A Busty Issue!

Do you want bigger boobs?  What about if they could be bigger naturally?  And if they could be enhanced with the help of a 100% natural cream? OH YES PLEASE I hear you cry!

Well, I do not want bigger boobs but who am I to disappoint! If you are looking for a natural lift then there are plenty of creams and herbal supplements for you to try and the good news is that most of them “do it” with herbs that have been used since biblical days. The bad news is that not all of them work and they will cost you Kerching…..

I have to qualify this article with the following statement: I have not tried a breast enlarging cream myself so the review is purely scientific  / my views on the evidence. So, without further ado, let’s get to the heart of the matter:

Natural Boob Enhancement without surgery – sounds great, but is it possible?

Well,  I  did a bit of web surfing and asked a  few industry friends about the science behind these products. The six formulations that I found doing their rounds on the internet were touted as “natural” and were made up of a cocktail of herbal ingredients in some kind of creamy base. The products were to be used either with or without an oral supplement which was also a herbal concoction.

Natural –  I was intrigued by the liberal usage of the term for the products that I managed to find.  While the active component of the creams were natural  (herbs) the base often contained synthetic chemicals – Carbomers, Dimethicone, Triethanolamine, Propylene Glycol and all manor of preservatives.  While these ingredients are all acceptable in a cosmetic formulation, calling them natural is a  bridge too far.  A triumph of marketing over science?

Could they work in theory?  The creams all contained a heady mix of herbs which, if they could penetrate the skin and get through the fatty tissue to the estrogen receptors may be able to do something. Definitely worth more digging.

So how do the creams claim to work?

The idea is that you buy the cream and rub it on up to once a day, preferably after a warm shower when your skin is ready to soak in the goodies.  Some creams give you tips on how to massage in the creams (this would aid delivery and boost circulation which is always a good thing) but others just let you get on with it. Once on the skin the creams are said to release their active ingredients in a way that allows them to get through the skin and deep into the breast tissue.

The average boob is made up of three key parts – the fatty outer layer (adipose tissue) the thickness of this would vary from person to person. Behind that you have the network of mammary glands – the bit of the breast that makes the milk when required. Again, the density of these will vary from person to person. At the back of this are the Estrogen Receptors. This is the hormonal bit which tells your boobs to prepare for breast feeding, to grow in puberty and to react to hormonal changes brought on at menopause. It is the Estrogen Receptors that these creams mostly target.

In Australia (as with many other countries)  breast enhancing creams that work at this level would be listed as pharmaceuticals (either over the counter of prescription only) as they have to get through the skin to work.  At this point we would advice anyone seeking to use a breast enhancing cream to make sure that it is supported by the pharmaceutical regulator in your country.  We would also recommend  talking it through with a doctor as some of the ingredients may interact with prescribed medicines.

The Actives:

The herbal blend varies between brands but most focus on “Mastogenic” herbs i.e: herbs that can stimulate new cell growth in the breasts.  Two of the herbs often used in breast enhancing creams are Saw Palmetto and Fenugreek.  Fenugreek is a member of the pea family (as is Soya which is another popular ingredient).  In herbal medicine it has been accredited with a number of uses including being an anti-spasmodic (to relieve cramping and pains that are associated with mensturation), and as a skin softener.   Saw Palmetto has been used in folk law for prostate problems and is still used today. It is rich in fatty acids and plant sterols (phytosterol) which are under review after finding that high exposure may be linked to increased risks of various heart conditions.  In folk medicine Saw Palmetto has been used to increase breast size although it has been hard to find real evidence of how this is achieved – some men using it for prostate issues have reported tender breasts as a side effect although this was with an oral dose.

Other than these two, herbs like Motherwort (reportedly good for menstral cramps), Oat Grass (for eczema and dry skin), Blessed Thistle (to stimulate milk production and as a contraceptive!) and Hops Flower (Sedative) are also included. As I am not a herbalist it would be impossible for me to tell what effect all of these would have when blended together in a cream and while some do seem to have some ability to affect the hormones,  most of them have not been tested fully for their ability to “grow breasts”.

And So…..

Ok,  so from reading various articles and herb books about the different actives found in these products I can conclude that A) most chosen herbs have a long history of use in folk medicine for treating conditions from menstral pain, wind and headaches to dry skin, lactation issues and insomnia.  A couple have been linked in folk law to breast growth due to their ability to increase breast cells by acting as “plant based hormone stimulators”.  Therefore I can conclude that herbs do have the ability to affect the body (not rocket science!) but do these blends make breasts grow…. Er, not sure. B) Disecting a herbal mixture is useful but as with all chemical blends, interactions are possible if not very probable.  This means that the blend may be more or less potent than the sum of each herb! C)  Even the best blend in the world has to get through some pretty heavy layers of fat and tissue to get to the site of action – that is not impossible but is quite tricky especially as the body is good at keeping stuff out!

So do I buy some?

In a nutshell it seems that these products could work if they contained enough mastogenic herbs formulated in a way that allows penetration through to the very back part of the breast – the estrogen receptors.  Reading the websites of these creams you will find testamonials from many satisfied customers who talk about 1-2 cup size increases happening with just eight weeks of cream use. If it worked for them it may work for you! However, I would proceed with some caution.

The herbal based creams that I have had a quick look at (on the internet mind you) all contain quite a herbal cocktail. While these ingredients may be natural, they should  be used with some caution.  If the “Bust Enhansing” qualities of the herbs in hand are being extolled the other “benefits” of the herbs should not be overlooked – mood changing, anti-cramping, stimulant, sedative etc, etc.  These other features may manifest as “side effects”  and may interfear with prescribed medicines.

If you go forward with the knowledge that anything that can enhance your bust must get right into your body and get to work on you at a hormonal level you will have the right mind set. Get advice first, don’t spend more than you can afford and if the pack  says “Grow two bust sizes in eight weeks” it is probably to be taken with a pinch of salt.  Some of these products claim that the changes induced by the creams are permanent so again, make sure you think before you buy.

If all else fails, the action of rubbing the cream into the breast will help to increase circulation which is always a good thing as far as skin health goes.

Finally, be breast aware – if while rubbing in the cream or while working out if to purchase you come accross a lump or bump that was not there before do see a doctor.   Rubbing a cream into your breast regularly is one way of becoming breast aware so in that regard these creams may do you a favor. See the Breast Cancer Organisation here.

And one last word – you are probably beautiful as you are! Embrace your inner beauty.