Breast Development

Introduction of the breast development

Breast development is an essential process of reproduction in the human females. Unlike other mammals, in fact, human females are the only ones who develop full sized breast long before they are actually needed to feed their offspring.

Breast development will occur in distinct stages throughout women's life, first before birth and again during adolescence and then during the childbearing ages. Changes in breasts will also occur during menstrual cycles and when a woman reaches menopause (physiological cessation of menstrual cycles).

Beginning of the breast development

The breasts begin to get formed during the fetal development. There, it is just a thickening on the chest area known as the mammary ridge or milk line. By the time a baby girl is born, a nipple and the origins of the milk’s duct system have been formed.

Changes in the breasts continuously go on over the lifespan, with lobes, or small subsections of breast tissue, developing first. Mammary glands will develop later and consist of 15 to 24 lobes. Mammary glands are governed by hormones those are activated during pubescence. Involution or shrinkage of the milk ducts is the final and major change that will occur within the breasts’ tissues. Involution generally begins when the female is around the age of 35.

As a girl reaches adolescence, there will be the first outward sign of breast development begin to appear. When the ovaries (egg producing organs in the females) start to secrete estrogen, fats present in the connective tissue will begin to gather and that will cause the breasts to enlarge. The duct system within the breast will also begin to develop. Generally, the onset of the breast change is also accompanied with the development of pubic hairs and hairs under the arms.

Once the ovulation and menstruation start, the development of the breasts will also begin with the formation of secretory glands at the terminal parts of the milk-ducts. The breasts and duct system will continue to develop and to mature; simultaneously, there is remarkable development of many glands and lobules. The growth rate at which breasts enlarge depends greatly upon an individual’s nourishment, hereditary, health condition and certain medications. It is therefore, the development of the breasts is generally different for each young woman.

The changes in the breasts

In the mature adult breasts, there is a projection of the nipple only. However, in some women the areoles continue to form a secondary mound. As the women advance in their ages, the breasts diminish in their sizes as the milk glands (mammary glands) degrade and become loose. The breasts often become baggier as the breasts’ tissues lose their elasticity and vitality. They lack of the freshness and energy. Moreover, due to past pregnancies and breastfeeding the babies, the breasts have been full of milk and fully developed mammary glands that makes gravity to pull the breasts downwards giving them ‘hanging’ appearance.

There are many techniques that can help developing breasts and regaining their size and shapes. Certain medications, massage and cosmetic surgeries can bring dramatic results in firming the breasts.