Breast Health Basics
Breasts come in all shapes and sizes—AA to DDD, perky or pendulous, nipples pale pink to dark brown—and they can reveal important clues about your overall health.
Why Breasts Grow
Breast size can increase due to:
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Weight gain (because breasts contain mostly fat)
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Pregnancy (milk ducts expanding for breastfeeding)
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Hormonal changes from birth control pills or menstrual cycles (sensitive to estrogen and progesterone)
No cause for alarm, though you might need new bras!
Why Breasts Shrink
Breasts may shrink if:
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You lose weight
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Estrogen levels drop (from stopping birth control or menopause)
If shrinkage happens without these reasons—especially with symptoms like hair loss, acne, or facial hair—testing for Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) might be wise, since it involves higher male hormones (testosterone, DHEA).
Surprising Factor: Coffee
A British Journal of Cancer study found that some women’s breasts shrank with higher coffee intake—three or more cups daily—due to a gene linking coffee consumption to breast size.
