Breast sag is one of the things that women really start to worry about as they age, and when they have children. Sometimes young women worry about it, too, wanting to be pro-active to prevent sag when their breasts are still nice and perky. As medical science has advanced, we’ve learned more and more about why the breasts behave as they do, and why breasts sag. If you want to avoid saggy breasts, here’s what you need to know about sag, the Cooper’s Ligament and how to combat it:
The Cooper’s Ligament
Many articles about breasts and fighting sag mention muscles in the breasts. Muscle is close, but it’s not entirely accurate: the breasts are actually secured by connective tissue called Cooper’s Ligament. This connective ligament runs from the clavicle through and around breast tissue to the dermis of the skin overlying the breast. Without the internal support of the Cooper’s Ligament, the breast tissue sags under its own weight and loses its normal shape and contour. Breast tissue is heavier than the surrounding fat, and strain to this ligament can wreak havoc on your shapely silhouette and contours.
What Causes Breast Sag?
Basically, anything that damages the Cooper’s Ligament can cause your breasts to sag over time. These things include stretching or pulling on the ligament through strenuous exercise; when your breasts bounce up and down. Additionally, when your breasts swell during pregnancy, your Cooper’s Ligament may be unprepared to support them and may need help with support in the form of a good pregnancy or nursing bra. Finally, every-day encounters with gravity wreak havoc on your Cooper’s Ligament; if you’ve got large breasts, your breasts can sag under their own weight because of the continuous strain on your Cooper’s Ligament.
Wear the Right Bra to Combat Sag
Since damage to the Cooper’s Ligament is what causes sag and loss of contour, it’s in every woman’s best interest to prevent this damage and keep the breasts in the best possible shape. One of the easiest ways you can do this on a daily basis is to wear a good, supportive bra; especially if you have big breasts.
You can’t just wear a bra at work; you’ve got to wear one when you’re running errands, cooking dinner, shopping at the grocery store and working out at the gym. Wearing a good, supportive sports bra that prevents bounce is particularly important when you’re going to be active, as the breasts face a lot of extra strain during high-movement activities. Finally, pregnant and nursing women should wear supportive, appropriately-sized pregnancy and nursing bras to support their increasingly heavy breasts.
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