Breast Care

Breasts are a pair of glands, the mammary glands, that produce milk. Each gland is composed of milk lobules that produce the milk, and these are embedded in fatty tissue. The milk travels from the lobules into ducts, and these unite to form larger ducts and reservoir structure called ampullae. Each large duct discharges milk through a separate opening in the nipple. The breast is richly supplied with blood and lymph vessels. The breast usually extends from the 2nd or 3rd rib down to the 5th or 6th, and it is underlaid by the pectoral muscles. A tail of breast tissue extends into the armpit.

The female breast starts to form in the foetus at around 6 weeks' gestation, and both males and females develop nipples. In females, the milk ducts begin to form and they open up on to the nipple at 12 weeks' gestation. No more development occurs until puberty, when oestrogen stimulates the milk ducts to lengthen and increase in number by branching. As these ducts develop, the areola starts to form and becomes pigmented. Connective and fatty tissue forms, and progesterone causes milk-producing glands at the ends of the milk ducts to develop. The development of milk lobules in the breast continues until about age 25.

Exercises For Shapely Breasts

Female breast development is an important secondary sexual characteristic. The size and shape of the breasts is governed by various factors, including fat deposits, nutrition, heredity, the effects of oestrogen and progesterone, the strength of the supporting ligaments and weight gain or loss. Additional support can be provided by a well-fitting bra. The breasts are susceptible to a range of disorders such as Breast Cancer, Breast cysts, Breast abscess, cystic mastitis, fibroadenoma, phyllodes tumor to name a few.

*********************************************

Breast Feeding Guide

Breast Disorders