Yesterday I did some work on my project in the afternoon, then after the office closed went to spot. I love spot. Haven't been in ages. And first I saw (e:joshua), which was a pleasant surprise as I had just been thinking about how I hadn't seen him in ages, so it was nice to catch up. Then I saw a guy that graduated from my program a year or two ago, and he invited me out with 'the boys' tonight. Odd. Then I went across the street for a nice sushi dinner. Good stuff.
But to my point....
So, as some of you may or may not know, I have pretty big boobs. Not freakishly huge, but big enough that my size bras are always hidden away in the stores, and I usually can't wear the cute little sexy, trendy tops. But, I'm not a tiny person, so I think I'm more or less in proportion, and I'm ok with it. Most of the time. But I have been told a few times that I'm TOO big. (Who the hell tells a girl that?!) So there have been times when I've wondered if I'd benefit from a breast reduction. Or even just a lift.
So now I'm doing this research project... I'm studying breast reductions and complication rates, with the hypothesis being that the bigger the reduction (i.e. the more tissue removed), the higher the chance of wound-healing problems. Seems kind of intuitive, but somehow it doesn't seem to have been published before.
So I've been spending this week in a local plastic surgeon's office, going through the charts of all the breast reductions he's done over the last 5 years. I go through each chart and collect data, like height, weight, pre-op measurements, then amount of tissue removed in the OR, and then if they had any problems post-op.
And on the one hand, it's a little reassuring. These women NEEDED surgery. They make me feel downright perky. But after charting measurement after measurement after measurement- it started getting to me.
And when I got home last night, I couldn't help it and I measured myself. And I must say, was relieved to find that I don't think I'd qualify for surgery. And was pleasantly surprised to learn that I'm not even 'saggy' (ptotic) at all. Phew!**
But then it just got me thinking about society and culture and plastic surgery and expectations of women and physical ideals and all that good stuff...
I really enjoy plastic surgery. I think it's fascinating. But it's gotten to the point that if people ask what I want to do, I say "reconstructive surgery" (which is under the umbrella of plastics), because I am sick of people's reactions. If I say reconstruction, they all nod appreciatively like that's a good, noble thing for me to do. But if I say "plastics", there is inevitably a bit of a look-down-the-nose-in-judgment and a snarky comment about the money. (or a request for a boob job.) Sure, the money is great, or rather, will be great, I hope- but that's not my main motivator. I just LIKE what plastic surgeons do. It has its downsides- largely that you have to deal with a lot of crazy, vain women. And then the nasty stuff that no one realizes plastic surgeons do- a lot of wound care for complex ulcers, stinky necrotic bedsores, etc. But I like the cases. I think it's fascinating. And I like the people. I keep finding, over and over, that when I go into the OR with plastic surgeons- it's FUN. People laugh and joke and play music, as opposed to sour dour stressful "what artery is this? what nerve is that a branch of?" in a lot of the other fields. And a plastic surgeon I worked with at Roswell recently broke it down pretty well. He said in general surgery you learn operations. You do each procedure more or less the same way every time. But in plastics you learn techniques. A toolbox. And you have to figure out which ones to use where, and there's a little more problem solving and decision making involved, which I think is awesome. There are other aspects too, but I'll stop there.
The typical dichotomy in plastics is that cosmetic pays better, and reconstructive is more rewarding. Most people create their own balance depending on their own priorities.
Yes, cosmetic surgery is sort of fluffy and I don't know how I (will) feel about supporting my children by living off women's insecurities, or men's, I suppose- but at the same time, I think of the poor kid who has had stick out ears or a big honking nose for his/her whole life, and is miserable and the butt of jokes etc etc. If you can fix that for him/her, and improve his/her quality of life that much- is that not a valuable service, even though it is "only cosmetic"?
And the other thing I find interesting is that over the years 'standards' have been developed. I mean what is beauty? Can we define it and spell it out? Well apparently, yes. There are textbooks on the 'ideal' facial features, etc. What angle of the nose, etc, is "attractive", blah blah. Which I think is kind of amazing. That you can break it down in to parts and make a science out of it. And it's not just like one egotistical guy decided what was beautiful and said that's the definition. It's been studied. Kind of neat.
Ok, off to filter through more charts and collect more measurements...
-J
- In case I've made any of you girls out there insecure about your own breasts now, well first of all, I apologize, but here are some rule of thumb "golden rules" if you want to reassure yourself. The main measurement to consider is the sternal notch to nipple distance. Take a tape measure or a piece of string and measure from your sternal notch (that little V at the top of your breastbone) to your nipple, while standing up. A little difference between the two sides is pretty common. And a quick and dirty rule is that an equilateral triangle of 20cm per side from notch to nipple to nipple to notch is "ideal". I doubt too many people meet that. Depending on height/weight, once you start getting closer to 30 reduction MIGHT start to be reasonable. Some of the women whose charts I'm going through were 40+.
I'm in the big boob brigade with the rest of the fellas.
All of these squiggly "words" in a posting about boobage and no pics?
Sigh....
j/k
Keep the boobs, drop the guy who thinks they're too big.
Boobs are like my favorite topic.
Well, more accurately, I just can't avoid getting into discussions about them. (They kind of precede me everywhere I go.)
I have been struggling forever trying to find bras that fit. The only place I can consistently find cute bras my size is www.bravissimo.com --- but of course, they're British, and so the prices which to them are reasonable are not so reasonable to me once I factor in the exchange rate and the shipping. (The shipping's always like ten bucks. And if something doesn't fit, of course you can return it, but it's ten bucks to mail it back, and ten more bucks to get the replacement.)
I did just get a couple of really cute built-in-bra halter tops there. I justify the price tag by the fact that I have never seen a product anything like this :::link::: anywhere else. A US shirt with a "built in bra" means "shelf bra suitable for A/B cups".
And "full-figured" means, like, 38C. *rant rant rant*
By UK sizing (I don't even know my US size anymore, how sad is that? The only bras I've seen in stores or on US websites in my size have been the eight-hooks-in-the-back "padded comfort strap" great-grandma bras and your color choices are "white" or "nude") I'm a 36FF. Lemme go do your measuring thing.
Hm, is the "sternal notch" the notch between where your collarbones come together? If so... Eeeh, wow, I'm 30 cm on the dot. I'm not sure about the other measurement, but by my best efforts at measuring, my nipples are about an inch, 1.5 inches below the inframammary fold. But they're nowhere near the bottom of the breast.
I'd be self-conscious about it but I sort of wasted my entire teenage decade being self-conscious so I'm all out of self-conscious at the moment.
But even at my most self-conscious I've never even considered having a breast reduction. I've occasionally wished I didn't have boobs because shopping invariably reduces me to self-loathing tears (I *must* be a freak if there's a whole mall full of clothing and nothing that fits me) and sometimes boobs get in the way, but I've never had back pain, never had posture problems, never had shoulder pain (miraculous, given how poor the fit of most of my bras has been)-- they don't cause me any problems. I actually really do like them, most of the time. They're squishy and comfy, and not all that heavy really. I guess they just fit well with my shape-- I do know of many women who've really suffered, so I don't denigrate their problems at all.
(I have bought one bra from a US maker recently-- www.enell.com is a company owned by a large-breasted woman who just makes one model of bra, a very sturdy and well-designed and comfortable sports bra that means you *don't bounce*. I actually bought the bra from titlenine.com because they have a really good return policy and I wasn't sure about the fit, but I can tell you it's a great bra. If you don't mind hooks from solar plexus to collarbones... But it's really comfy and no bounce, and more importantly you're already squished so when somebody hip-checks you tits-first into the wall, you don't get horrible bruises. Which is what I really want from a sports bra.)
So, all these men who say breast reductions should be illegal?
Men rule the world, right, and run everything?
If you really want to support large-breasted women's desire to remain that way, then make sure bra retailers stock larger sizes in less self-conscious-making and more flattering fashions!
That's all I gotta say about that.
Also I should be able to just drive to the mall and buy this rather than having to order it from overseas. :::link:::
i wish i could have one, minus the scars. i love little boobies. the smaller the better. ideally i'd like A cups. i never had little boobies, it was nothing and then one morning, in like 6th grade, it was a D. i envy little boobie girls, and all their pretty, strapless sundresses.
I agree with everybody else! and you know how crazy that makes me.
Shit... Well thanks for the kind words everyone... but now I feel like an ass- the point of my post was not to fish for compliments and seek affirmation about my own boobs... Rather just a commentary on the whole thing...
I've heard guys say that breast reductions should be illegal, that there's no such thing as too big, etc- but believe me. There is such a thing. Saw one chart today- they took 3,500g out of EACH side. That's like 8 POUNDS out of each side. That's a LOT. Generally >1000 is considered a pretty huge reduction.
But don't worry! Mine ain't goin' nowhere. ;) And even if they were, you can be sure it would be my decision, and not b/c of some guy. It's a big surgery, with big scars. You have to be sure you want/need it. But that said- most women I know that have had it done said it was the best thing they ever did.
Keep your boobs. You are the sole decision maker on the affair; but I say keep your boobs.. i am a big fan of boobs and i wont go too far into detail but i've dated woen of b cup all the way up to dd's but the most important thing was not their cup size but moreso their personality and compatibility with me.. a pretty face and nice rack were merely bonuses. i think you're quite attractive there jenksie.. dont go changin... ya looked mighty hot dancin on nye.. .. me well i was trapped behind the booth wanting to be on the dance floor... ;-)
but i guess thats a another story fer another time
I agree with both (e:jason) and (e:ladycroft) firstly keep them and who in there right mind would think they are to big. I understand that some people do prefer smaller breasts but still, that would just mean to big for there liking (and they would still like them).
Generaly what is really the most important is how proportional they are for the persons body. Everyone as they grow puts on weight. The question is where you put it on. Some girls all the fat cells in the but grow, some all the fat cells in the belly grow and some all the fat cells that grow are in their breasts. When I say all I really mean most of. So you sometimes have girls with a big stomach and huge titts but no ass and sometimes it is the other way around and sometimes the proportions are preaty close. I do understand that some people want to get a reduction for medical reasons and I can understand that. But a reduction or implants for how society judges you isn't right. It is one thing if you really feal bad about what you have, then yes sometimes changing things can help. But it is important to remember that you arn't a model with no tits and no ass, and you are not Jessica Alba or Carmen Elektra. Belive me Girls are not the only ones who feal self consicous about there appearance but there is no way I'm going to go into detail about the guys side on this blog.
You are right that there have been standards of beauty. But that is more by Hollywood and magazines. When it comes down to the indivual those standards verry a lot. Some guys have to have tall thin girls, some will only go out with c cups or better, so love Ethnic girls only. The only person who it really matters if they like what you look like is you.
Keep your big tits!
what planet was this person from that said your boobs were too big? a reduction??? you're NUTS to even entertain that idea. if you're pushing triple H or some crazy shite, SURE..i'm glad you came to your senses!
hey that's cool I'm seeing a girl who works in plastic surgery as a LNP. I'm hoping to get some laser hair removal and no more wax! Vain and superficial? Perhaps, but also sexy and charming:)