[By Cassandra Suresh]
It is common knowledge that gravity’s a bit*h and our breasts tend to sag and become a little less perky with each passing day. To make things worse, studies have shown that breast tissue actually ages 2 to 3 years faster compared to the rest of the body! While one cannot challenge pre-determined genetics, there are plenty of amendable steps that can be taken to avoid the accelerated sagging of our mammaries. Be aware of these common factors that contribute to them sagging prematurely, and play an active role in keeping your breasts in good shape for as long as possible.
Ill-fitting brassiere
Unless you are a wing bearing Victoria’s Secrets angel, the primary purpose of the bra is to give good adequate support to your breasts. Wearing an ill-fitting bra can contribute to breast sagging as the more your breast bounce around, the overlying skin and its collagen will be subjected to more stress. Do you know that up to 80% of women are wearing bras that aren’t their perfect fit? So make sure you get yourself properly measured by a specialist the next time you step into a lingerie shop. Bear in mind that one’s cup size changes with age, pregnancy and weight fluctuations, and it defeats the purpose holding on to bras that are a size too big or small. In addition, most bras are made of flexible materials which will eventually stretch out with normal wear and wash, and therefore should be replaced in a timely fashion when necessary.
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Puffing like a chimney
The next time you are tempted to light up a ciggie, think twice if you want to keep your breasts in a more desirable position.
“Smoking is one of the greatest preventable insult to the skin and leads to its premature aging.” Explains Dr. Toby Hui, senior medical consultant from the SW1 Clinic, registered Aesthetics Surgery in Singapore (formerly from The Sloane Clinic). “It causes the skin to lose its natural elasticity by breaking down its collagen stores, leading to the southwards plunge of your breasts.”
The decreased blood circulation also result in poorer regenerative capability of the dermal cells and signals increased fragility of the skin with earlier onset of the undesirable signs of aging.
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Extreme weight fluctuations
With the constant visual assault of picture perfect “non-celebrities” on every imaginable social media platform we logged on, it is little wonder that we are perpetually dieting 24/7. Crash diet plans that drop a ton of weight over a short period of time, only to gain that all back on a rebound, subject one’s skin tissue to a huge amount of strain. Repeatedly losing and gaining weight has been shown to make your breasts drop as the overlying skin fails to snap back into shape after the extreme fluctuations in weight.
The Ultherapy Décolletage treatment is the latest non-invasive procedure supported by the FDA to improve lines and wrinkles on the chest, thereby counteracting the ill-effects of sagging breasts. By utilizing focal ultrasonic energy to stimulate the natural formation of collagen and elastin within the skin’s foundation, this procedure can be carried out in less than an hour with no appreciable downtime involved. After just one treatment, results become visible in about 3 to 6 months, leaving you with ample time to piece together a brand new wardrobe of flattering necklines to flaunt your new found décolletage and confidence!
UV damage
While you may enjoy that fleeting moment of joy as a bronzed goddess, the dues to pay later in life are heavy and not worth the trade-off. Breasts, and cleavage in particular, can get burnt easily as they absorb their share of harmful UV radiation with prolonged unprotected sun exposure. Photo-damage of the skin covering the décolletage can lead to a host of negatives including fine lines, wrinkles, leathery skin and blotchy discoloration, over and above the premature breast sag.
To restore the youthfulness of a taut and blemish free ‘treasure chest’, erase stubborn pigmentation and surface imperfections of dull crinkly skin with a fractionated resurfacing laser such as Fraxel Dual Laser. Increased cellular turnover and neo-collagenesis is achieved via the making of thousands of microscopic wounds over a percentage of your skin treated with the advance non-ablative Fraxel technology. Healing time is minimal as the surrounding skin is left untouched, leading to a total dermal rebirth after a series of 4 to 6 consecutive treatments, best done at monthly intervals.
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Poor posture & sedentary lifestyle
It is important to exercise regularly to keep your chest muscles firm and strong to provide good support to your breasts. As there is bound to be a fair share of movement that cause the breasts to swing around during high impact exercise sessions and sporting activities, make sure you are well supported with suitable undergarments and sports apparels. Pay close attention to your posture in movement and at rest, and you will be rewarded with a flattering silhouette that garner equal parts admiration and envy.
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