The female breast
– anatomy
The appearance
of the female breast is affected by several different factors, of which
heredity is probably the most important. The breast consists of skin and
glandular tissue, which is fastened to the underlying muscle membrane by
strings of connective tissue. Around the mammary gland is a layer of fat,
and there is also fat
between the lobes of the gland. The amount of
fat in the female breast varies enormously, and in some older women the breasts
consist almost exclusively of fat. One effect of this is that the size of
the breast may be greatly changed by dieting. Some women, however, have much
more glandular tissue than fat in their breasts, and their breasts are therefore
less affected by changes in body weight. The growth of the glands is controlled
partly by hormones, which explains why some women experience changes in the
size of their breasts during menstruation or after menopause. Birth control
pills may also affect the size of the breasts.
Beneath the mammary gland is the large
breast muscle, pectoralis major. At its lower end this muscle blends into
to the transverse muscles of the torso. Beneath the pectoralis muscle are
the ribs and the rib muscles. Inside the ribs are the lungs.
Contrary to common belief, there are no muscles in the breasts. Exercise and
physical activity, therefore, can not possibly enlarge the breasts. The underlying
chest muscle can be built up somewhat, of course, but this results mostly
in additional fullness in the outer and upper parts of the chest and has very
little effect on breast size. It is also impossible to lift sagging breasts
by exercise. The upper limit of the breast is usually at the second or third
rib, counting down from the collarbone. It extends across the chest from the
armpit to the sternum, and the lower limit, the crease below the breast, is
normally at about the seventh or eighth rib. The nipple is attached to the
mammary gland by fifteen to twenty-five small milk ducts. There are considerable
individual variations in both the color and size of the nipple and areola.
