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Your breasts ... more beautiful: get killer
curves with our guide to uplifting exercises, the best bras, and
more |
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Date: 8/1/2002; Publication:
Redbook; Author: Graves, Ginny |
I've never been what one would
call well-endowed, but when I was in my 20s, my 34Bs sat regally
on my chest. With the right bra I could even create cleavage. By
my 30s not only had my boobs shrunk they appeared to be sacked
out on my rib cage, as if in need of a long rest.
It happens to the best of busts. "Most women start to get
saggier in their 30s, because as you get older your skin loses
elasticity and stretches because of gravity," says Loren
Eskenazi, a San Francisco plastic surgeon. "And pregnancy and
breast-feeding accelerate the process."
Why is childbearing so cruel to your curves? When you're
pregnant, your breasts get bigger, as their ducts enlarge and
their tissue swells, in preparation for breast-feeding. The
months-long stretch-o-thon of pregnancy and nursing can leave
them slack. In addition the ducts and fat in your breasts
sometimes shrink a bit after you have a baby, leaving your
breast's less dense and full. While nothing short of surgery
will make your boobs look like they did when you were 21, there
are less invasive options that can make a difference. Here's the
ultimate guide to beautiful breasts at any age.
"I must, I must, I must increase my bust!"
OK, so exercise won't increase your cup size. But it is a
natural way to make your breasts sit higher and more even on
your chest. "Exercise builds the muscles of the chest wall, so
your breasts will look less droopy," says Mindy Mylrea, a
fitness instructor in Santa Cruz, California. "If you strengthen
your back muscles, too, you can improve your posture, which can
make your chest look a hundred times better." Try to do the
following moves every other day.
The push-up: Assume the women's push-up position--on your hands
and knees on the floor with your back flat, like a plank of
wood. To target the correct muscles (your chestwall muscles),
place your hands on the floor in line with your bust, not with
your shoulders. Keeping abdominal muscles tight and back
straight, bend your arms and lower your torso toward the floor
until your chest almost touches it, then push yourself back up
to the starting position. Work your way up to three sets of ten
repetitions. After you've built up strength, increase the
benefits by putting your toes instead of knees on the floor.
The back extension: After each set of push-ups, lie facedown on
the floor, lift one arm and the opposing leg a few inches
straight in the air simultaneously, and hold for a count of ten.
Do the move twice on each side. Back extensions strengthen your
upper and lower back muscles, thus improving posture.
Are firming creams fruitless?
Ever wonder about those creams that promise to give you fuller
breasts? The kind of cream you see on infomercials typically
contains weak plant estrogens, such as those in wild yam and saw
palmetto, which supposedly stimulate breast growth. Sounds like
the best thing since the Wonderbra, but there's no proof the
ingredients increase breast size, notes Seth Matarasso, M.D., an
associate clinical professor of dermatology at the University of
California, San Francisco. "If these estrogens were powerful
enough to be effective, the creams wouldn't be available over
the counter," he adds.
The other breed of cream usually has a fancy French name and a
fancy price tag to match. Sold in department stores, these
creams are supposed to firm up breast skin. And they do--but
it's only a temporary fix. "They remove fluid from the first few
layers of your skin to make it more taut, so your breasts may
look slightly more firm for a few hours," says plastic surgeon
Eskenazi. Just don't count on long-lasting results.
Curves in a capsule?
Perhaps you've seen the ads and wondered, "Can you pop a pill
and become a pert C cup?" "No pill can safely do that," says
Kelly Shanahan, ob/gyn and author of Your Over-35 Week-by-Week
Pregnancy Guide. Typically these capsules contain herbs whose
effects resemble those of estrogen, a hormone that triggers
breast growth. But Shanahan adds that it may not be safe to take
substances that mimic estrogen, since excess estrogen has been
linked with breast cancer.
Stretch-mark erasers
If you've had a baby or lost weight, you may be all too familiar
with breast stretch marks. "The only things I've found that work
while stretch marks are still red are tretinoin, the active
ingredient in Retin-A, which you apply topically and which is
available by prescription, and treatments with a pulsed-dye
laser, which uses infrared light to stimulate collagen growth
deep within your skin," says Lisa Donofrio, M.D., assistant
clinical professor of dermatology at Yale University School of
Medicine. If your stretch marks are no longer red, a combination
of six microdermabrasion treatments in conjunction with
tretinoin may help.
As for those beauty creams that promise to prevent or zap
stretch marks, experts say they're a waste of money. "Whether
you get stretch marks is up to your genetic destiny," says Kathy
Fields, M.D., clinical instructor of dermatology at the
University of California, San Francisco. "But I always recommend
applying a heavy moisturizer that contains mineral oil or
silicone anyway. It can't hurt, and it may help a little."
JENNIFER WOODHOUSE
Age: 35 Size: 34A
Issue: "I'm so flat-chested, before I had children I skipped a
bra and just wore a camisole. But now I'm too saggy to get away
with that."
Found! An ever so slightly padded push-up from Wonderbra. It
looks amazing on A and B cups.
So does she like it? "This is one of the only bras that don't
make me look like I'm wearing a training bra."
THE BRA THAT SAVED THE DAY:
First Degree Seamless Spiralgraph Lift Bra by Wonderbra. $26
ARACELY MOLINA
Age: 34 Size: 36D
Issue: "By the end of the day, my bra is usually killing me."
Found! This uplifter from On Gossamer makes curvy women look
smooth, sleek, and supported. Bonus: It won't dig into your
ribs.
So does she like it? "I always thought I was a C, but this D cup
fits me so well, and it doesn't cut into my chest. I don't
`overflow' anymore!"
THE BRA THAT SAVED THE DAY:
On Gossamer Amovible Underwire, $17
LAURA WILLIAMS
Age: 34 Size: 34D
Issue: "My breasts actually got smaller after I had my daughter,
so my old bras didn't fit right, And it's been almost impossible
to find replacements I like."
Found! This Wacoal wonder. Wear a D cup? You'll be shapely and
perfectly smooth.
So does she like it? "I love it. It's seamless, has tons of
support to stop any sagging, and feels great on. I'm going to
buy lots of these."
THAT BRA THAT SAVED THE DAY:
Wacoal Slimline Minimizer, $58
JULIA CAMPBELL
Age: 35 Size: 34B
Issue: "Since I have a hard time finding bras that are
comfortable, I tend to choose supersoft ones that don't have any
support."
Found! A very smooth, seamless lined underwire model with just
the right degree of lift
So does she like it? "It's not flimsy, but it's completely
comfortable and really molds to my body,"
THAT BRA THAT SAVED THE DAY:
Rene Rofe Molded Cup T-shirt Bra, $16
The perfect boosting bra
Less than thrilled with your figure? The problem may be your
bra, says Stacey Ellis, a bra-fit specialist for Nordstrom.
You'll get the sexiest support if you look for the following
features:
* A firm, solid back. Flimsy cotton and lace may not be strong
enough to pull your breasts up. A bra with a wide tightly woven
back will help hoist you up in front
* Supportive cups. "If your breasts are saggy, they'll sit in
the bottom of a sheer cup," says Ellis Look for a bra with lined
cups that are slightly firm to the touch
* Underwire. By providing extra support underneath, underwire
bras give more lift than other types But the fit is critical:
"You need to be sure the wire surrounds your breast tissue and
is snug (not tight) against your ribs," says Ellis.
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Source:
This document provided by HighBeam Research at
http://www.highbeam.com
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