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When Do Breasts Stop Growing in Girls?

The age that breasts stop growing in girls tends to vary depending on the person. Some girls will notice that their breasts stop growing at 17.

Others may experience a halt in their breast growth in their twenties. This is less common, but it does happen more often than you would think. 

Breast Growth In Girls

If you want to know when do boobs stop growing, there are quite a few things that you’ll need to understand.

When they stop growing depends on when they start growing in most girls. On top of that, your breast size can also play a role in when breasts stop growing. 

When Do Breasts Start Developing In Girls?

Breasts usually begin developing around 8-13 years old, but this is a general estimate. When a girl’s breasts start to develop depends on when she hits puberty. Girls will go through a stage known as the prepubescent stage before starting puberty.

During this stage, the nipples might begin to stick out. This is usually the first sign of this stage. It happens before girls start to develop other signs of puberty, like body hair. 

Genetics Play A Role

Genetics do play a role in this. For example, if someone’s mom and sisters started their periods at the age of 15, another girl in the family is a genetic predisposition to start their period at the same time.

However, genetics isn’t the only factor that determines when a girl will start puberty. 

Obese Or Overweight Children Are More Likely To Start Puberty Earlier

Studies have indicated that children, particularly girls, are more likely to have an earlier onset of puberty if they are obese or overweight. This is because of several factors, including diet and nutrition.

It’s believed that the more processed foods a girl eats, the more likely she is to start puberty sooner. This goes hand in hand with obesity because processed foods tend to make you gain more weight than natural foods. 

Hormones In Food Might Play A Role

Hormones that are found in foods may also play a vital role in this. This debate began with the hormones in milk. Cows are given hormones to increase milk production.

Those same hormones make their way into the milk that we drink. However, it was determined that the amount is so small that it would not result in the early onset of puberty. 

That doesn’t mean that the same applies to all foods though. Hormones are also found in meat and eggs. The levels of these hormones tend to vary. 

The great debate comes from scientists stating that the acid in the stomach kills things, which makes it impossible for them to have an effect on hormones.

However, this raises the following question: then how do birth control pills work? There are several statements from women stating that they ate whole foods, and did not reach puberty until 15.

One person stated that the only difference is a member of her family was eating non-organic foods, and she began her period at nine years old. She was not overweight, either. 

When Do Boobs Stop Growing?

When breasts stop growing also depends on several factors. This is why the age range varies so much. The sooner a girl starts puberty, the sooner she will typically reach the end of puberty.

At the end of puberty, most girls will notice that their breasts stop growing. As with everything, there are exceptions to the rule. Some girls may notice that their breasts don’t stop growing until they are in their twenties, which is also very common. 

Factors That Affect Breast Development And Growth

There are quite a few different things that affect your breast development and growth. This is why there’s no one size fits all answer to this question.

If you’re wondering when do boobs quit growing, you have to take all of the factors into consideration for each individual situation.

Circle of teenage girls

When A Girl Starts Puberty Also Affects When Boobs Stop Growing

The sooner a girl starts puberty, the sooner puberty ends. So, if a girl starts puberty at nine, she might end puberty at fifteen when other girls are just getting started.

Likewise, a girl that doesn’t start puberty until fifteen might not end puberty until eighteen or nineteen. Puberty can last anywhere from 2-5 years. 

Hereditary Plays A Role In Breast Size

Genetics do play a role in breast size, which can help you determine when they will stop growing. If most of the family is a solid B cup, it’s safe to say that other females in the family might be too.

However, as with the other factors, there are always exceptions. I know one girl whose family consisted of A cups, and she had a DDD cup size.

Likewise, I know another girl whose family was mainly C or D cups and she had an A cup. Assume that they will be a similar size as the rest of the family, but be prepared for those exceptions to the rule. 

Weight Will Also Help Determine Breast Size

Typically, breasts will stop growing once puberty is done, but this isn’t always the case. If a person gains weight, their boobs will usually grow quite a bit in size.

When a person loses weight, they normally go down in size. This is because breasts are made up of mostly fat cells. The more fat you have on your body, the bigger your breasts will usually be. 

Your Breasts Might Get Bigger During Your Period

Sometimes, your body can play tricks on you. Hormones also have a big impact on your breasts, just like they do the rest of your body.

They can change the texture and feel of your breasts. Hormones can also make them swollen or sore. This is common before a girl starts her period. It can give you the impression that your breasts are growing even though they are not. 

So, When Do They Stop Growing?

Usually, breasts will stop growing when puberty stops. This will be within 2-5 years after the onset of puberty. However, there is the occasional exception, and some girls might notice that their boobs stop growing in their twenties.