Breasts can frustrate a woman. When they are too large, they get in the way and create discomfort. When they are quite small, some women feel less feminine than they’d like. When they sag, just forget about it. We can’t even. If you’re facing the physical changes that come with age, you know what we mean. If your breasts are still perky, you may still feel slightly concerned. You may wonder what you can do to keep your breasts “in good shape.” Here, we offer a few insights that can help you regardless of where your breasts fall, literally.

DO This

• Apply sunscreen to the chest area anytime your skin is exposed. Also, use moisturizer on your chest and breasts. These steps will not reverse tissue degradation, but they can minimize it.
• Watch your weight. Healthy eating and regular exercise are excellent strategies for maintaining an average weight. Alongside weight fluctuations, the breasts inflate and deflate, causing tissue stretching that can increase the severity of drooping.
• Exercise the chest muscles. There is no way to completely prevent tissue sagging. The breasts contain fat, which will deflate with time. The breasts are covered in skin that will lose elasticity with age. Muscle tone is something well within each woman’s control. The more toned the pectoral muscles are, the better breast tissue may be supported to retain some degree of perkiness.
• Wear a properly-fit, supportive bra. When we say supportive, we mean a bra that gently holds breasts in their natural position. More on this in a moment. Breasts may change over time, so regular bra fittings are recommended for every woman.
• Consider a breast lift. Sagging breasts can be recontoured and repositioned as needed to restore height and also the appearance of fullness. Breast lift surgery can be performed on its own or in combination with breast augmentation.

DON’T Do This

• Wear extreme push-up bras. Magazines and movies have a way of making lacy, push-up lingerie look appealing. The eye candy may be lovely and probably won’t do much harm if worn for short periods of time. But to wear a push-up bra all day, every day, that could be a problem. When the breasts are too supported, the muscles beneath them don’t have to work at all. They become lazy and lax, which could worsen droopiness.
• Shy away from the bounce. Many women believe that they should steer clear of exercise that makes the breasts bounce. However, the connection between aerobic activity like running or dancing and sagging breasts has not been confirmed. With the support of a good sports bra, women should feel empowered to engage in any form of exercise they wish.
• Get breast implants thinking that will solve a laxity issue. Breast implants are not immune to the effects of gravity. If you are considering breast augmentation and your breasts are already somewhat saggy, talk with your surgeon about a breast lift.

Give your breasts the help they need. Call our Cincinnati office at 513.985.0850 to schedule a consultation with Dr. Donna Krummen.