Breast development is one of the first signs of puberty in girls, and it happens in stages that may be a bit confusing at first. Here's our simple guide on what to expect as you go through each stage.
Breast development can begin as early as 8 years old and may continue into your late teenage years, so it's important to know what to expect and why! Your journey will be unique to you, so to help you make sense of those budding boobs, we’ve put together this handy guide.
The average age for breast growth is around 8-13 years old, which is normally when puberty begins, and the first sign that breast development may have started for you is most likely tenderness in this area, or even itching. This happens because the skin covering the breast area is starting to stretch to accommodate new growth, even if you really can't see much happening at all.
One of the first signs that your breasts are starting to develop is a swelling underneath the nipple area, causing the nipple to appear swollen, it can feel quite tender but it's perfectly normal if not a little uncomfortable.
Breast buds are a more noticeable indication that something is going on in this area, breast development, or to give it its technical name ‘Thelarche’, starts with a small lump being noticed under the skin and behind the nipple about the size of a ten pence piece. This is called a breast bud.
They can start developing anytime between 8 and 13 years old. The nipple and areola (the coloured circle surrounding the nipple) may start to protrude and continue to look a little swollen as the bud starts to grow.
A breast bud can feel quite hard to the touch and is often tender or sore. But don't worry if you accidently knock the breast, the odd knock here and there will do no lasting harm.
Breast buds are just the beginning of breast growth, and they won’t disappear or be replaced by anything. They will continue to grow into the breast tissue and become the size and shape you’ll be more familiar with as a young woman.
Breast development at this early stage doesn’t require a bra for support, but your chest may feel tender, sore or even a little itchy as your breasts start to grow. A soft cup bra, starter or training bra might make you feel more comfortable as they provide some extra padding for the area, but if you’re comfortable without it, this is fine too!
Over the coming months you will see that your breasts appear fuller, and a more defined shape starts to become noticed and inside the breasts the structures that will produce breast milk start to form.
Sometimes one breasts develops earlier than the other, which whilst alarming is very normal and don't worry the other breast will catch up...although even when fully developed they will never be identical - think of them as sisters and not twins!
The nipple and the area surrounding it which can be a little darker or lighter in colour starts to become raised and sometimes this can look like a second mound on top of the breast.
The second mound now disappears, and a single breast contour is noticed, and now the nipple itself may start to protrude and become more noticeable.
This however, is not true for everyone and for some nipples remain flat or inverted and whilst this may not be what you thought they would look like, it is very common and normal.
With so much emphasis on what your breasts look like on the outside, it can be easy to forget that there's quite a lot happening inside too.
Let's take a closer look at the parts of the breast you don't see.
Breasts can take between 3-10 years to fully develop and as we've said breast development for you will be different to friends and family members.
They can also grow in spurts, so don't be too upset if it looks like no development is happening, as you have seen from the picture above, there is quite a lot of development going on inside your breasts.
Breast development usually arrives about 2 years before a first period, but this can vary from person to person.
If you have started your period, you may notice your breasts become sore and tender in the week leading up to your period. This is due to hormone changes in your body, we call this your menstrual cycle. The same hormones that tell your body that your period can arrive soon, can also make breasts appear fuller for a few days.
Ultimately, everybody develops at different times and in different ways. Don’t compare yourself to others and rather focus on getting acquainted with your own body and what’s normal for you.
No matter what you hear, see or read, all breasts are great, and no size is better than any other!
The final size of your breasts is partly down to genetics, which means you're likely to take after your mum or dad’s side (weird right!) and partly based on your own unique body shape.
It's also true that no two breasts are exactly the same, and one breast might always look slightly different in shape and size to the other, even when fully grown.
Some girls are really proud of their new shape, while others feel embarrassed if they develop breasts before friends. Either way, just remember each person develops at their own unique pace, so there’s no set timeline for any of these stages. Your journey will be different to those around you and there’s no rush!
