Small breasts / Hypomastia: Seeking advice/options

loneranger29 said:So, yeah... I'm going through the exact same thing... my doctor actually told me I have PCOS... but she’s left me with all these same questions you're asking... I think I'll have to go back and really dig into it with her... honestly, my confidence is just totally shot right now. 🤷

I totally get where you guys are coming from, seriously, and I'm guessing you might be a little younger too, so you should definitely talk things over with your doctors, but even if there isn't some magic fix, it really isn't the end of the world, actually 😉
and there's just no reason for your self-esteem to be at zero, like, absolutely none, and I don't want to sound like I'm preaching or anything, but bust size really isn't some guarantee for happiness, beauty, or success, because I know some of the most gorgeous women ever who barely have any cleavage at all, and they are still sooo beautiful and desirable. 😍

Michelle Hernandez13 said:hey girls 👎 please help if anyone has dealt with something similar. I'm 22 and my breasts just haven't developed. They started at 13 but never really progressed beyond that. Two years ago, I was also diagnosed with PCOS. It could be the cause, maybe, or maybe not...
please 🙏🙏🙏 ladies, if any of you have faced this, reach out because I'm honestly desperate—I'm an A cup, basically a third of a real cup, while everyone else in my family is at least a B or C. I want to know if there's any way to fix this. Is there some kind of hormone therapy that triggers growth? Like what they use during gender affirmation surgery or something similar? Please, if you have any experience or info, let me know. I haven't found anything online, and my doctor didn't give me much to go on either. Help...
thanks so much in advance 🙄 🙄 🙄

Supposedly there are plenty of ways to handle this without surgery. Creams, fat grafting, stem cell injections from other areas... but
The internet and Google exist specifically to provide answers to all your little questions, sweetie. I can certainly assist by typing this into Google for you.

Mine are tiny too, and as far as I know, it’s not even a PCOS thing. My whole family is super busty, but me? I’m just blessed with nothing.
I’ve had two kids and totally thought they’d finally grow during pregnancy, but nope. Zero change. They're exactly the same as before.
I'm 26.

So, here’s the deal. I’m dealing with something pretty similar... I’m turning 16 soon, and I stay active and work out regularly and everything. My breasts started developing about three years ago, but honestly, they haven't really changed since then—they still look like they belong to an 11-year-old, which is basically nothing. I know most people are gonna tell me I'm just being dramatic or that I'm still growing, but I feel like it's not really normal for a 16-year-old girl in America to not have even started her period yet, let alone almost no breast development. I guess I don't know if it's a hormone thing or something else, especially since my sister and my mom both have plenty of curves, so it can't be genetics. I was thinking about seeing a doctor to get checked out because I'm kind of freaking out—mostly because all my friends seem way more developed—but at the same time, it feels kinda silly to go. So, yeah, I don't know, any advice? :S Also, I read some stuff about soy having hormones that might help with growth, but I'm super skeptical about that... Help! :O

Hey everyone,
My boobs are still basically nonexistent. Honestly, without push-up bras, I wouldn't even pass for a woman. I actually went in for a breast ultrasound recently, and my doctor told me straight up that they’re way too small, but there isn't anything she can do about it—it’s just how I'm built. It sucks.

Dennis Castillo83 said:So, here's my situation. I'm turning 16 soon, and I work out pretty regularly. My chest started developing about three years ago, but honestly, nothing has changed since then—it’s basically flat. I know people will jump to say I'm just "late" or still growing, but I don't think it's normal for a 16-year-old girl to have zero development and haven't even started her period yet. I'm worried it might be a hormonal issue because my mom and sister both have curves, so it's definitely not genetic. I thought about seeing a doctor because I'm getting anxious—especially since all my friends are way more developed—but it feels kind of silly to bring up. Any advice? I also read that eating soy might help because of the hormones, but I'm skeptical. Help.

I think you might just be overtraining. Being super active can sometimes stall physical development, but once you scale back, things usually catch up quickly. That said, you really should see a gynecologist since you haven't had your period yet. Personally, I'm fairly certain your training schedule is what's holding everything back.

I’m also dealing with the whole tiny chest situation. I started my period back in freshman year of high school and now I’m 20. My boobs actually started developing around middle school, but then they just... stopped. Honestly, my 10-year-old cousin is probably gonna outgrow me before she even hits puberty, so I totally feel your pain. The real kicker is that I haven't even gone to a doctor to check things out because, let's be real, I have zero clue who I'd even talk to about this.

Hey ladies, I’m 20, turning 21 soon. I hit puberty pretty early and was diagnosed with PCOS, though my last OB-GYN visit was basically just him telling me everything is fine and that I’m "gynecologically healthy." So, I have one little problem—okay, maybe more than little... my breasts never really developed. I look like a kid. I can't figure out if this is some kind of hormonal imbalance or just bad luck with genetics, especially since every woman in my family has a large bust. It’s honestly eating at me. I wouldn't even care if they were just small, but having nothing at all makes me feel totally un-feminine. Has anyone dealt with something similar? Is there any actual chance for improvement here, or am I stuck looking at plastic surgery as my only option?

I'm 18 years old. My breasts started developing earlier than most of my peers. I actually got my first period when I was only 11. On my mom's side, the women usually have a size B, and on my dad's side, they tend to be a size C. I'm currently a B cup, maybe leaning slightly toward a C. In terms of shape, they don't look fully developed. They aren't particularly full, and the shape feels a bit off to me. They aren't saggy—they actually protrude a little—but the issue is that the overall shape makes them look underdeveloped. Does anyone know what this might be? Is this normal?

So, I’m jumping back into this thread because I’m dealing with the exact same thing.
Basically, my development started when I was about 12—sixth grade, if you want to get specific—and then everything just... stopped. Nothing happened after that. Fast forward to now, I’m 23, and things are still stuck in that same spot.
I see people posting about this all the time online, but it’s always some kid saying, "I'm 14..." or "I'm 17..." which just makes me chuckle—I can't seem to find anyone older in these discussions. And if there *is* someone older, they’re usually complaining about having small breasts. Honestly? I would give anything to be able to complain about that. But I don't have them at all. At all.
On top of that, I was recently diagnosed with excess testosterone—which clearly has been an issue for at least a decade, though I’m only finding out now. I spent years just hoping I’d eventually "catch up" or that there was still time left for my body to develop, but apparently, this is why it didn't happen (and no, it isn't genetics; the women on both sides of my family are very well-endowed).
Now, I have the option to go on hormone therapy, but I’m pretty skeptical. Even the gynecologists mention that it only works while you're actually taking it, and once you stop, your body just reverts to its old state—meaning am I really going to be popping pills for the rest of my life just to maintain progress?? So, I decided to try a different route: changing my diet. I've cut out almost everything that triggers testosterone production and started focusing on foods that contain phytoestrogens and support progesterone (think flax, tofu, nettle, stuff like that).
Btw, my periods are regular and I don't have PCOS.

Has anyone else here dealt with this? I would be so incredibly grateful for any insight. If anyone has tried hormone therapy and found it actually worked long-term, please let me know—just give me some advice based on what you've actually lived through.

And please, spare me the "small breasts are beautiful" comments. I get it, really, I do. This isn't an aesthetic grievance for me; it's a hormonal imbalance. It's a medical issue, and I care deeply about fixing it so I can have healthy, normal female physiology.
🤷😕

I can't believe I actually have to say this out loud... but seriously, what are we even doing here? Just staring at the walls while everything falls apart around us... it’s getting ridiculous. Honestly, if anyone else tries to tell me how to feel about this, I might just lose it... just totally lose it. Everything feels so heavy lately, you know? Like, you try to keep up, you try to play the game, but the rules keep changing every five seconds... it’s exhausting. And don't even get me started on the people who act like they have all the answers... please. We're all just winging it... most of us are just barely keeping our heads above water... anyway, just my two cents... or whatever... kaže:

So... I could go the hormone therapy route, but honestly? I’m feeling pretty skeptical about the whole thing. Even my OB-GYN was basically telling me that it only works while you're actually taking it, and once you stop, your body just reverts right back to how it was before... which leaves me wondering... am I really going to be stuck popping hormone pills for the rest of my life??...

Honestly, you should probably go track down a really solid endocrinologist... someone who actually knows their stuff...

Look, what I wrote above... I know for a fact it isn't right. At least, not in my experience or with any of the other women I actually know personally. Whether it’s from being on birth control or dealing with a pregnancy—basically just hitting the body with a heavy dose of hormones over a specific window of time—it caused breast growth that just... never went back down. They stayed that way.

I mean, I know trans folks are on long-term hormone therapy... so I’m guessing these gynecologists aren't even touching on that topic, right?

Honestly, I’d jump at the chance to try hormone therapy if I wasn't so spooked by all the horror stories out there. My OB-GYN actually already wrote me a prescription for Yaz, but I haven't even picked it up yet—it's just sitting there. When I browse through health forums, it feels like 90% of women are just venting about how much worse things got after they stopped birth control; they claim that after a few months, everything just reverted back to the original mess, or sometimes even worse. Then you have the other 10% who are still on it and swear by it. It’s a bit of a toss-up, really. If I ended up in that first group, I honestly wouldn't know what to do with myself.

I'm kind of at a loss here... What has your experience been like? Are you off the pill now and feeling totally fine?

mistybadger5 said:Honestly, I’d totally go for hormone therapy if I wasn't so spooked by all the horror stories out there. My OBGYN actually prescribed some birth control pills already, but I haven't even picked them up yet. It feels like 90% of women on these forums are complaining about what happens when you stop taking them... saying everything just crashes back to how it was, or even worse, after a few months. Then there's the other 10% who are still on them and doing fine. If things went south for me, I honestly wouldn't know what to do...

I don't even know what to say... What about you? You stopped birth control and everything's fine now?

Look, I'm telling you again: you need an specialist endocrinologist, not just a regular OBGYN—especially since it's pretty obvious you don't trust yours anyway.

Yeah, my experience is exactly what I said before. Everything is totally fine, even years later.

Just keep in mind that on a Health subforum, you're way more likely to run into people who are struggling or looking for answers because they're unhappy with their situation. People whose lives are running smoothly usually aren't hanging out here venting... it makes sense, right?

Whatever you do, don't make decisions based on random anecdotes, including mine. You need actual medical treatment tailored specifically to your labs and your own body...