Thinking of getting the perfect breasts? Here are 9 myths Dr. Ivan Puah wants you to stop believing

From supplements and massages to workout routines, there are countless ways that are touted to help increase your breast size. But, the reality is: these tricks are no more than myths and old wives' tales that do little to help you achieve the perfect bosom you desire.

To separate fact from fiction, we rounded up nine misconceptions people commonly have on how to increase one's cup size. Here's what's true.

9 POPULAR MYTHS BOUT BREASTS DEBUNKED

Can I use Vaseline to enlarge my breasts?

A claim that has been making rounds on social media is that using Vaseline - yes, the tub of petroleum jelly that almost all of us have - every day for about a month can help increase your breast size and firmness.

In reality, there's no clinical evidence at all that applying Vaseline to your breasts daily will enlarge your bust or help with firmness.

Some even believe that massaging a combination of Vaseline and toothpaste can help increase breast size but again, no experts have proven that these products affect the size and firmness of one's breasts.

If you heard someone telling you that they experienced a degree of skin tightness after applying toothpaste on their breasts, the tight after-feel is likely created because the toothpaste has dried on the skin.

Can drinking milk and eating yam, nuts, flax seeds, and sweet potato make my breasts bigger?

If you're looking to naturally increase breast size, Dr. Ivan Puah, medical director of Amaris B. Clinic, has this advice to share: don't look in your refrigerator.

Unfortunately, no foods or eating plans have been clinically shown to enlarge the bust. Any food that purportedly helps increase your cup size is anecdotal.

Do massaging breasts help them grow?

A myth surrounding breast development that many females, some as young as teens, believe in, massaging or touching your breasts, unfortunately, does not cause them to grow bigger.

Similarly, wearing your bra to sleep or putting on a bra that is too small for you isn't going to keep your breasts from growing either if you're looking to reduce your cup size.

In reality, genes and hormones are the ones responsible for your breast growth.

Are there pills that make your breasts grow?

Some supplements or pills may be outright cons, but birth control pills may have an effect on your bust size - if taken in high enough doses.

That's because most birth control pills contain estrogen and progestin, both of which are synthetic forms of hormones that are naturally occurring in your body.

When you take these pills, the level of hormones in your body will inevitably increase. This subsequently generates changes in your body, such as increased breast size or weight gain, albeit temporary.

Does the size of your boobs indicate how much milk you'll make?

It might sound logical that the size of your breasts correlates with milk production, but it's not exactly that simple. The truth? Your cup size matters only if your breasts do not change during pregnancy.

But more often than not, women's breasts are likely to change during this period, so you may not have that much luck in telling how much milk you'll produce based on how big or small your breasts are.

Does breastfeeding cause breasts to sag?

You've probably heard this one countless times before: breastfeeding will make your boobs saggy. In reality, only age - and extreme weight loss - will cause breasts to sag, not breastfeeding.

So if you were on the fence about breastfeeding your newborn before, you'd be glad to know that it's nothing you have to worry too much about.

Can you exercise your way to bigger boobs?

You may have seen all the online videos and articles telling you that you can perk up your breasts and even increase your breast size by doing many bench presses. This, unfortunately, is nothing but a myth too.

That's because your breasts are made of fat tissues, not muscles, and they sit above your pectoral muscles, so training your pecs with bench presses will not have any effect on your bust size.

According to Dr. Ivan Puah, doing so may even have a reverse effect because your breasts will actually shrink due to fat loss.

"Toning workouts such as weight lifting or push-ups only serve to tone up the muscles and are not able to replace the fat lost. It is important to remember that muscle and fat are two different components altogether, so there is no way to increase breast volume via workout."

Can you just gain weight around your chest to help enlarge your bust size?

As mentioned above, the breasts are composed mainly of fat, so your cup size may increase if you've gained weight.

According to an article published by Scientific Reports, a person's body mass index (BMI) is the most significant predictor for breast size. That means the higher your BMI, the larger your breasts are likely to be.

Along with your cup size, your torso circumference can change significantly too, with weight gain (or loss). If you gain or lose nine kilogrammes or more, your bra size will likely go up or down.

Something is wrong with you if both sides of your breasts don't look identical

Trust us when we say that your breasts do not - we repeat, do not - have to look identical, just like our eyes and brows.

In fact, one side of your breasts can be slightly larger than the other, as seen in a study published by the Aesthetic Surgery Journal, which found that the left breast was more significant than the right in the 600 female participants evaluated.

So, if your left breast is more prominent than your right, there's no need to fret. Think of them as sisters, not identical twins.

HOW CAN YOU INCREASE YOUR BUST SIZE?

We hate to break it to you, but there are just very limited ways - if at all - to naturally increase your breast size since it's generally determined by your genes and body weight.

Thus far, breast augmentation surgery is the only proven method for increasing breast size. If breast implants are off-limits for you, you may want to look at this alternative to get a shapelier silhouette instead: transferring excess fat from other parts of your body to your chest.

Consider fat grafting to increase breast size

Yes, we are not pulling your leg. Thanks to medical science, using excess fat from other parts of your body to contribute to your bust line is possible.

Known as fat grafting, the procedure involves transferring fat tissue from areas such as the abdomen, tummy, thighs, or any other areas with unwanted fat to your breasts. It is only practised by doctors with approved liposuction licenses in Singapore.

Fat grafting to increase bust size is gaining popularity for obvious reasons. It essentially kills two birds with one stone by helping you achieve a fuller bosom while visibly trimming another part of your body.

One of such treatments you can find in Singapore is the ADR-C Breast Enhancement, one of Amaris B. Clinic's signature treatments.

It is a two-step fat-grafting treatment that starts by harvesting excess fat from any fat-abundant body area (usually the thighs or belly) via liposuction. Next, the fat tissue is purified carefully to maintain the integrity of the fat cells - before getting re-injected into the breasts.

It's essential that during your consultation with your doctor, you should be open to discussing the ideal areas of your body to acquire fat tissue from. This is to help you achieve your desired body shape by trimming one identified part of your body and increasing your cup size at the same time.

Fat grafting versus breast implants: what's the difference?

We've shared earlier that ADR-C Breast Enhancement (fat grafting, which is also sometimes referred to as fat transfer) is a two-in-one procedure: it slims one part of your body by removing the excess fat and increases your bust size by transferring said excess fat to your breasts.

By using your own fat tissues, there's no risk of rupture and leakage. On the other hand, breast implants carry the risk of rupture and leakage, meaning the implant inserts (usually made from silicone or silicone and saline) must be changed over time.

Furthermore, breast implants are not a permanent solution, and you are likely to undergo surgery later on in your life to remove the inserts or put in new ones. And while both silicone and saline are considered safe for the body, they are still not as safe as your own body fat.

Your breasts may also look and feel unnatural with implants, while fat grafting provides a more natural-looking result and is softer to the touch.

In addition, breast implants have a risk of rippling too, especially when they are too large for your breast tissue. There's also a risk of capsular contracture, a phenomenon where scar tissue thickens around the implants, resulting in implant hardening and distortion.

Unlike fat grafting, which involves just injection of fat cells into the breasts, breast implants typically result in visible scars for placement.

LET AMARIS B. CLINIC HELP YOU ATTAIN THE BUST LINE YOU'VE ALWATS WANTED

If you've been thinking of increasing your bust size but you're not sure where to go for a safe and effective solution, consider visiting Amaris B. Clinic for a consultation.

Here, you can rest assured that your well-being will be looked after as the patient's safety, health, and results are a top priority for the professionals at the clinic regardless of the procedure you undergo here.

You'll also be happy to know that Dr. Ivan Puah, the lead doctor at Amaris B. Clinic, always makes sure that he sets aside sufficient time to conduct a thorough consultation with his patients. He will advise on the suitable treatment plans after assessing one's clinical conditions, needs, and expectations.

With more than 15 years of experience in performing cosmetic enhancements and body sculpting procedures, Dr. Ivan Puah is the medical professional you can trust to recommend a treatment solution that gives you optimal results - breast augmentation via fat grafting included.

Thanks to the unwavering efforts put in by Dr. Ivan Puah and his team, Amaris B. Clinic is widely recognised by medical peers and members of the media. The clinic has garnered accolades like the "2019 Body Sculpting Provider of the Year in Asia-Pacific" and "2020 Body Sculpting Medical Center of the Year in Asia Pacific" by GlobalHealth Asia-Pacific, as well as the "Best Weight Management" award by Tatler Singapore.

In addition, Dr. Ivan Puah is an accredited liposuction doctor in Singapore. He is also a VASER® Certified physician who has obtained his VASER® Fundamental and Advanced Body Sculpting training in Colorado and Argentina.

More than just an aesthetic clinic, Amaris B. Clinic has also expanded its suite of comprehensive treatments and services to include integrative medicine. This includes weight loss and fitness assessment, pain management, sports injury rehabilitation, and myotherapy.

So if you're looking for a medical clinic that can help you boost your self-esteem and achieve your ideal bust size, you won't go wrong with Amaris B. Clinic. We have a team of medical professionals who will be dedicated to enhancing your appearance, health, and fitness on all levels by fully personalising their approach to your treatment.