Women often have a love-hate relationship with their breasts which starts early on in life, which is why cosmetic breast surgeries – whether breast augmentation, breast reduction or breast uplift – are amongst the most popular procedures we offer at our central London plastic surgery clinic.
What age do your boobs start to grow?
A woman’s breasts start to develop in the womb as the nipples and the start of the milk-duct system forms when gender is determined.
However, it is at puberty when the first, visible signs of breast development start to appear. The ovaries start to secrete oestrogen which cause a whole host of bodily changes. This includes the breasts enlarging as the milk-duct system grows and small amounts of tissue form under the nipples, commonly described as breast buds. These generally develop between the ages of 8 and 13.
Once a woman’s periods start, the breasts continue to grow and mature. Glands develop at the end of the milk ducts and this glandular tissue forms the main part of the breast. The areola also gets larger. This whole process can take a few years.
When do women’s breasts typically stop growing?
At what age do boobs stop growing is a very popular search term as many young women are insecure about their breast size. Generally, breasts tend to stop growing at around age 18 although it can continue into your early twenties. Everyone develops at a different rate and there is nothing you can do to speed up this process.
Breast size and shape varies hugely and there are several factors that will determine this. The dominant factor is your genetics – just as your eye colour is dictated by your family make-up, so will your breast size.
However, your boob size can continue to fluctuate throughout your life, particularly as a result of your general body size. Your breast is composed of both glandular and fatty tissue and if you have a higher concentration of the latter, you may see changes in your breast size if you gain or lose weight. Your preferred workout can also affect the breasts as certain weight-bearing exercises can increase muscle mass in your chest area, making your breasts look perkier.
Hormones also play a role, so your breasts swell as you approach your period, and certain birth control medications can also impact breast size. And pregnancy boobs are a very real thing.
How do you know when your breasts are fully grown?
Knowing when your breasts have stopped growing is important if you are considering a breast augmentation if you’re dissatisfied with your breast development. If you are late teens or very early twenties and your breasts have stayed the same size for a period of time, you can be sure your breasts are fully grown.
What to do if you are unhappy with the size of your breasts?
During breast augmentation consultations, our plastic surgeons are often asked at what age do boobs stop growing as many young women are concerned with a lack of breast development.
If you have minimal breast tissue, you can still have a beautifully natural result from a breast enlargement, but our surgeons Mr Alex Karidis and Mr Mark Ho-Asjoe will carefully assess you and select implants that are not too large in relation to breast base width as well as place the implants under the muscle.
For more advice on breast implant selection, call 0207 432 8727 to arrange a consultation with one of our plastic surgeons.
