Discussion Dealing with Breasts

This installment of my Obsession series is going to cover societies obsession with breasts. What does the opposite sex, and the same sex for that matter think about breasts? Why are augmentations so popular these days? Also things to know before you decide to have an augmentation, what questions to ask your prospective surgeon, and other breast issues.

For all time breasts seem to be an obsession in every culture and society. Men seem to be "breast men" more then "ass men" and the shape, fullness, and images of breasts are all around us everyday.

What is it about breasts?

We all know that the main purpose since the beginning of time for breasts is and was to nurture and feed children. If it was not for breasts in early times then how would many infants have survived to continue the human race for so many generations? Also since the beginning of time breasts have been the main focus of a woman's sexuality and the way that she has been viewed by the opposite sex, in some cases the same sex. Given the level of what makes a woman's breasts so desirable has changed from many different things. Just the same as a person maybe attracted to larger breasts, smaller breasts, perkiness, firmness, fullness, and so on.

Just the same as some men being uncomfortable with their penis size, some women are uncomfortable and self-conscious of their breast size.

According to AskMen.com men tend to find breasts to be many things. Among those listed are: men find breasts calming, breasts are signs of fertility, and natural selection (this one baffles me, but we will explore it in a moment).

First the idea that AskMen.com throws out is that breasts are calming. Their article written by Ryan Murphy says basically that in a world full of hard knocks and rough edges that the breast is a symbol that is welcoming and soft, that breasts are non-threatening. Mr. Murphy continues to say "With their obvious connection to breast-feeding, and by extension childhood, breasts remind us of our halcyon days when our mothers protected us from all the world's evils." I am more inclined to agree that breasts are usually soft and make a good pillow, and that the angle of childhood is a tad bit creepy. Seriously what woman wants to think of nursing a child when her breast is being suckled by a lover? Suckle may not have been the best choice of words, but it gets the point across.

Secondly AskMen.com says that breasts are a sign of fertility. No matter the size the article suggests that men look at breasts and see a "hint at a woman's ability to nurture and sustain life." Along with "They also point to a woman's capacity to breed, as they signal the onset of puberty." These reasoning's are somewhat far-fetched and annoying. First off if a man looking at my breasts or any other woman's breasts automatically makes him think of how well we can sustain life, then something is even more amiss in society then meets the eye. If the breasts are a signal to men everywhere that women are now to the breeding capacity, refer to my last statement. Also, just because a girl has reached puberty and has blossomed breasts does not mean or constitute the need or desire to start to "nurture and sustain life".

Thirdly on the list compiled by Ryan Murphy for AskMen.com is natural selection. Mr. Murphy sites Charles Darwin in his explanation. Darwin's theory was that "we subconsciously select partners who are healthy and appear capable of reproduction ." The article goes on to theorize that more shapely breasts are "indicative of a strong constitution and an ability to further propagate the species." Mr. Murphy is kind enough to point out that reproduction is not necessarily at the top of societies list of priorities these days, but he evidently felt the need to include natural selection in his findings. I am not completely sure how to react to this idea, however I am leaning more toward, all out laughing because it is just that amusing.

As the article on AskMen.com continues with more ideas as to why men love breasts so much, I am more agreeable with the following reasons. I do agree that breasts are usually a good way to arouse a woman, I also tend to agree that men tend to be visually stimulated, and I agree with Ryan Murphy on the fact that breasts have a certain "it" factor, love them or hate them, there is always someone who will love them.

Breast augmentations

I have found a wonderful piece on Innovations Report that tackles the augmentation angle of things. It is a well known fact that most women who choose to have breast augmentation do have a boost in self-esteem, and that they become more comfortable with their bodies around others. It is estimated by the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery that augmentation surgeries have increased at least 476% since the year 2000. Also the ASAPS says that nearly 2 million women have undergone the surgery, and that each year more then 360,00 American women will undergo the procedure. When you think of these numbers chances are you know someone who has had the surgery.

Some of the problems associated with breast augmentation are implants that rupture or leak, implants can effect a doctors chances of finding abnormalities in the breast, breasts that harden after surgery, some of the hardening can come from another problem which is calcium deposits that form and have to be removed. Some other problems that can occur that need to be thought about are certain types of infections, nerve damage that can effect the sensation that a woman feels in her breasts, if something goes wrong during surgery more surgeries maybe necessary. There are many, many problems that can arise that should be covered by a professional when considering the augmentation procedure.

Questions to ask your surgeons or prospective surgeons

Printable format. An example of the types of questions to ask are: is your surgeon certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgeons, how may augmentations has this surgeon done, does the surgeon have before and after photos that you can view, what are the most common complications the surgeon has seen.

JustBreastImplants.com gives a list of questions to ask when you go for an augmentation consultation. The questions to ask are available in a

Some other important questions to ask the surgeon that is doing your consultation would be what type and brand of implants do they use, what type of incision is used for each type, and how often have they seen ruptures or leaks from each brand.

There are also questions to ask yourself as a woman before deciding to go through with a breast augmentation . Women need to decide if they are doing the surgery to better satisfy themselves and not someone else. Making a snap decision to have the surgery should be a sign to put it off for awhile. Are you comfortable with what the outcome could be, are you totally prepared to deal with the financial aspects if something goes wrong with your implants, can you afford the cost if you have to go to another surgeon to fix the mistakes that can arise.

If you have taken the time to explore the good, bad, and the ugly of the breast augmentation procedure, and are comfortable with all possibilities then the process should go much smoother for you.

Sites about breasts

There are several sites out there to view about breasts, some are tasteful, some are meant for a different type of individual, some explore the possibilities of augmentation and some disastrous outcomes.

Some of the best I have found in my research are: (viewer discretion advised)

Mentor4Me you can select different cup sizes to view before and after photos.CoolNurse on this link you can all kinds of answers to questions about breasts, such as the development, and cancer possibilities.BeautyDen explores the different beliefs behind beautiful, perfect breasts.JustBreastImplants view the questions to ask surgeons and other medical professionals when considering surgery.

Breast Cancer this link will take you to BreastCancer.org and you can learn about risk factors and treatments.

I hope this article has shown some of the reasons for the breast obsession in society, helped you to explore the most popular breast enhancement method, and helped you find sites to help you learn more about the female breast.

As I've mentioned before learning to become comfortable with yourself, is the best way for others to be comfortable with you as well. Think of your well-being above what you think others think of you.