There Are 8 Different Types of Boobs in the World — Here’s What You Need to Know
Which one do you have?
Everyone knows that boobs can be either big, small, or somewhere in between, but did you know that they can also be asymmetric, bell shaped, or tear drop? There are terms to describe nipple placement, where exactly your boobs sit on your chest, and what direction your boobs face when they're not supported (aka not in a bra). All boobs (and nipples) are totally normal — in fact, most women have asymmetrical breasts, says Dr. Tiffanny Jones, an OB/GYN and fertility specialist at Conceive Fertility Dallas. She points to a 2018 study from the Health Science Journal, which found that of 304 women analyzed, 91 percent had breast asymmetry.
“Breasts are made of fat, glands, and connective tissue,” Dr. Jones explains. While your family history and genetics play a part in determining what type of boob shape you have, there are other factors as well, including age, weight loss or gain, and a change in hormone levels, such as when you go through puberty or have your period. “Estrogen and progesterone cause the breast to change size and density during the menstrual phase,” Dr. Jones says. “Estrogen and progesterone increase during your period which can make your breasts enlarge to higher levels which can change the shape of your breasts during that time being.” Different stages later in life — like pregnancy and menopause — also impact the shape and density of your breasts, she adds, due to hormonal changes.
“It takes time for breasts to balance out, so to speak,” Dr. Cindy Duke, a Las Vegas-based fertility specialist and virologist, adds. “A very young person who’s developing breasts may [be] much smaller on one side, but once puberty is complete, it [can] catch up.” You might even notice minimal changes in your breast shape from month-to-month, she emphasizes. There are certain times where they might feel heavier, firmer, or more tender, such as when you’re about to start your next menstrual cycle. However, if you’re feeling continuous pain, Dr. Duke encourages that you reach out to your doctor and schedule an examination.
Ahead, we break down eight different types of boob shapes and sizes, and include recommendations for what bra styles fit best for each type. It’s important to note that most of these terms to describe breast shapes are colloquial terms, and your doctor is more likely to use words such as symmetric, asymmetric, or pendulous (listed ahead) to describe your breast shape, Dr. Duke says. Once you’ve identified your shape, find the best bra brands that will support any cup size.
Asymmetric
Again, as Dr. Jones and Dr. Duke emphasize, breast asymmetry is extremely common. “Pretty much no one has completely symmetrical breasts,” Dr. Duke says.
Asymmetric breasts are sets of boobs where one has a different size, shape, volume, or position than the other. If you’d like to even out your breasts, push-up bras with removable pads would probably work best.
Athletic
You don’t have to be an intense athlete to have athletic boobs. “It has more to do with the size and tone of the pectoral muscles, which sit under the breasts,” Dr. Duke says. “Your breasts may appear perkier — not because the breasts are bigger or more lifted, but [because of] the muscle itself.”
These breasts are typically wider, more muscular-looking, and have less tissue. A wireless bra could provide comfort and support to wider boobs.
East West
Your nipples might point in opposite directions outward, a feature that many women share. “It's actually fairly common for your nipples to not necessarily point forward,” Dr. Duke says. “Most nipples point away ever so slightly.”
She also notes that most nipple and breast development starts before your first period, a process doctors call thelarche. “The first thing that happens is you have these tiny breast buds. And at the same time, the nipples get a little bit larger. They get darker. In that point, they can also start pointing out a little bit,” Dr. Duke explains.
If you’d like to gather your breasts to the front of your chest, push-up bras could help.
Pendulous
Pendulous breasts are typically relaxed downwards and have lax tissue. Genetics and the fat content in your breasts contribute to this boob shape, Dr. Duke explains. “It’s just the nature of how your skin and your connective tissue works,” she says.
For a bra style that can help give your girls a little lift, a t-shirt or push-up bra can definitely help.
Bell Shape
Bell shape breasts are thinner at the top and fuller at the bottom. Not surprisingly, they look like bells! A comfy, lifting T-shirt bra would work best for your shape.
Slender
Having a slender shape doesn’t necessarily mean that you wear a smaller cup size. It just means that your boobs are on the thinner side — they probably don’t take up your entire chest.
Bras with a deeper plunge can help gather your breasts towards the center.
Round
Round boobs are the type that are fully circular, and equal at the top and bottom of the breasts — but these types of breasts are also often asymmetrical, Dr. Duke emphasizes.
“The truth is everyone has some degree of asymmetry,” she says. “They may not be perfectly round, or one might be slightly higher than the other.” A few different bra styles can work with this shape.
Tear Drop
Similar to round breasts, the tear drop shape is circular, but your boobs are a little less full at the top. These types of breasts can also be described as early pendulous, Dr. Duke notes. Many different bra styles suit this breast shape, as well.
Yerin Kim is the Assistant Editor for Snapchat Discover at Seventeen, covering beauty, sex & health, lifestyle, and entertainment. Originally from New Jersey but raised in Seoul, she is a proud Syracuse grad who loves fluffy puppies and a good Instagram opp. Follow her on Twitter and Instagram!
Leah Campano is an Associate Editor at Seventeen, where she covers pop culture, entertainment news, health, and politics. On the weekends, you can probably find her watching marathons of vintage Real Housewives episodes or searching for New York City’s best almond croissants.
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