How does anorexia
affect breasts?

"I am a 20 yo woman who struggled with anorexia from 15-17. I am still working on kicking it. All the women in my family have large breasts, so I always felt like I needed to make them bigger, especially as I lost weight. At my lowest, I was 105 lbs and about an A cup. Now that I've returned to "normal" eating habits and my weight has increased, I feel like my breasts haven't kept up. According to my most recent measurements, I'm in between a C and a D cup, but I still don't feel like that's big enough. I'm somewhat asymmetrical, the right (my right) being smaller than the left.

Visiting you website has helped me feel a lot better about myself. I see that I'm actually normal. My family has a history of breast cancer, so I feel I also need to come to terms with the fact I might lose my breasts.

Thanks so much for the work you are doing. I hope someday, after I recover, I will be able to do similar work to help women appreciate just how beautiful they all are."

Anorexia and breasts

Anorexia, bulimia, or severe dieting will cause the fat to disappear from breasts, and that is why breasts of an anorexic girl will look very small, or shrunken.

When such a girl is recovering and gaining weight again, fat gets deposited back to the breasts. However, it won't always be the same amount of fat as was there before.

The milk ducts and glands shouldn't be affected - if they had already developed! But if anorexia hits while the breasts are growing ducts and glands, then that development will stop since the starved body will stop producing hormones that drive that growth.

Please read our main breast development page to understand better how breasts develop during puberty.

With anorexia, it is hard to say how things will go afterwards. Most girls become fertile again and resume menstruation, or continue their pubertal development if it wasn't finished, but some girls never gain their menstruation and fertility back even after recovery.

The following letters show how after anorexia, breasts won't necessarily be the same size as before:

Hi. I stared my period when I was 9 years old. Sadly, during 8th grade, I was anorexic and lost my breast fat. I am not anorexic anymore and am healthy so my breasts grew back. I am worried that I won't grow big as they are supposed to grow. Right now, the size of my breasts are the same size when I was in 7th grade...

I am an 18 year old female I just turned 18 about 4 months ago and I got my period when I was 14 , but then when I was about 16 years old I was anorexic for about a year, then I lost all the breat tissue I had and now I'm back to being healthy but I'm a 32 B. Is there anyway my breasts will still grow? My mom and every woman in my family had a 36B or bigger breasts, yet somehow I don't think mine will grow or they are taking long, or do you think my anorexia a while back had an effect on their growth?

hello! I'm 15 years old, and I'm really worried about my breasts. I started my period at age 9 and by that time my breasts were developing and also pubic hair. However people teased me because I was overweight and I got depression and I felt very bad about myself. So by the time I got to middle school I decided to stop eating. At the time I was about 13 almost 14. I wouldn't eat much for a time then i stopped and only drank water. I was afraid to eat and I became anorexic. I would read the food labels and keep note of how many calories I consumed. I quit that after I began to feel numb and nearly had a heart attack and had to go to the hospital twice. Now I'm eating better and I feel better. Except, I don't know if not eating well for half a year could have affected my breasts and I'm worried that they won't grow anymore. I'm a 32A . When I had anorexia, my period did stop. But now that I started to eat again, it's back again. It's been about 8 months now that I have gotten my period. Will my breast continue to grow, or am I done? please help me I would really like to know.

When I was 14 I became anorexic. The anorexia stopped when I was 17. I noticed that my breast size went from a 34C to a 32A. I'm now 19 and am now at the high end of normal weight. However, I have a problem which is that the weight has gone to my bum, and not back to my breasts. Why are my breasts not growing back? And what can I do in order to help them get back the way they were? I don't want to put on any more weight as I'm at the high end of my normal weight range; any more and I'll become obese.

For the most part, the difference compared to earlier breast size would be because the breasts now have less fat. Unfortunately, it's hard to tell if the breasts will gain their previous size or not, and if the duct and gland development was completed. However, if and when these girls get pregnant, the breast development during pregnancy will quite likely be normal.

Other people's comments

Disclaimer: Information here is not medical advice. It is not intended to diagnose or treat any disease, nor to replace the advice you could get from a health professional. If you are in doubt, please see a doctor (or several). So if you're in doubt, and especially if you have some other symptoms, please see a doctor.

The following comments are from various visitors to www.007b.com, and may or may not agree with the viewpoints presented on this website. The comments are posted here because they might further help and encourage men and women who visit this website; however 007 Breasts is not responsible for this content or any loss/damage caused by reading these.

I'm 16 and I became anorexic around last year June. My breast size was a 34B and now is barely a size A. I also lost my period which sill hasn't come back yet for a whole year, and I'm working on gaining weight. I'm 5'3 100lb. I'm so stressed about if my breasts will grow and even if I get my period back. I'm so confused and no one can tell me much.

Amanda

Hi Amanda,
Most anorexics to get their period back, but not all. That's probably why people cannot tell you much for sure. The best thing to do is keep eating healthy, and also not only eat but try to get some extra nutrition to help your recovery. Also, your breasts may not gain the same amount of fat as they used to have. But the most important thing is to get your period to working. Then your hormones will be back to normal too.

I was just reading the info above about anorexia, and breast stuff.. and I started crying. I have suffered anorexia around 3 times, once due to sickness, another because of abuse, and the next because of depression (including the abuse). I'm from Australia, so my sizes are different to every other I've read on here. I started puberty at the age of 7-8, got my period at 10. Sickness was at age 8. Second was around age 10-12.. and the last was at age 13. I used to have a nice full body, including a size 12C. Now I'm about a size 12A-B. and I hate it... because looking at my body, and breasts, reminds me of the past. I want bigger breasts, but not by much, just about a 12C or so... but I doubt that will happen. :( sorry.. sorta had to let it out.

HoneyBee

I've struggled with eating problems for years and I know that it has affected my breasts' appearance. I have stretch marks on them from rapid weight changes, and they are not as "perky" as they would be had I stayed a constant healthy weight. It's very hard on the soft tissues in your body to starve them for one, and to constantly fluctuate weight further exacerbates this. Personally, I like small breasts and that part doesnt bother me. But I wish they were a little more firm and nicely shaped. Also, I think we as recovering sufferers of eating disorders need to remember we often experience BDD (Body dysmorphic disorder), and need to put our view of or body into perspective.

sandra

I am 13 almost 14 years old and I quit being anorexic about 4 months ago, I didn't eat because I was scared and bullied when I was 11 about my weight and everyone teased me about how 'fat' I was back then. I quit eating when I was 13, luckily I quit after only one month for nothing 'severe' like breast shrinking to happen. It was scary trying to eat a little when I was getting back in the hang of it still sort of am, but I try really hard and I'm gaining normal body weight back. I was a 5'5" 100 pounds early 13 years when I was anorexic. I am now a healty 5'5" 120 pounds! Thank you, this site has helped me a lot with my anorexia seeing I'm not the only one that felt this way about my body and are happy to be back to normal!

Alyssa

Hi! I'm twelve years old and ever since I was born I was chubby. My family and friends always teased me about my weight, so at 11 years old I decided to stop eating. I lost 20 pounds in about 7 months. My family started worrying about me. Then I went to the doctors and they said I was average weight (97 lbs and 4'9). My health teacher at school asked me if I was eating, I lied and said yes. I recommend that nobody should stop eating and they should eat healthier and exercise. When I played soccer it helped me lose weight but I had an eating disorder for several months. DON'T STOP EATING!!!

Alyssa

I am thirteen years old and as I am growing older, I am becoming more and more aware of my breast size. Everyone in my class is either a C or a D. When I found out about this site, it has helped me so much and lettng me know that there are others out there who had been insecure and had grown to ebrace their breast size. Thank you so much :]

Kirin

Although I have never completely been anorexic, I believe something very similar, maybe possibly even some form of anorexia, could have done some damage to my development. When I was a bit younger I went through some difficult things. I always tried hard to make myself eat so I wouldn't get sick with anorexia, however at times I would not be able to eat at all, and would have to force myself to eat for fear of becoming anorexic. Yet I still became very very skinny. Now I am nearly 17, am back to normal yet still skinny, and am still flat chested. These problems I had only happened a few years ago and I am afraid they could have caused problems in my development. Could these problems I had that made me very very skinny also have caused problems in my normal body development and small chest? If so, are these problems permanent or can I later begin developing how I was supposed to? Will this cause me to be flat forever? I'm barely a size 32A.

Unfortunately, I don't know the answer to your question. It could be either way: it could be that the lack of nutrition did cause problems, or it could be it didn't actually cause problems but that you are small-chested anyway (by nature, by your genes). And it could be that you will still develop later on.

So I'm sorry for the lack of answers. This is so often the case with anorexic, bulimic, etc. girls - we just don't know for sure.

Now, time will tell. It would be interesting to hear from you again in 5 years or so, to see how things turned out.

All the best! Maria

I am 16, and though I never had severe anorexia, at one point of my life I exercised a lot, drank a ton of caffeine, stayed up late, and ate very little. I went from being 100 lbs to 92 lbs in about a month. I gained it back slowly over a year, and now weight 108 lbs, but my breasts are now only a size A32.

I don't remember how big my breasts were before, but it's definitely no picnic to be 16 and have A32 breasts. I'm very worried that I will not be able to breast feed my children as a adult. I want to ask my doctor if there is still hope that my breasts will still have time to develop more. Do you think so?

Carolyn

I don't know if your breasts will still grow more, or not. It is possible since it has happened to others.

Also, if you gain weight at some point, your breasts will also probably gain some and appear bigger.

Another thing. Please read our article on Breast Size and Breastfeeding. Breast size, especially initial breast size, is not an indicator of breastfeeding ability. The only women who should be concerned are those with pointy, tubular shape breasts that have a wide gap between them on the chest wall—that is a possible sign of hypoplastic breasts.

Hi, I'm 19 and am recovering from anorexia. It's been about 8 months. I had a large C and then went to a B... I'm back to a C but haven't gained my full breast size back. I think it depends on your body and the effort you put into regaining weight and body fat. Without the body fat your breasts have no fat to regenerate

Kay

I'm 16 years old, with 34A breasts, which were 38Cs before issues led me to developing EDNOS (I was never underweight, but went from a BMI of 29 to 19). I'm in recovery at the moment, and I was wondering if my breasts will go back to the size they once were, without me gaining weight to the stage where I'm verging on obese again?

Also, my nipples are virtually nonexistent. I have a pale areola which is 5 cm across, but the nib is tiny and completely flat - less than 3 mm across, and it looks wrinkly and crusty (I'm sorry about the rank description, but its the easiest way of describing it).

According to the Tanner stages, I'm at about stage 3, but it has been 5 years since my first period (and 4 months since my last, unfortunately) so is there any way I still have a lot of developing to do? or has my eating disorder messed it all up irreparably?

Thank you so much for this website, it has helped me accept my breast size.

Ali

I cannot really tell if your breasts will grow or change in size. I feel that they should be OK though, with no permanent damage to the tissues and milk glands.

The smaller size is mostly due to the lost fat.

Your nipple is normal. It sounds it is flat, but that's fairly common and nothing much to worry about. Please read more and see pictures on our nipple information page.

I hope you find out why your period is missing. Perhaps you still need to gain a little bit of weight. I wish you all the best in your sustained recovery.

I am going through treatment right now to gain the weight back because I'm struggling with anorexia. I'm 13 and I was hospitalized about 4 weeks ago. I have been home for 3 weeks... but I'm worried I'll change. I'm still scared of gaining the weight and changing sizes... is this normal?
I just wish I could be happy with my body. Anorexia is so hard to go through... especially with school and no one knows that you're struggling.

Britney

Hi Britney,
I'm sure that those feelings are quite normal among anorexia sufferers. Why don't you chat/talk with others who have the same problem, at this website:
SFWED Remember It Hurts Community

There ARE plenty of people who know it hurts and is hard to go through... those who have gone through the same.

I am 27 years old and have had eating disorders since I was 13. My breast development was delayed due to being so underweight (I am 5'6" 96 lbs.) I have been eating better and about 9 months ago my breasts started to hurt a lot and were growing. I am very surprised that breasts can develop at my age. Now one is a B cup and the other is a A cup in the Tanner 4 stage of development.

Laurie

I'm 14 and I'm bulimic. I just strated a few weeks ago, but I can already see my breasts strating to shrink. I'm very concerned because I already have small breasts as it is. I'm a 34 a- almost a b. Is there anything I can do to prevent or slow down this proccess, and how big do you think they will be when I recover?

Alyssa

Hi Alyssa,
Your breasts are shrinking because your body is CRYING for energy, and there is some fat in your breasts.

There is no way to prevent that except to start eating food.

After recovery, most anorexic girls' breasts do not 'gain' back their earlier fullness. The breasts remain smaller and emptier and possibly look sagging.

When I was 15 and a half I began to take an allergy medicine that was a decongestant that contained an appetite suppressant stimulant in the formula. I went from 140 pounds in the wintertime to 120 pounds in the summer! My breast size went from a 36 full B to a now measly A almost B cup size 34. I'm now regaining weight in a desperate attempt to fill out on top again, but so far it isn't working. And now I'm becoming obsessive. At 134 pounds my breasts look shrunken and out of place with the rest of my body. Will my breasts ever recover to a satisfying full B again? All I want is to regain fat that is on the upper part of my breasts again. Will going on the pill substancially help my growth? Any other tips to give me hope?

Your situation isn't unheard of. I don't know why, but it seems to happen that lost fat does not go back to the same places. In case of breasts, that might have to do with the changes in various hormone levels, as well.

When your breasts first started developing and gained that fat, it was in the beginning of puberty, and estrogen AND human growth hormone both were at high levels. Also, insulin and insulin-like growth factor 1 are at high levels during puberty, and then later decline.

So whether a pill would help or not, I cannot say. It used to have the side effect of making breasts bigger in some women, but nowadays the hormone levels in the pill are less.

You can try to tone the pectoral muscles and thereby get an "illusion" of slightly larger breasts. Bras of course can also create such an illusion. I'm sorry I cannot think of any other thing to change this situation.

Hello. I'm 16 years old. Over the course of a year few months, starting when I was 14, I lost and regained about twenty pounds. Because I was already thin, I was considered anorexic. I am currently 5'6" and 120 pounds. I barely fit into a AA. I attributed the fact that I was small to my weight loss, but now that I have been healthy for more than a year I'm doubtful as to whether or not I'll ever grow. Is this normal? And can I expect any growth?
Jasmine

Hello Jasmine,
You didn't mention your breast size when you were 14. But I have heard this story often, so apparently it often happens that the fat does not accumulate back in the breasts.

However, you are still on the skinny side. I would guess that as you grow into your early twenties, as so many females do gain a little bit of weight at that point, that you can get a little fuller breasts at that time (not a huge difference though).

As far as breast development—the growth of milk ducts, milk glands, and the major fatty deposits, I don't know if more of that will happen. There isn't much information on anorexia and breast development after recovery.

I used to be anorexic when I was in end of 5th gr till beginning of 7th grade but when I was 8-9 yrs old my breasts began developing but during the period of time I was anorexic I lost most of it. Now I'm in 9th and healthy and a 34-36B but I'm still concerned I might not grow as much as I was supposed to. I think you do grow depending on how much you eat and my mother said that before it was fat and not real breast tissue but I'm not sure

anonymous

I developed breasts when I was 11, however I didn't have a period until I was 14. I had large breats, they were a 36C when I was 12. By 15 I worked as a model and developed anorexia for about 1 year (I don't know why; I was thin anyway). My boobs shrank to a 32B. I recovered and 12 years has past (stopped modelling 10 years ago.) However this changed my body shape forever, my breasts grew back bigger and changed shape, they have never been as pert as before -but my torso's frame was stunted. I now wear either a 32E or a 34DD depending on make... often I can't find a bra that fits my shape. I now work out, cycle and jog to keep musclular and athletic, not skinny for health and stregnth reasons. I have to wear a sports bra and crop top to be comfortable while running. Overall I'm very happy with my body shape and size.

Iona

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How does anorexiaaffect breasts?

Anorexia and breasts

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Other people's comments

How does anorexia
affect breasts?