuman breast tissue begins to develop in the sixth week of fetal life. Breast tissue initially develops along the lines of the armpits and extends to the groin (this is called the milk ridge). By the ninth week of fetal life, it regresses (goes back) to the chest area, leaving two breast buds on the upper half of the chest. In females, columns of cells grow inward from each breast bud, becoming separate sweat glands with ducts leading to the nipple. Both male and female infants have very small breasts and actually experience some nipple discharge during the first few days after birth.Female breasts do not begin growing until puberty—the period in life when the body undergoes a variety of changes to prepare for reproduction. Puberty usually begins for women around age 10 or 11. After pubic hair begins to grow, the breasts will begin responding to hormonal changes in the body. Specifically, the production of two hormones, estrogen and progesterone, signal the development of the glandular breast tissue.. During this time, fat and fibrous breast tissue becomes more elastic. The breast ducts begin to grow and this growth continues until menstruation begins (typically one to two years after breast development has begun). Menstruation prepares the breasts and ovaries for potential pregnancy.
Five Stages of Brast Development
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Breast Size, Appearance and Change Over Time The size and shape of women’s breasts varies considerably. Some women have a large amount of breast tissue, and therefore, have large breasts. Other women have a smaller amount of tissue with little breast fat. Factors that may influence a woman’s breast size include:
A woman’s breasts are rarely balanced (symmetrical). Usually, one breast is slightly larger or smaller, higher or lower, or shaped differently than the other. The size and characteristics of the nipple also vary greater from one woman to another. In some women, the nipples are constantly erect. In others, they will only become erect when stimulated by cold or touch. Some women also have inverted (turned in) nipples. Inverted nipples are not a cause for concern unless the condition is a new change. Since there are hair follicles around the nipple, hair on the breast is not uncommon. The nipple can be flat, round, or cylindrical in shape. The color of the nipple is determined by the thinness and pigmentation of its skin. The nipple and areola (pigmented region surrounding the nipple) contain specialized muscle fibers that respond to stimulation to make the nipple erect. The areola also houses the Montgomery’s gland that may appear as tiny, raised bumps on the surface of the areola. The Montgomery’s gland helps lubricate the areola. When the nipple is stimulated, the muscle fibers will contract, the areola will pucker, and the nipples become hard. Breast shape and appearance undergo a number of changes as a woman ages. In young women, the breast skin stretches and expands as the breasts grow, creating a rounded appearance. Young women tend to have denser breasts (more glandular tissue) than older women. During each menstrual cycle, breast tissue tends to swell from changes in the body’s levels of estrogen and progesterone. The milk glands and ducts enlarge, and in turn, the breasts retain water. During menstruation, breasts may temporarily feel swollen, painful, tender, or lumpy. Top
The Effect Of Hormones Breast TissueThe breast is responsive to a complex interplay of hormones that cause the breast tissue to develop, enlarge and produce milk. The three major hormones affecting the breast are estrogen, progesterone and prolactin, which cause glandular tissue in both the breast and uterus to change during a woman's menstrual cycle. Because of reduced hormonal levels, the breasts are less full for 1 to 2 weeks after menstrual flow; therefore, it may be easier to detect breast lumps during this time. Reduction of hormonal levels is also responsible for the breast's return to its pre-pregnant state after breast-feeding is concluded.Breast shape and appearance change as a woman ages. In the young woman the breast skin is stretched and expanded by the developing breasts. The breast in the adolescent is usually hemispherical, rounded and equally full in all areas. As a woman gets older, the topside of the breast tissue settles to a lower position, the skin stretches and the shape of the breast changes. After menopause, with the decrease of hormonal activity, the composition of the breast changes; the amount of glandular tissue decreases and fat and ductal tissue become the predominant components of the breast. Reduction in glandular volume can result in further looseness of the breast skin.
Top Breast Enhancement : Growth Mechanism
Scientific research has concluded that breast tissue growth occurs as a result of the effects of estrogen, progesterone, prolacin, prostaglandins, and human growth hormone. It is important that all of these hormones be present in the body in the proper balance for normal breast tissue development. During childhood, estrogens are secreted in small quantities. Following puberty however, the quantity of estrogens secreted under the influence of the pituitary hormones (FHS, LH) increases some 20 fold or more. At this time sexual organs change from those of a child to that of an adult. The external genitalia enlarge. Estrogens effect on the breast causes fat deposition, development of the stromal tissues of the breast and growth of an extensive ductile system. Along with estrogen, progesterone and prolactin are secreted in higher quantities from the ovaries after puberty.
Progesterone promotes development of the lobules and alveoli of the breasts causing the alveolar cells to proliferate to enlarge and to become secretory in nature. However, progesterone does not cause the alveoli to secrete milk. Unless stimulated by prolactin from the pituitary. Progesterone cause the breasts to swell partially due to changes in the lobules and alveoli, but also partly from increased fluid retention in sub-cutaneous tissues. Before one can fully understand how a breast enhancement or breast enlargement product works, one must have a limited amount of knowledge of what causes a female body to develop breasts in the first place. Scientific research has concluded that breast tissue growth occurs as a result of the effects of estrogen, progesterone, prolacin, prostaglandins, and human growth hormone. It is important that all of these hormones be present in the body in the proper balance for normal breast tissue development. During childhood, estrogens are secreted in small quantities. Following puberty however, the quantity of estrogens secreted under the influence of the pituitary hormones (FHS, LH) increases some 20 fold or more. At this time sexual organs change from those of a child to that of an adult. The external genitalia enlarge. Estrogens effect on the breast causes fat deposition, development of the stromal tissues of the breast and growth of an extensive ductile system. Along with estrogen, progesterone and prolactin are secreted in higher quantities from the ovaries after puberty. These two hormones are responsible for growth of the lobules and alveoli of the breast determining growth and function of these structures. Progesterone promotes development of the lobules and alveoli of the breasts causing the alveolar cells to proliferate to enlarge and to become secretory in nature. However, progesterone does not cause the alveoli to secrete milk Unless stimulated by prolactin from the pituitary. Progesterone cause the breasts to swell partially due to changes in the lobules and alveoli, but also partly from increased fluid retention in sub-cutaneous tissues. Scientists have proven that stimulating the estrogen receptors in the breast with estrogen or estrogen like substance (phytoestrogens) can actually increase the size of the female breast as much as 150%. SUMMERY The estrogen initiate growth of the breast and are responsible for the characteristic external appearance of the mature female breast. In females where the ovaries don't produce sufficient amounts of estrogen and progesterone under developed breasts may occur. As females age, the ovaries slowly begin to produce less hormones, resulting in sagging smaller breasts. Scientific evidence shows that additional estrogen and progesterone may enhance breast growth. Phytohormones are estrogen like compound. Phyto-estrogens can share some of the same biological activities with oestrogens produced in the body. Although Phyto-estrogens are much weaker than the body’s own naturally occurring (or endogenous) estrogens, estrogen-like effects are apparent after the consumption of Phyto-estrogens in many, if not all, of the oestrogen-receptive tissues in the body. Top
Factors Effecting The Breast
Hormone therapy, such as birth contraceptives, can also influence breast density. A constant inrush of estrogens and progestins can simulate premenstrual breast changes, often making the breasts tender. During menopause the changes in gonadotropins, estrogens and progesterone induce changes in both glandular and ductal components. Without hormone replacement therapy, the number and size of the glandular elements decrease and the volume of the breast becomes smaller. Likewise, there is a loss of contour due to the decrease in structure.
As we have seen, the lack of internal anatomical support of the breast structures requires some type of external support. Excessive movement of the breasts during physical exercise may increase this need for some women because of the structural changes during pregnancy and menstruation.
TopBreast Sagging (PTOSIS)Most women’s breasts lose their perk with age and extremely large-breasted women will be affected earlier and to a certain degree. But the reasons aren’t related to ligaments or even strictly dependent on breast size. Much more important are inherited characteristics such as skin elasticity and breast density which reflects the ratio of lightweight fat to heavier glands.
Breast sagging occurs for several different reasons - multiple pregnancies, breast feeding, rapid weight loss, genetics, gravity and age. Just as all body tissues are susceptible to the effects of gravity over time, the breast, because it is an external organ and not protected from external forces, also undergoes changes over time. The connective tissues supporting the breast are always under constant stretch due to the effects of gravity on the weight of the breast, this effect eventually causes the relaxation of these supporting ligaments creating the sagging effect. Breast feeding is another contributor to breast sagging because of the expansion and contraction of the breast tissue over months of breast feeding eventually results in drooping breast changes in susceptible women. Other women may be prone to ptosis because of changes in weight, genetics or multiple pregnancies.
Another reason for breasts sagging is the lack of the hormone estrogen, which occurs at menopause. This reduction in estrogen affects all the tissues of the body, including breast tissue, and results in a reduction in size and fullness. The milk secretion process is also halted by this time. Much of the connective tissue in the breast is composed of a fibrous protein called collagen, which needs estrogen to keep it healthy. Without estrogen, it becomes dehydrated and loses it's elasticity. Both during pregnancy and as you reach menopause - make breasts sag even more. During pregnancy, the hormones estrogen and progesterone, which are secreted by the ovaries and the placenta, stimulate development of the 15 to 20 lobes of milk-secreting glands embedded in the breast's fatty tissue. These changes are permanent. And although the glands may be empty after they're no longer needed to produce milk, they will still add bulk and firmness to the breast. Once menopause arrives, however, the drop in estrogen and progesterone signal the breast that its milk ducts and lobes can retire. As a result, the breasts shrinks, add fat and begins to sag over and above the demands of gravity. Fortunately there are three ways to prevent, and sometimes reverse, both saggy and stretch marks breasts. Premature sagging occurs as a result of stretching the Cooper's ligaments that help suspend and support the breast. Breast ptosis can result from a loosening of the skin and suspensory ligaments. Gravity and weight of breasts take their toll over time. Ptosis can also come from a reduction in the volume of breast tissue. This can occur after pregnancy and weight loss. One of the reasons for sagging breasts is age! As we age, our skin ages too. It does not hold things up as well as it did when we were young, becasue it has lost some of its elasticity. The older we get the less elastic our skin becomes. Thats why so many older women have sagging breasts.
As we age, after pregnancy (or exposure to breast growth due to hormones) or weight gain then loss, we experience atrophy of the breast tissue and it's envelope. From pregnancy or hormone-induced gain then loss -- this loss is called involution. From weight gain, then loss -- this is from the body losing the filling and fat which it had prior to the weight loss. Aging is merciless and we start losing collagen and elastin and the breast envelope begins to thin, weaken and eventually - becomes ptotic (saggy). After our breasts enlarge due to pregnancy they usually shrink postpartumly. Other changes result from having breastfed, estrogen and progesterone supplementation in the form or shots, implants or medications, hormonal disorders, menopause and lastly age. As we age our skin thins, we lose breast volume due to the shrinking of our lobules due to a decrease in hormones. We also lose body fat in areas where we want it, and seem to somehow selectively gain it where we do not.
TopDifferent Levels Of SaggingThere are certainly varying degrees of ptosis which only need certain smaller lifts for correction and other cases which need a full lifting. Following are the most commonly described ptotic grades to help you better determine what you may need.HOW TO TELL YOUR DEGREE OF PTOSIS Determine your mammary crease as it is directly underneath the breasts. These two levels may be higher than one another. You can use a ruler if you wish it. The highest part of the ruler should be directly against the junction of the breast and ribcage.
TopShape of Breast
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Breast Facts1) Breasts can start growing as early as age 10 and don't stop until your early 20's.2) Breasts have been overly sexualized in Western culture making them too big a part of a girls physical identity. 3) Breasts have a biological purpose - for feeding babies. 4) Having a baby changes ones breasts forever, and many women get larger (but much less perky) breasts after pregnancy. 5) During puberty breasts can develop rapidly causing discomfort, sensitivity and even stretch mark. 6) Larger breasts do not make a girl more feminine, sexier or "better". 7) Very large breasts can cause back pain and poor posture. 8) Brast are more than just underwear, they are necessary to keep your breasts supported and to stop injury to the breast tissue while playing sports. 9) Breast cancer is rare in teen aged girls but it is important to get used to checking your breasts for lumps and irregularities as soon as you start having your period - this is especially important if you have a family history of breast cancer. 10) All breasts, no matter what size and no matter what guys may say, are beautiful and amazing to the opposite sex.
Top Myths About Breast1) Breasts can start growing as early as age 10 and don't stop until your early 20's.2) Breasts have been overly sexualized in Western culture making them too big a part of a girls physical identity. 3) Breasts have a biological purpose - for feeding babies. 4) Having a baby changes ones breasts forever, and many women get larger (but much less perky) breasts after pregnancy.
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