Written by: Angela Lanuza
Graphic Design by: Chelsea Sagalongos
In honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, let's get to intimately know the wonderful, magical, life-giving gift that are our breasts.
We're all too familiar with the unwarranted controversy around images of mothers breastfeeding their babies in public, whereas revealing images of models on magazine covers are widely circulated without question.
For too long, we have dealt with this unjust sexualization of breasts, which are in fact simply lumps of tissue through which humans have nourished their young since the beginning of time.
Here are some things you should know about breasts:
MYTH #1:
Breasts stay the same forever.
FACT:
Breasts are not stagnant.
According to Johns Hopkins Medicine, they change according to the physical stages in a woman's life (para. 1).
Pre-Birth: The chest area thickens, the nipples, and milk ducts begin to form while the baby is in the uterus.
Puberty: As the menstrual cycle begins, estrogen allows the fat in the connective tissues within the breasts to collect, causing them to enlarge. It also stimulates the growth of milk ducts. While progesterone stimulates the formation of milk glands, which may also enlarge to prepare for a possible pregnancy.
Pregnancy: The blood vessels in the breast become more noticeable, the areolas, and the breast begins to swell. The milk duct system grows and the number of lobules (smaller pieces of breast tissue) increases. These changes occur in preparation for breastfeeding.
Menopause: Estrogen levels decrease, causing the breasts to shrink or lose shape.
However, it is important to remember that the rate at which breasts grow and change are different for everyone.
MYTH #2:
Breasts should be perfectly symmetrical.
FACT:
During puberty, one breast may develop earlier or grow faster than the other (University of Utah, 2018).
Your genes play a large part in their appearance. Even when they become fully developed in adulthood, it's perfectly normal for them to remain different sizes. There is no medical need for symmetrical breasts. It's more about body image.
A global study led by Professor Viren Swami of Anglia Ruskin University (ARU) associated breast size dissatisfaction with poorer psychological well being (lower self-esteem and happiness, anxiety, shame, and embarrassment), which may affect overall health since participants admitted they were less likely to practice self-care and self-examination to detect breast cancer. Dissatisfaction may also lead to avoidance behaviors that hinder breast awareness. Despite historical and cultural differences between the surveyed countries, the "ideal" breast sizes remain similar. From this, it can be said that the objectification and hyper-sexualization of breasts—in media platforms and cultural norms—perpetuate harmful body image beliefs.
MYTH #3:
Bras can cause cancer!
FACT:
Existing research shows no connection between bras and cancer (Evans, 2019, para. 4).
However, an ill-fitting bra can still affect your physical and mental health. It may cause poor posture, back and neck pain, shoulder grooves that lead to finger numbness, and low levels of self-confidence (para. 6).
Not wearing a bra or wearing a low-support bra can affect the elasticity of the skin, leading to breast sagging, breast pain, and movement issues during exercise (para. 13).
Bra sizing is not standard; brands use different sizing systems. Therefore, it's important to take the time to know your size and search for what fits you. Your comfort matters.
MYTH #5
“If I find a lump, it means I have cancer”
FACT:
Lumps don't necessarily mean cancer.
According to Dr. Delia Keating, "the likelihood that it's benign is much greater than it not being benign, especially if you're younger” (Begley, 2018, para. 2)
Regardless, it's important to stay aware of the state of your breasts and to have regular check-ups. A self-examination doesn't replace a medical consultation. Your genes, family history, age, and lifestyle (such as poor diet, smoking, and heavy alcohol consumption) can make you vulnerable to breast cancer.
Below is a list of possible symptoms of this disease (as cited from The American Cancer Society, n.d.)
Swelling of all or part of a breast (even if no lump is felt)
Skin dimpling
Breast or nipple pain
Nipple retraction (turning inward)
Nipple or breast skin that is red, dry, flaking or thickened
Nipple discharge (other than breast milk)
Swollen lymph nodes
The Importance of Breast Health
The Philippines has one of the highest incidence and mortality rates for female breast cancer in Asia (Mendoza-Dreisbach & Dreisbach, 2018, p. 201). However, health services such as mammography remain expensive and inaccessible, especially for those in the rural areas and those with lower socioeconomic statuses (p. 202). This leads to fear and denial that may hinder an individual from accepting their condition and seeking treatment they cannot afford (p. 209).
Breast awareness is crucial for the early detection of breast cancer. As of now, there is no nationwide breast cancer screening program (Wu & Lee, 2018, para. 9), leaving countless women vulnerable and unable to obtain the help they deserve. Healthcare must be universal. To be healthy and to be safe, should not be a privilege. It is a human right.
Breasts are not objects and they don’t define what it means to be women. By deepening the discourse on breast health, we can move away from beliefs that limit our understanding of them. There should be nothing taboo about women's nipples and breastfeeding. Awareness is the first step into normalizing and prioritizing women’s health.
Resources
American Cancer Society. (n.d.). Breast Cancer Signs and Symptoms: Most Common Symptoms. Retrieved October 30, 2020, from https://www.cancer.org/cancer/breast-cancer/about/breast-cancer-signs-and-symptoms.html
Anglia Ruskin University. (2020, February 5). Study reveals global breast size dissatisfaction: Major worldwide research project discovers that 71% of women are unhappy. ScienceDaily. Retrieved October 26, 2020 from www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/02/200205210823.htm
Mendoza-Dreisbach, S. & Dreisbach, J. (2018). Female breast cancer as taboo: Cultural factors and awareness amongst patients and their families in the Philippines. Malaysian Journal of Society and Space, 14(4), (201-211). https://doi.org/10.17576/geo-2018-1404-16
Evans, M. (2019, October 08). Can your bra affect your health? Retrieved October 30, 2020, from https://patient.info/news-and-features/is-your-bra-harming-your-health
Johns Hopkins Medicine. (n.d.). Normal Breast Development and Changes. Retrieved October 30, 2020, from https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/normal-breast-development-and-changes
University of Utah. (2018, May 15). My Breasts Are Different Sizes – Am I Normal? Retrieved October 30, 2020, from https://healthcare.utah.edu/the-scope/shows.php?shows=0_aup26c6j
Wu, T. Y., & Lee, J. (2018). Promoting Breast Cancer Awareness and Screening Practices for Early Detection in Low-Resource Settings. European journal of breast health, 15(1), 18–25. https://doi.org/10.5152/ejbh.2018.4305