Girls usually begin puberty between the ages of 8 and 13 years old. The earliest sign of puberty in most girls is the development of breast "buds," nickel-sized bumps under the nipple. It is not unusual for breast growth to start on one side before the other.
It's common for nipples to become smaller, and the area around them, called the areola, almost vanishes. Lumps. Older breasts may be more prone to lumps or bumps.
Breast development during puberty
2.1 Stage 1 This stage begins at about 8-12 years old, the nipples just begin to pop up, pink circle appears. This process takes quite a long time.
The areola and nipple enlarge and form a second mound, which is elevated above the rest of the breast. This usually occurs between ages 13 and 14 years. However, some girls skip this stage and move directly from Tanner Stage III to V.
Buds appear, and breast and nipple are raised. The dark area of skin around the nipple (the areola) gets larger. Breasts are slightly larger, with glandular breast tissue present. The areola and nipple become raised and form a second mound above the rest of the breast.
Just like breasts, areolas also differ in shape and size. Their color can vary from person to person as well. What's more, breasts, areolas, and nipples tend to change their shape, size, and color throughout one's lifetime, especially during times of significant hormonal changes.
Nipples color can temporarily change due to things like normal hormonal shifts, pregnancy, or breastfeeding. The same goes for nipple size and texture. Permanent changes of the nipple can also occur and are often seen with breast surgeries, weight loss, and aging.
Areola size is something that you inherit from your parents, just like your breast and foot size, or your freckle pattern. That said, there are a few factors that can change the size, color, and shape of your areola over time, like puberty, periods, and of course, pregnancy.
Retracted nipples can be a normal variation of nipple type. They may also signal an underlying condition which could be benign or cancerous. If your nipples suddenly become retracted or inverted, see your doctor.
Inverted nipples are often congenital, meaning they have been present since birth. This condition may result from milk ducts that do not fully develop or because the nipple base remained small while in the womb. Nipple inversion can occur in both males and females and often affects both sides instead of just one.
It's usually due to normal hormone changes during puberty, and almost always goes away on its own within a few months to a couple of years.
Here is a brief overview of the changes that happen: In girls, the first puberty change is the development of breast buds. These are small mounds that form under the nipple as the breast and nipple become slightly raised. The areola (the circle of different colored skin around the nipple) gets larger at this time.
Flat nipples1 don't protrude very far from the areola (the darker area surrounding them), even when stimulated. An inverted nipple dimples inwards at the centre. It may look like this all the time, or only when stimulated.
You can do a “pinch test” by gently compressing the areola just behind the nipple. If your nipple remains flattened or appears to pull in, then you know you have flat or inverted nipples. Inverted nipples do not protrude from the level of the areola instead they are pulled inwards.
The short answer is no. Although your breasts will likely grow larger before and during your breastfeeding journey, breast size is irrelevant when it comes to how much milk you produce. A mom with small breasts might have just as much milk supply as a mom with large breasts.
The human areola is mostly circular, but many women have large, oval-shaped areolas. The areola of sexually mature women averages around 1.5 inches but can be as big as 4 inches. Lactating women and women with particularly large breasts may have even larger areolas.
In general, flat nipples do not usually interfere with breastfeeding. Most newborns can latch on to flat nipples without much of a problem. And, as long as your baby can latch on to your breast properly, they will be able to draw your nipples out.
Nipple changes during puberty
Just like breasts, nipples come in all shapes and sizes: some girls have “outie” nipples that stick out when they're cold, and others have “innie” nipples that stick inwards. Having inverted nipples is totally normal and nothing to worry about.
“As soon as the breasts start growing breast buds, small (sometimes very tender) bumps below the nipples, is typically when girls start wearing training bras,” said Dr. Kronborg. “Normally, by the time a girl can fill a B cup is when she'll eventually require a standard bra.”
No, it's not true. Touching or massaging breasts does not make them grow. There's a lot of wrong information about breast development out there. Some of the things you may hear are outright cons — like special creams or pills that make breasts bigger.
Flat and inverted nipples are variations that people are born with or that can develop due to aging. During puberty, pregnancy, and menopause, hormonal fluctuations can affect nipple appearance and sensitivity.
Marriage doesn't affect breast size
While no one knows exactly who started the rumor that marriage increases breast size, people have passed around this myth for centuries. The most likely explanation for this is conceiving a child or traditional weight gain after marriage.
Stimulating, caressing or simply holding breasts sends nerve signals to the brain, which trigger the release of the 'cuddle hormone' called oxytocin, a neurochemical secreted by the posterior lobe of the pituitary gland in the brain.