MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia: Aging changes in the breast

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Aging changes in the breast

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Illustrations	Information

Illustrations

Female Breast

Mammary gland

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With aging, a woman's breasts lose tissue and subcutaneous fat, reducing the size and fullness of her breasts. There is also a decrease in the number of mammary ducts.

The breasts lose support. Aging breasts commonly flatten and sag, and the nipple may invert slightly. The areola (the area surrounding the nipple) becomes smaller and may nearly disappear. Loss of hair around the nipple is common.

Breast cancer risk increases with age. Women should perform monthly breast self-examinations. However, because breast self-exams do not always pick up early stages of breast cancer, women should also talk to their health care providers about mammograms.

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Update Date: 12/23/2002

Updated by: Steven Angelo, M.D., Assistant Professor of Medicine, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.

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