Fact Check: Can firming cream aid breast enlargement? Not true

Hyderabad: An advertisement with irrational claims about breast enlargement has taken the internet by storm.

The viral advertisement claims that you can get the desired size just by applying the viral breast-firming cream named Reshape+ for 4 weeks.

Concern about breast size is one of the issues teenage girls face to wait while they wait for nature to take its course which is especially dependent on genetics. The desire to have a perfect body proportions is nothing new. The same urge leads girls to trust such viral firming or enhancement creams or oils etc.

Estrogen is a hormone that plays various roles in the body. In females, it helps develop and maintain the reproductive system and other female characteristics, such as breasts and pubic hair, says Mayoclinic.

Let’s dig out the facts!

Fact Check

NewsMeter found the claim to be utterly false as no diet or cream can help with breast enlargement. According to Medical News Today, “There is no evidence that any topical skin product can affect breast growth, or change the shape or appearance of the breasts long-term. Breast growth is a complex process that begins in puberty. The rate and amount of growth depend mainly on internal factors.”

The factors include:

Hormones: Female sex hormones, such as estrogen, influence breast growth throughout life. Events that cause fluctuations in estrogen and progesterone, such as menstruation, pregnancy, and menopause, can also change the shape and size of the breasts.

Body weight: To an extent, weight gain or loss can change the shape and size of the breasts.

Ageing: As someone ages, the skin naturally becomes less elastic and firm. This can lead to the breasts changing shape. Sun exposure, gravity, and other factors can increase these visible signs of ageing.

Moreover, a 2018 Laboratory study titled ‘Collagen Synthesis - Promoting Effects of Andiroba Oil and its Limonoid Constituents in Normal Human Dermal Fibroblasts’ suggests that andiroba oil may promote collagen synthesis when it comes to tightening, but this did not involve human participants.

Center 4 Research states that, “The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Better Business Bureau confirm that no breast enhancement product has ever been proven to actually work. Even though they may seem to be genuine with quotes from ‘real people’ saying the product worked, as well as a money-back guarantee, you will get nothing more than flat results.”

It further adds, “These companies are allowed to sell products that do not work because the government does not regulate the sale of ‘beauty products very carefully. Except for drugs prescribed by doctors, most consumer products do not require government approval or testing. The FDA regulates the labelling of ingredients, and the use of colour additives, and they have banned the use of eight chemicals; otherwise, companies are basically free to do as they wish.”

Lastly, Healthline says, “No food or diet plan has been clinically proven to increase breast size. There are also no supplements, pumps, or creams that can make breasts larger. The best natural way to enhance the look of your breasts is to do exercises that strengthen the chest, back, and shoulder area. Good posture also helps,” they added.

It should be noted that neither a cream nor a particular diet can help you with the unrealistic desire of having a perfect breast size.