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Perfect Breasts and Aging

by Breast.com

?A recent study found that breast feeding, daily moisturizing and hormone replacement therapy all contribute to a woman's breasts aging more slowly.

According to a recent study headed by plastic surgeon Hooman T. Soltanian of University Hospitals Case Medical Center in Cleveland, Ohio and funded by a grant from the Aesthetic Surgery Education and Research, breast feeding, daily moisturizing and hormone replacement therapy are all positive factors that contribute to a woman's breasts aging more slowly. Dr. Soltanian and his research team also found that factors like smoking, drinking alcohol and having multiple pregnancies will accelerate breast aging.

The study used data from 161 women who were twins aged between 25 and 74 in order to identify the specific lifestyle behaviors that can slow the breast aging process and help women to avoid plastic surgery.

It was found that environmental factors along with a higher body mass index (BMI) and larger bra and cup sizes will make breasts age more quickly and appear less youthful over time. Those factors contribute to the need for 316,848 women to get breast augmentations and the 127,054 who got breast lifts last year according to data from the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery.

In the study, each set of twins was asked to answer questions about their independent lifestyle habits, including smoking, drinking, number of pregnancies, use of a bra, participation in sports, hormone replacement therapy, the use of moisturizers and sun exposure. Independent reviewers later viewed photos of each set of twins’ breasts in order to look for skin tone, droopiness, shape and areola size when evaluating their compared appearances. In a press conference Dr. Soltanian admitted that 'It's very rare that both twins have been through the same exact environmental factors throughout life. 'The idea was that they have the same breasts from a genetic standpoint. If we see a difference, it's more likely to be environmental factors.'

The study concluded that although pregnancy can have a negative effect on the appearance of women's breasts, nursing after pregnancy can improve the overall skin quality even if it does impart some negative effects to the size and shape of the areola area. The researchers believe that breast feeding an infant can act as an internal hormone replacement therapy program that benefits the appearance of the breasts. The latest findings back up prior studies showing that women who received hormone replacement therapy after menopause enjoyed more attractive breasts later in life as well.

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