The breast bud may be a little tender. But don't worry — it's a normal part of puberty. It is also common to have sore breasts around the beginning of a girl's period, or menstruation. During her menstrual cycle, a girl's body produces lots of the female hormones estrogen and progesterone .
Breast Development
It is not unusual for breast growth to start on one side before the other. It's also common for breast buds to be somewhat tender or sore. Uneven breast growth and soreness are both totally normal and usually improve with time.
Breasts develop as the hormones estrogen and progesterone are released at puberty. These hormones make the breast tissue grow. As it does, the surrounding skin may stretch, which is one reason breasts can hurt when they grow. The hormones that stimulate breast growth are another reason they may hurt.
This breast tenderness happens because of the hormones that cause your period. Usually the tenderness starts a few days before your period starts, and it goes away after a few days to a week.
As breasts start to grow, a girl will have small, firm, sometimes tender lumps (called breast buds) under her nipples. In some cases one breast will start to develop weeks or months before the other; the breast tissue will get larger and become less firm over the next few years.
Sometimes, they are even normal in 7 year olds. Importance: the entire breast develops from the breast bud, taking 2 or 3 years to completion. The first menstrual period (menarche) usually occurs 2 years after breast buds appear.
The first sign of breast development is slight swelling under the nipple, a stage of development called breast buds. As your breasts first start to grow, they can be very tender and sore. They may also itch as your skin gets stretched. Buying a first bra can help protect new breast growth and minimize pain.
Budding — like a flower has buds. A breast bud is like a small raised bump behind the nipple. After breast budding happens, the nipple and the circle of skin around the nipple (called the areola) get bigger and a little darker. Then the area around the nipple and areola starts to grow into a breast.
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.
It can happen on just one side at first, and take the other side about 6 months to catch up (6). Breast buds usually grow about 2–2.5 years before your period starts, but if you notice your breast buds at an earlier age (when you're 8 or 9), it may take closer to three years for your period to start.
Many breast differences are part of normal development in both boys and girls. Asymmetrical breast buds are very common, as are breast buds that come and go, and cysts of the breasts.
There are two basic types of breast pain – cyclic and non-cyclic.
Breast pain can be due to many possible causes. Most likely breast pain is from hormonal fluctuations from menstruation, pregnancy, puberty, menopause, and breastfeeding. Breast pain can also be associated with fibrocystic breast disease, but it is a very unusual symptom of breast cancer.
Hormonal breast soreness is normal, but it is not usually very severe. Pain that lasts more than a week around the time of a period, or pain that stops a woman from everyday activities is not considered to be normal.
“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.”
The earliest physical change of puberty for girls is usually breast development, which most often begins around 10 or 11 years. But it's perfectly normal for breast development to start anytime between the ages of 7 and 13.
Baby girls and boys will have a small breast bud that can be felt for a few weeks after they are born. These buds of tissue will become the breast tissue in the adult. In early infancy, they can be prominent because of the effects of the mother's estrogen. As the estrogen levels decrease, so does the prominence.
Typically, a girl gets her period about 2 years after her breasts start to develop. Another sign is vaginal discharge fluid (sort of like mucus) that a girl might see or feel on her underwear. This discharge usually begins about 6 months to a year before a girl gets her first period.
In Stage 2, physical changes begin. Between the ages of 8 and 13, girls typically experience: Their breasts begin to bud, and their areolas (pigmented area around the nipple) enlarge. Scant pubic hair appears.
A breast bud can feel quite hard to the touch and is often tender or sore. Budding boobs are made of tissue, milk glands and fat. The nipple and areola (that coloured ring surrounding the nipple) may start to protrude and even look a little swollen as the bud starts to grow.
Women may experience breast pain during puberty, menstruation, premenstrual syndrome, pregnancy, menopause, and after childbirth. Breast pain felt during these times is considered normal. Breast pain associated with menstrual periods – called cyclic breast pain – normally goes away on its own.
The most common type of breast pain is linked to the menstrual cycle. It is nearly always hormonal. Some women begin to have pain around the time of ovulation. The pain continues until the start of their menstrual cycle.