I am 17 - But My Breasts Stopped Growing

Seventeen-year-old girl wants bigger breasts. If she’s finished puberty, will her breasts still continue to grow? Is there anything she can do to create larger breasts besides surgery?

Case #: 657

Concern：

Hi, I'm 17 and seem to be through puberty, but I'm not satisfied with my breast size. My breasts stopped growing about a year ago. Does this mean I'm not going to get any bigger? Is there anything I can do besides surgery?

Discussion：

While most breast growth occurs during the 3-5 years after a girl goes through puberty, some women do experience continued growth in their early twenties, resulting in a more rounded, “womanly” shape overall.

The size of your breasts is mainly determined by your genes—if you want to know how your breasts will turn out, take a look at old pictures of your mom or aunts, or if you have an older sister, or cousins, then you’ll get a good general idea.

Weight also influences breast size, as breasts are composed of fat, so if you are naturally thin, you will probably have smaller breasts than a woman with more body fat. Read on for some potential breast increasers.

Eccentric Exercises

It’s a common idea that a woman can increase the size of her bosom by massaging or rubbing her breasts, or by the use of suction, or by specialized exercises. These are fallacies. The only way to possibly change the way your breast looks through exercise is to really beef up your pectoral muscles, which lie directly underneath your breast tissue.

This causes the breasts to look larger by pushing them further away from your chest. Essentially, it’s an illusion, and you’d really have to work at it to notice any difference. All the same, pushups, inclined presses, and bench presses are all exercises that target your pectoral area, so you can start adding those to your workout.

Hormonal Help

Some women also believe that they can increase their breasts by taking in more estrogen, as estrogen tells your body to build breast tissue. It’s possible that increasing estrogen levels in your body could result in larger breasts, but it also might not, depending on how your body processes the excess hormones.

Do not take birth control to grow larger breasts! Girls see this as a quick and easy way to add estrogen to their bodies, but they do not consider all the numerous and unforeseen consequences therein. To safely increase estrogen levels, add more phytoestrogens (phyto because they come from plants) to your diet. You can find these estrogen imitators in flax seeds, soy products, beans, and legumes.

Interestingly, you (and I, and everyone) probably already have false estrogens, known as xenoestrogens (xeno means foreign or alien in Greek) acting on our bodies, as many, many products in use today contain them, e.g. household cleaners, plastics, and pesticides.

Furthermore, if your family has a history of breast cancer, it would be best not to attempt to increase estrogen levels, as it is strongly linked to breast cancer in predisposed women.

Bosom Buddies

In the meantime, to reduce your anxiety, why not try investing in a push-up bra? I’m of the opinion that a woman should rock her breasts, and be happy with them, no matter what shape or size, but if it makes you feel prettier and more confident, I say go with the bra!

Guys love breasts, no matter what, so if that’s your concern, I’d say forget it. Any guy who has the nerve to say anything negative about your breasts is a complete tool, and not worth your time. If you want a little extra breast boost, try a natural formula. It won’t cause any unhealthy side effects, and it’s easier than adding beans to every meal. In the end, I’m sure you’re beautiful, whatever size your breasts are.