Firm Your Breasts

Pregnancy, hormone fluctuations and aging can cause breasts to sag. Although aging of the breast tissue and skin is natural, there are some exercises and practices you can use to firm your breasts. Surgical options are available to people who want more dramatic results.

Steps

Preventing Sagging Breasts

1. Wear supportive sports bras while you exercise. The breasts bounce and stretch with each jump or step. Women with large breasts should look for underwire sports bras with thick straps.
   • A sport’s bra should fit more snugly than lingerie. It should wrap around your rib cage.
2. Sleep on your back. If you favor one side while you sleep, you may find that the top breast sags and stretches more. By staying on your back, you can keep both breasts firmer longer.
3. Don’t allow weight fluctuations. Yo-yo dieting can lead to stretch marks and inelastic skin. Each time you gain weight, your breasts may appear to sag more when you lose it, because the skin has to stretch around extra fat tissue.
4. Replace your bras when the supportive bands stretch. If the last clasps on the bra no longer provide a tight, supportive fit, it is time to replace them. Breast size can change with hormones, weight fluctuations and pregnancy, so get sized for a new bra if your current bra is uncomfortable or too loose.
   • Maintain the life of your bras by clasping them before you wash them. If you can’t hand wash them, use the gentle cycle and place them in a mesh laundry bag to avoid stretching them.
5. Use anti-aging creams on your neck and upper breast area. Choose formulas that improve collagen in the skin. They can make your cleavage look more youthful.
6. Apply cold water on your chest. Cold water or even ice can help your breasts avoid sagging.
   • After you've finished showering rinse your breast with cold water (if using hot water).
   • You can even rub some ice on them.

Firming Chest Muscles

1. Start with pushups. Try 3 different types of pushups to firm different areas of your chest and back. Do pushups in a knee plank, if you can’t do a full plank position.
   • Do regular push-ups. Get on all fours, and then unbend your knees and support your body with your feet and arms. Place your arms directly below your shoulders with the fingers pointing straight up. Do 5 very slow push-ups as low as you can go. Then, do 10 faster pushups.
   • Try military style pushups. Move your arms slightly wider than shoulder width. Then, turn your arms so the fingers are pointing inward at a 45-degree angle. Do 5 slow push-ups and 10 fast push-ups.
   • Follow up with tricep push-ups. Move your arms to shoulder width apart. As you lower yourself into the pushup, make sure your elbows go directly down, brushing against your rib cage. Do 5 slow and 10 fast pushups.
2. Do chest fly. Lay on the floor. Take a hand weight between 3 and 7 lbs. (1.4 to 3.2 kg) in each hand.
   • Bend your elbows slightly. Raise your arms until the weights meet each other just above your chest.
   • Slowly lower them until your upper arms are perpendicular to your trunk. Your lower arms should be slightly above the floor. Repeat with 2 to 3 sets of 10 repetitions.
   • If the exercise is too easy, get a slightly heavier set of weights.
3. Try a “C” sweep. Instead of lowering your arms to the sides, lower them to the ground above your head. The weights should stay a few inches apart as you lower and raise them to ensure you aren’t creating a muscle imbalance.
   • Don’t allow your rib cage to lift as you bring them over your head. Use your upper ab muscles to keep your back and rib cage engaged.
   • Do 3 sets of 10.
4. Use TRX bands. Instead of using free weights for tricep and bicep curls, use suspension bands at your local gym. Walk your legs forward and lean back in an inclined position.
   • Keep your upper arms close to your chest to do bicep curls.
   • Open and lift your arms to the sides for chest fly and presses.
   • Lean forward on the bands with your arms to close to your chest to perform tricep curls. Start with your wrists near your armpits and push down until your arms are straight.
   • Hand down with your legs in front of you in a pike position to ready yourself for shoulder presses. Lift your body up till your arms are in a 90-degree angle, then lower yourself down.
   • Repeat in 2 to 3 sets of 10 for all exercises.
5. Do a chest workout three times a week, with a day of rest in between. These exercises will tone the pecs and arms. As your pectoral muscles lift, your boobs will look firmer and perkier.

Medical/Surgical Solutions

1. Visit a dermatologist if your breast skin is sagging. The doctor may be able to suggest chemical peels and laser treatments to firm up sagging skin.
2. Consider a breast lift surgery. A mastopexy lifts the skin, ligaments and breast tissue to make your breasts firmer. If you believe you are done having children, a surgical breast lift can make your entire chest look younger and firmer.
   • A mastopexy does not change the size of your breasts.
3. Ask your doctor about nanofat grafting. During this procedure, the doctor removes fat from other areas of your body and injects it into the breast area to make your chest fuller and firmer.

Warnings

• Beware that surgical and medical solutions should only be considered when non-invasive options do not work. They involve a risk of infection and they may require further treatments in the future.

Things You'll Need

• Sports bras
• Exercise mat
• Free weights
• Suspension bands

Sources and Citations

See also

• Practice Self Care
• Stay Young Looking After 40
• Clean Your Eyebrows
• Measure Hand Size
• Be Close to Flawless
• Be Pretty if You Are Unfortunate With Your Looks
• Benefit from Ecklonia Cava Antioxidant Seanol
• Appreciate Curves on a Woman
• Tie Your Shoes
• Stop Pushing People Away

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