There are a number of things that can affect your breast size including exercise, diet, pregnancy, breastfeeding and menopause. Breasts are made up of fat and ductile and lobule tissue, so they can become bigger as you gain weight.
Women who are underweight have small breasts because there is little fat present. Similarly, breasts can shrink when oestrogen levels decrease like when you switch contraceptives or after pregnancy.
Estrogen Levels
Estrogen is the hormone responsible for female sexual development, triggering the growth of breasts, pubic hair, and other sex characteristics during puberty. It also helps regulate the menstrual cycle, and is found throughout the body in fat cells and to a lesser extent in the skin (it’s why you might feel tender breasts before your period).
Estradiol (E2) is the main estrogen produced by the ovaries; it’s important for fertility and the maintenance of healthy bones and brains. The placenta produces another estrogen, estriol (E3), which is essential for pregnancy.
Levels of both estrogens increase steadily during pregnancy. During the first trimester, estrogen levels are highest; this sharp rise is what causes morning sickness. During the second and third trimesters, levels of both estrogens peak, helping the fetus develop milk ducts. Then they decline again after delivery.
Normal estrogen levels vary from day to day, depending on the time of the month and your age. Health bloggers often talk of estrogen imbalance, but the symptoms tend to be more general — like irregular periods, hot flashes, and insomnia.
If you’re over 40, you’ve likely seen your boobs shrink slightly as your estrogen/oestrogen levels decline with age, especially in the years leading up to menopause. This is a natural process that can be exacerbated by stopping the pill or HRT, as well as by weight loss, or a condition like polycystic ovary syndrome.
Hormonal Imbalance
The human body produces dozens of hormones, which are chemical messengers that travel through the bloodstream to control and coordinate all of your body’s major functions. When they go out of balance, it can affect many different parts of your body and produce a wide range of symptoms.
Your endocrine system makes hormones in glands throughout your body. They are powerful chemical compounds that influence everything from your sleep cycles, metabolism and appetite to your reproductive and sexual function, mood and skin condition. When you have a hormone imbalance, it means your glands are producing too much of one hormone or not enough of another.
A woman’s hormone levels can change a lot over the course of her lifetime. They fluctuate during puberty, pregnancy and menopause, for example. But hormones can also be thrown out of balance due to a variety of factors, including unhealthy habits and environmental toxins.
The good news is, most female hormonal imbalances are reversible and treatable. If you experience new and persistent symptoms, talk to your doctor. They can order tests to identify the source of your hormone imbalance and recommend appropriate treatment. For women, this could include a pap smear or other diagnostic tests. For men, a sperm count might be helpful to diagnose issues that impact hormones or your fertility.
Medical Conditions
There are some medical conditions that can make your boobs smaller. For example, if you have polycystic ovary syndrome or are going through menopause (or both) that can cause hormonal imbalances that can affect breast size. Other conditions that can cause your boobs to shrink include tuberous breasts, which occur when there is abnormal tissue development, and gynecological cancers. Depending on the severity of the condition, your doctor may prescribe certain medications to help you regain your boobs.
It is normal for your breasts to change in size during different phases of life like pregnancy, breastfeeding and menopause. However, it is important to understand what is causing the changes so that you can take action accordingly.
