Today, it seems like you can’t open up a magazine or flip on the television without seeing a glorified pair of them—breasts. Our society may be obsessed with them, but what do they do for our health?

Your breasts are, primarily, glands that produce milk intended to feed a baby if you give birth. The breast consists of lobes and lobules, which contain many tiny glands that produce milk that travels through ducts toward the nipple.

Throughout your life, your breasts will change—although (sorry) they won’t always be growing in cup size. These changes are due to levels of the hormones progesterone and estrogen and many are natural and normal. Not everything different that you notice about your breasts is life-threatening. So, be careful and wary, but remember that your breasts will change according to your hormonal balance and natural aging process as well. By staying in tune with these natural changes, you’ll be able to easily identify any abnormalities.

Click below to read about related topics.

Introduction
Your Breasts
Breast Cancer Basics
The Breast Self-Exam
The Clinical Breast Exam
Mammogram
Breast Cancer Treatment
Other Breast Problems