Not to go all Forrest Gump, but boobs are like a basket of fruit. There are lemons, cantaloupes, oranges, and mangoes, all of varying size, ripeness, and appearance. But one thing they all have in common? They're made by nature — and they're all perfect in their own right.
Nevermind if your handful of oranges are different sizes, or if you've always wished they were just a little bigger. “The best breast size is the one you have,” says Corrine Ellsworth-Beaumont, CEO of Know Your Lemons, a non-profit saving lives through creative breast health education for breast cancer prevention and early breast cancer screening.
“All the time and attention we spend on the beauty of our breasts actually doesn't help us,” she tells me. “If we spend more time on breast health, then that's really what's gonna benefit our lives.”
Just think, for all of the time we've spent fretting over our breasts — their symmetry, nipple proportions, and cup size — we could have been focusing on the only thing that really matters: whether those pouches of fatty breast tissue are healthy.
From puberty onwards, the notion of what breasts “should” look like is hammered into our psyches. But how about getting to know how they work or how to keep them happy? Healthy boobs, after all, are the best boobs.
Ahead, we get into all the stuff that probably wasn't covered in health class — and how you and your boobs can become the breast of friends.
Your Breasts Have Cycles
Far from being static, throughout your lifetime (hell, even throughout this month) your breasts are inclined to change a lot. Week to week, you've likely already noticed your boobs have a propensity to go from perky to sore to tender in the blink of an eye.
That's because your breasts, like so many other facets of your anatomy, are at the mercy of a constant ebb and flow of hormones and menstrual cycle. Your hormonal cycle goes beyond just your period, encompassing changes in breast size, texture, and density each and every month.
As such, your breasts can be a great barometer for where you're at in your hormonal cycle and determine the best time for a self-exam (which is generally the window between post-period and ovulation, according to Corrine).
Caffeine Can Cause Breast Tenderness
As a coffee lover it truly pains me to say this but, if your breasts are feeling particularly sore, that extra cup of coffee may be the culprit. Just as your diet and other environmental factors impact your body and cycle, there's evidence to suggest that caffeine can cause breast tenderness.
When it comes to complaints of breast tenderness, Corrine tells me, the first question doctors will ask is about caffeine consumption. That doesn't mean, of course, that you should radically shift your morning routine.
Rather, on premenstrual days when your breasts may feel particularly “chatty,” as Corrine says, you may want to opt for a lethargic morning over extra sore breasts.
Breast Lumps Aren’t Always Cause for Concern
Just as your menstrual cycle can cause you to go up a cup size, it can also cause lumpiness. That's because swollen milk glands are triggered by a rise in hormone levels as you approach your period.
Despite it being perfectly normal, it's a little-known side effect that can cause alarm bells to go off. If this is news to you, you're not alone. As Corrine says, “In school, we learn about every part of the body except breasts.”
If you spot anything abnormal during your menstrual phase, including lumps, the best thing to do is make note of it and check-in again post-period once your hormones have leveled out and you can get a better picture of your breast health.
Breast Density Is a Thing
Not to be confused with size or shape, breast density refers to the glandular and fibrous tissue of your breasts. “Density isn't something you can feel, it's not like perkiness,” says Corrine. “It has to do with the structure of the tissue in your breast.”
And while there's no link between breast size and the likelihood of developing breast cancer, dense breasts do have an increased risk of breast cancer. Generally, density is determined by family history and can be determined by a screening mammogram.
Like most things breasts related, according to Corrine, “It's a really unique geography for every woman.” Unsure of your breast density or risk status? As per medical guidelines, Corrine recommends every woman have a risk assessment for their breast health by age 25 (which the Know Your Lemons app can also help with).
Not All Breasts Are Created Equal
Let's get one thing straight: breasts are sisters, not twins. And more likely than not, your breasts aren't the same size. Statistically speaking, your left breast is more likely to fill out your bra cup since 65% of women report their right breast is smaller than their left.
Breast size is also hereditary, which means you're just as likely to inherit your set from your mom as your dad. So, if your sister has bigger boobs than you, it can likely be chalked up to genetics.
Inverted Nipples Are Totally Normal
Big, small, bumpy, hairy, or inverted, all nipples are beautiful! You heard it here first. In fact, if you didn't know, there are actually four types of nipples: protruding, flat, puffy, and inverted — all of which are totally normal.
Somewhere between 10-20% of breast-havers have inverted nipples, which may sound surprising considering how seldom mainstream media and social media portray truly normal-looking nipples.
What you should keep an eye on, however, are any changes in your nipples. Changes like discharge, redness, flaking, or in skin texture are among the signs of breast cancer worth monitoring and bringing up with your health practitioner.
Boobs Are Way More Complex Than You Think
As I alluded to earlier, there's so much more going on in your breasts than just fat tissue. Though, side note, a set of D-cup breasts can weigh up to 23 pounds — so, that's not to say there isn't a fair amount of beautiful, jiggly, and maybe back pain-inducing fat in there.
Beyond fat, breasts are a labyrinth of lobes, muscle, glands, blood vessels, and lymph fluid. As Teen Vogue put so brilliantly, “It's a whole town. Think of your nipple as the mayor.”
Boob-Induced Orgasms Are Real
Well, this is fun. If you're looking to explore new ethers of pleasure, it seems breasts are largely an untapped resource. Your clitoris and vagina have a lot more in common with your nipples than you might think — at least when it comes to climaxing.
Nipple stimulation activates the same part of the brain as your downstairs bits, which means it's possible to orgasm from nipple stimulation alone. Maybe you were already aware (lucky, girl!) or perhaps a fun new challenge has just entered the chat.
Most Women Don’t Know Their Bra Size
This fact doesn't surprise me in the least, as someone who both works for a bra company and who has struggled to figure out their bra size for the better part of a decade. (The former has helped with the latter).
Even so, the fact that 80% of women are wearing the wrong bra size is a confounding statistic. Whether it's because you were never properly fitted in the first place or because you were first fitted in high school and are now an adult woman, please (please!) let us help you find a bra that actually fits.
Jury’s Still Out on Why We Have Breasts
Let's wrap up this listicle with the most absurd boob fact of them all: scientists still haven't quite figured out why we have breasts in the first place. “Scientists Still Stumped By The Evolution of Human Breasts,” reads one Discover Magazine headline, in case you thought I was bluffing.
Breasts, like those of all mammals, are vital to early survival — that much is certain. But why humans are the only primates with perennially enlarged breasts remains a mystery.
My hypothesis? They look fantastic in a v-neck top.
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We hope you found this post informative — but remember: we're not doctors and this post is not medical advice! While all posts are fact-checked and well researched, we always recommend you chat with your doctor about any questions or concerns you might have regarding a medical condition.
We're here to support and educate, but never with the aim of disregarding professional medical advice you've been given. Phew, now that that's out of the way, you can go on living unapologetically free.