THE WOMAN’S BREAST

To understand how breast cysts are developed, you first have to look at how the breasts are initially developed. Your body starts producing tiny amounts of Oestrogen initially, until you hit puberty and your Oestrogen levels heavily increase, causing milk-producing glands, also known as lobules, and tubes that carry the milk to the nipple, also known as ducts, are created to then form breasts.

WHAT EXACTLY IS A BREAST CYST?

Breast cysts are a none harmful disease, also known as a benign. These can develop naturally with age of a person due to changes within hormones, this then develops lumps/lump in one or both of your breasts. When a lot of women get breast lumps, they tend to get worried that it is straight away cancer, in fact, the majority of breast lumps are in fact from breast cysts. It is common that more than one cyst can also grow inside of your breasts.

Breast cysts can develop inside of your breast extremely quickly, over a short amount of time turn into a rather large lump. 

WHAT DO THEY LOOK LIKE?  👀

Breasts cysts are normally circular or slightly oval-shaped. They can be any size but normally start from around a few millimetres to a couple of centimetres. 

EXAMPLES OF BREASTS WITH CYSTS 

X-RAYED BREAST CYSTS

SYMPTOMS OF BREAST CYSTS

• Feeling uncomfortable in the breast area
• Painful breasts
• Feel a lump
• May visually see a lump

WHAT CAUSES BREAST CYSTS?

Breast cysts are caused by the most common “breast effector” hormone known as Oestrogen. Getting older with age causes changes in these hormones which releases fluid produced by the Oestrogen, this is usually during the menstrual cycle (around age 35) but rare events have happened where it has happened to women even earlier. Whilst this is going on, your body starts to naturally produce these cysts and there isn’t much you can do about them growing inside your breasts.

WHEN CAN THEY START?

Women towards the end of their puberty or after, at any point, are in a higher risk of getting breast cysts from milk glands inside of the breasts filling up with liquid, this liquid then becomes a what we know as breast cysts.

CAN YOU PREVENT THEM BEFORE THEY START?

Many people wonder if there are certain ways on preventing breast cysts before they have started, I am sorry to tell you that you can not prevent breast cysts before they start, they are just something that naturally occurs in your body.

ARE BREAST CYSTS HARMFUL?

This question is really dependant on what you consider as harmful. Breast cysts don’t increase any risks for breast cancer or any other dangerous diseases similar, so in a way, no, breast cysts are not harmful. But, if you see something unusual, or something is not feeling good do go and see a GP as soon as possible. 

DO THEY CAUSE PAIN?

Breast cysts don’t usually cause pain in the breasts, not the pain that you feel when you fall over anyhow. But it can produce pain in the way of self-conscience pain, making you feel insecure which is why in the UK the NHS are happy for you to get it funded by them to be removed. 

HOW TO FIND BREAST CYSTS

You can find breast cysts by just feeling in and around your breast area, once you spot/feel a lump ball object in your breast that is what you call a cyst. Now sometimes these things that can start off so small that this regular routine check may not be the best route to go down, so what else can you do?

We recommend that every 3-6 months you should be getting checked by doctors, this just keeps you safe and knowing at early stages when it is at its easiest to remove. Doctors or surgeons will use a breast x-ray, these are also known as routine screening mammograms, these advanced machines will detect the slightest cyst inside of your breast.

If you have, or the doctor has found a breast cyst inside of your breast, then to see if is a fluid-filled cyst or a solid lump the doctor will use an ultrasound scan. This will detect the elements forming this cyst inside of your breast so they can work out what procedure is needed for this.

If neither of these methods suits you, you can always simply head down to your local GP who can talk you through anything you want to know about breast cysts. They can also do regular checks for you, this way at least you know who it is checking your breasts if that makes it more comfortable for you.

CAN MEN GET BREAST CYSTS?

Breast cysts are most common in women, but men can get breast cysts as well as women. A cyst can form in a lot of different places within your body, from your face all the way to your leg, it is a natural occurrence that us humans have not yet learned to prevent yet, but have learned to remove.

HOW TO REMOVE A BREAST CYST?

If you have a breast cyst and wish for this to be removed, you can do only one thing, go and see a surgeon/doctor. But do give it a little bit of time if possible as cysts do go away over time and normally without any problems.

The doctor will give you a few options dependant on the type of cyst and whereabouts in the breast it is. The options would be:

• The liquid to be drained
• Put to sleep operated out
• Stay awake operate out
• Left to settle itself
• Using a needle or syringe

Obviously after your treatment, if it starts to hurt or cause you any more discomfort go and see your local GP, they will usually prescribe you some paracetamol to successfully get rid of any pain left in the breasts.

HOW TO STOP THEM FORMING AGAIN?

You can not physically stop cysts from forming again, they will just naturally appear. Women after the menopause stages in your life cysts stop producing, this is due to large drops in Oestrogen levels within the body, this is also why your breasts, bum and other features of your body don’t look like they did when you were in your early 20’s. 

If you are going through this cycle we recommend having a try of our new breast enlargement cream. Our cream is scientifically built to increase Oestrogen levels and give your breasts a firmer slightly larger look, go and have a look whilst it is on offer!

If you wish for more information on anything else check out our other blogs, until then, have fun and we will see you soon 🙂