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Theyâre right there on our chestâAA or DDD, perky or pendulous, nipples pale pink or dark brownâand yet most of us donât give our breasts much thought day to day. But we should. Hereâs what the look and feel of your dynamic duo can tell you about your health.
growing breastsAlex Kokoulin/Getty Images
If your breasts are growing, itâs likely due to weight gain (because breasts are made up of mostly fat cells, in addition to glandular tissue), pregnancy (as milk ducts ramp up for breast-feeding), birth control pills, and/or hormonal changes related to your menstrual cycle (theyâre very sensitive to shifts in estrogen and progesterone). No need to worry, though you might need to buy new bras.
shrinking breast sizemoodboard/Getty Images
If you find your chest shrinking, youâve likely either lost weight or your estrogen levels are falling, perhaps from going off the pill or impending menopause. If youâre seeing shrinkage and none of those apply (especially if you also have hair loss, acne, and facial hair), consider being tested for polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), which is characterized by high levels of the hormones testosterone and DHEA. Or maybe just lay off the Starbucks. A study in the British Journal of Cancer found that drinking three cups of coffee a day caused breasts to shrink in some women, with additional cups increasing the effect. The culprit is a gene shown to link breast size to coffee consumption.
