By Alice || Edited by Go Ask Alice Editorial Team || Last edited Aug 19, 2024
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Cite this Response

Alice! Health Promotion. "How can I make my breasts bigger without surgery?." Go Ask Alice!, Columbia University, 19 Aug. 2024, https://goaskalice.columbia.edu/answered-questions/how-can-i-make-my-breasts-bigger-without-surgery. Accessed 03, Dec. 2024.

Alice! Health Promotion. (2024, August 19). How can I make my breasts bigger without surgery?. Go Ask Alice!, https://goaskalice.columbia.edu/answered-questions/how-can-i-make-my-breasts-bigger-without-surgery.

Dear Alice,

Is there any way to make your breasts bigger without surgery? I heard that you can take pills but I don't know the side effects or if it even works. What are the bad things that could happen if I took the pills to get bigger breasts?

Dear Reader,

Finding yourself wistful for a larger set of breasts isn’t an uncommon phenomenon, but you’re not the lone small-boobed person in a world of large chests. Everyone’s breasts come in different shapes and sizes and the world is so much more interesting for those differences. But if you’re doubling down on those double Ds, you might be interested in exercising certain muscles, working on your posture, or investing in a good bra. For more information about breast size and potential methods to increase them, read on!

Your breast size is determined by genetics, hormones, and your weight. Over the course of your life, the size of your breasts changes as your hormones and weight fluctuate. During puberty, ovaries start producing estrogen, which prompts fat collection in the breasts, the nipples to perk up, and the areolas to enlarge. During the menstrual cycle, breasts can become larger because mammary glands enlarge in preparation for pregnancy. Later during menopause, breasts lose some of their original shape, though some people choose to undergo hormone therapy which can help mimic the swelling of boobs that happens during the menstrual cycle. So, the way your breasts look at this instant likely isn’t how they’ll look forever.

There are also many other non-surgical methods advertised as being able to grow your breasts, including creams, massages, and suctions. Despite their grand claims, no research supports the idea that these methods work. You mention that you’ve heard about pills that can increase breast size. In addition to supplements, you might have also heard that dairy or soy products can help breasts grow because they contain estrogen. But no matter how much milk you slurp or tofu you gobble, your breasts will remain unchanged. Additionally, most of these non-surgical methods are unregulated, so it’s difficult to know the side effects. If you do decide to go down this route, it’s recommended you speak with your health care provider prior to starting—supplements can interact with other medications you’re taking and have additional side effects, which your provider may know more about.  

In fact, many of these supplements and breast boosting products have emerged as a result of the societal pressure for people with breasts to look a certain way. This external pressure is something to keep in mind as you explore your options. You might ask yourself: Why am I interested in having larger breasts? What do I associate with having larger breasts? Am I interested in enlarging your breasts for myself or someone else? How would having larger breasts change my life? Figuring out where your desire for a busty figure is rooted might help you decide how to move forward.

All of this said, there are some safer non-surgical ways to increase breast size that can support your health, too. These include:

  • Getting physical. Certain exercises like wall presses, pushups, chest press extensions, and cobra pose can help build muscles in your chest, shoulders, and back. By strengthening the muscles underneath and around the bosom, the breasts themselves can appear lifted and perky. One word of caution though: losing a ton of weight through exercise can also reduce some fat in breast tissue and lead to smaller looking breasts. 
  • Standing up nice and tall. Perfecting your posture may help to draw up your breasts to the sky. 
  • Measuring up. If you’re not wearing a well-fitted bra, your boobs may appear droopy or flat. Wearing the proper size bra can make all the difference in helping your breasts rest naturally. Additionally, there are even bras, like pushup bras, that enhance your natural size. With the help of some extra padding, you can give your boobs a little boost. 

These non-surgical strategies may be simpler to make and are certainly less expensive than surgery. They may also bring other benefits—exercising can release endorphins and having better posture can reduce neck and back pain—so consider trying them out.  

Though many wish they had larger breasts, there isn’t anything inherently better about a bigger bosom. You (and your breasts) are perfect the way they are, and you might consider showing them a little love no matter the size—after all, they’re the only ones you’ve got!  

Tata(s) for now,

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