When you think about your breasts, you might not really stress about what they can indicate about your overall health. Your breasts can communicate a lot about what's going on in your body. You should know what your breasts look and feel like normally so that you can identify any changes that may occur in a timely fashion. If you do notice any differences that seem out of the ordinary, you must report to your doctor immediately. Breast Cancer Awareness Month 2019: Do Parabens Cause Breast Cancer? Here’s the TRUTH!

1. Your Breasts Are Growing In Size

When you put on weight in the rest of your body, your breasts also appear bigger. So if you grew larger by a cup size, you can blame your back fat. Remember that your breasts do not grow in size unless you are pregnant.  When you are pregnant, hormonal changes can trigger breast tissue growth spurt.

2. Your Breasts Are Shrinking

Your breasts are made of fatty tissues, so when your weight loss efforts start to show results, your breasts also shrink in size. However, if you are effortlessly shedding cup size and you cannot figure out why, you should see a doctor as it could be due to an overactive thyroid or a chronic disease. Also, your breasts can shrink once your period starts and your hormones relax.

3. One Breast Is Bigger Than the Other

It is completely okay if your breasts are not perfectly symmetrical. However, if you notice a significant change in the shape of one of your breasts, it could signal an abnormality linked to breast cancer. So see your doctor right away. How to Choose the Right Bra Size According to Your Breast Type.

4. Irritation under the Breasts

Everything from underwire bra, the soap residue, and the itchy sweater can irritate the area under the breasts. Also, wearing and re-wearing the same bra may seem like a good way to extend its life but it can foster bacterial and fungal infections, making your breasts sweat.

5. Visible Stretch Marks on Breasts

Every time you gain or lose weight, the breasts expand and contracts which results in stretch marks. Stretch marks in breasts are particularly common in women after pregnancy and the drastic weight fluctuation is to blame.

6. Particularly Dark or Light Nipples

Different women just have different pigmentation patterns so it is completely normal to have particularly dark or light nipples. Also, there are no studies that suggest that nipple colour is linked to breast cancer. Itchy Breasts and Nipples? 6 Reasons Your Lovely Lady Lumps Are Itchy As Hell.

7. Bumps on Areola

It is normal to have small pimple-like bumps on your areolas. The breast is designed for milk production, and those bumps are just the ends of milk ducts. They sometimes puff out a bit, so do not get panicked if you notice some of them. However, if you notice a large bump, call your doctor immediately so that they can rule out any cause for concern.

8. Stray Breast Hairs

If you suddenly find yourself sprouting chest hair, it could be because of your elevated testosterone levels due to PCOS, a condition where your ovaries or adrenal glands produce excessive amounts of male hormones, resulting in cysts and other symptoms.

9. Lumpy Breasts

It's pretty common to notice lumpy breasts in the days leading up to your period. Caffeine can also sometimes aggravate breast soreness so cutting back on coffee and sodas can certainly help. From Under-Boob to Wide-Set, Types of Cleavages You Didn’t Know Exist!

10. Hard Nipples

If your nipples are hard, it is just a contraction of the small muscles around the nipple and is associated with stimulation before or after sex. And when sex is the last thing on your mind, the simplest explanation to hard nipples is that you are feeling too cold.

And finally, if you think that you have a retracted nipple or any kind of dimpling in the nipple or breast, it can indicate that you have cancer growing back there.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Oct 30, 2019 11:54 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).