revalidation

Natural remedy for breast firming

A woman with a saggy breast

Key takeaways:

  • Breast sizes and shapes change due to factors like age, gravity, and larger breast sizes.
  • Some home remedies for tightening breasts include exercising, maintaining weight, and adopting a supportive posture.
  • Saggy breast is not a medical issue and should not cause a health concern. However, people who want to change their breast size or structure can consult a plastic surgeon.

People have different shapes, sizes, and breast colors depending on their genes. However, as they grow older, their breasts change. Their breasts won’t look and feel the same again as they age. Changes in the breast tissues and ligaments cause this.

Breast sagging, also called “ptosis,” is usually characterized by the nipples pointing downward, the breasts sitting lower on the chest, and the top looking a bit flat.

Some people get anxious and feel less confident in their bodies because of saggy breasts, but it is important to note that saggy breast is not a medical condition. Also, nobody should be shamed for having saggy breasts.

Can you tighten saggy breasts naturally?

Yes, you can fix a saggy breast by having breast surgery, also called mammoplasty. However, not many people want to or can afford to go under the knife. For such people, they can try some natural home remedies to help tighten their saggy breasts, such as doing exercises that target the muscles in the chest region.

Even though saggy breasts are not abnormal and are commonly caused by aging, there are some things you can do to prevent and improve saggy breasts. Read below to find out what you can do to tighten your saggy breasts.

How to tighten saggy breast

Unless you go under the knife, it is impossible to fully restore a saggy breast to its original perky shape and size. Also, there is not enough evidence to prove that using "breast enlargement creams and supplements" are effective for tightening saggy breast.

Cosmetic plastic surgery can reverse the effects of overstretched ligaments, weight gain, and aging on the body. However, ensure you learn all you need to know about the risk of plastic surgery before you go for one. 

Some natural things you can do to improve breast firmness and reduce the risk of saggy breasts include:

1. Targeted exercises

Photo by Andrea Piacquiado

The breast itself is not made of muscle tissues; rather, it comprises fats, specialized milk-producing tissues (glandular tissues), and supportive tissues that help keep it in place. This makes it impossible to firm up the breast with exercise. 

However, you can work on the muscles (the pectoralis major) and connective tissues underneath the breast to strengthen the chest region and improve its overall appearance. Some exercises targeted at the chest to enhance strength and appearance include:

  • Swimming
  • Push-ups
  • Bench press

2. Maintain your weight

Keeping a consistent healthy weight can help ensure your breasts' skin maintains its elasticity. Remember that sudden weight loss or weight gain can cause saggy breasts. So, keeping your weight within a particular BMI can help reduce the risk of saggy breasts. 

One way to maintain weight is by knowing your daily maintenance calorie and sticking with it. Your daily maintenance calorie is the amount of calories your body needs to maintain its daily weight. 

3. Adopt supportive posture

Any posture that causes the breast to hang on its own can weaken the breast ligaments and can put more tension and pressure on the breast tissue, causing more breast sagging. 

However, in a good posture, the body assumes positions that put less strain on supporting muscles and ligaments. 

Good posture evenly distributes the weight all over the body and can help protect the breast from sagging. You achieve a good posture by keeping your back and shoulders straight when sitting or standing.

4. Eat healthy diet

Eating a balanced, healthy diet will help keep your skin nourished. This is one secret to looking younger and refreshed even as you advance in age. 

Cut out foods that contain too many calories. Refined foods that contain added sugars may not benefit your health. Also, they may lead to weight gain, which you are trying to avoid. You should also drink enough water daily as water hydrates you, making your skin look fresh.

It is also important that you adopt healthy lifestyle habits. For instance, if you smoke, ditching smoking can help improve your health and skin, preventing too much breast sagging.

5. Wear a fitted bra

Wearing a bra cannot change the shape or size of your breasts; however, it can support and lift them.

Many people wear the wrong bra sizes, which can make their breast shapes look distorted beneath their clothing. Wearing the correct bra sizes gives you the look you want underneath your clothing.

Also, wearing a fitted bra is helpful for people who do sports. Exercising can put a strain on your breast supporting tissues and muscles.

A study suggests that breast movement during exercise can cause stretching and sagging. Even though this needs more research to back it up, it makes sense to wear a fitted sports bra when working out.

What causes sagging breasts?

There are different myths about breast sagging. Some people claim that having sex often, breastfeeding, and not wearing a bra can cause the breasts to sag, but these are all myths. They are not science-backed.

If you have saggy breasts, you need to understand that it is not your fault. You should let go of the self-blame. Several things beyond your control can cause your breast tissues to sag.

As you age, your breast tissues begin to lose their elasticity, just like other parts of the body. Loss of elasticity is more evident in the breast because the breast contains fat, glandular tissues, and ligaments, all of which shrink and loosen with age.

Also, the force of gravity could cause your breast to sag because gravity pulls the entire breast downward. This is why people with larger breasts are more likely to have saggy breasts than people with smaller breasts. 

Aside from age and gravity, other causes of sagging breasts include:

  • Smoking
  • Rapid weight loss after a weight gain (or vice versa)
  • Collagen deficiency
  • Larger breast size
  • Multiple pregnancies
  • High body mass index
  • Estrogen deficiency
  • Menopause

Do you need to see a doctor for saggy breasts?

Saggy breast is not a medical issue. And you may not need to see a doctor because it is not linked to any health condition. However, it can be a cosmetic concern for some people.

If you do not like your breast size or shape, you can speak with a healthcare professional. In most cases, health practitioners refer people with cosmetic issues like saggy breasts to cosmetic or plastic surgeons. These specialists carry out reconstructive procedures on people, helping to change their appearance or aesthetics.