breast reduction

[sarahkuving]

I am 34E and I have no problem with the size of my breasts except that guys are constantly staring at them, even when I dress modestly. Since it is causing them to sin, would the right choice get a breast reduction? It would solve a lot of problems because I wouldn't have to cover up as much and it wouldn't cause others to sin. It doesnt really matter to me if I am an A cup or an E cup, I'm still the same person. I've already talked to a surgeon but I don't know if I should follow through.

 

[SallyNow]

It doesnt really matter to me if I am an A cup or an E cup, I'm still the same person.

And it doesn't matter to men, either. Whether you have an A-cup, B-cup, C, D, or DD cup, some guys will stare. If having large breasts is really causing you back problems, say, then maybe a reduction would be a good idea. But if it just to "help" guys, it probably will not be useful. Breasts come in all sizes, and every size is liked by some guy or other. But if this is causing you a serious mental anguish, well...perhaps the best would be talk to a Christian therapist, pray, and then decide, rather than doing some drastic action that could really effect your ability to breast feed in the future (because breast feeding truly is the best for baby).

I really commend your caring attitude towards others.

 

[Nomes]

A breast reduction is an extreme solution to the problem.

As Sally said, it really wouldn't matter what size your breasts are. There's always going to be someone looking. Which is the suckiest thing ever!

You are respecting your brothers by dressing modestly. Those that struggle with lusting etc. would NEVER ask you to have a breast reduction! Ask a male friend! They may ask you to dress in modesty (which you already do) but they really would not expect more than that.

I hope that helps

 

[EmSchmem]

Breast feeding may or may not be an issue. Often times women who are that large (as I am as well) will have difficulty breast feeding.

 

[daveleau]

I did an internship with a plastic surgeon when I was pre-med in college. She specialized in breast reductions.

There are health issues with having large breasts, as your surgeon probably alluded to including back and shoulder problems. Also, skin problems can arise.

There is a significant potential for not being able to breast feed when you have kids. And there is also significant potential for scarring and loss of feeling. There also is no evidence that breast size contributes or diminishes chances of breast cancer. And finally, breast reductions do not lower your risk for breast cancer.

As for the theological standpoint, I do not think we should have medical procedures simply to cause others to not sin. A similar idea would be to have a woman with a beautiful face or other part of the body, surgically change that feature to limit the looks she gets. This doesn't sound like something I would support. The only time that beauty is discussed in the Bible in a prescriptive manner is regarding vanity, which does not seem to be an issue here because you do not seem to have excess pride because of this.

I agree that men are going to look regardless. I commend your thought process, though and think your mind and intentions are in the right place.

God gave you your body for a reason. Pray and ask God and talk with your pastor about this issue. But, my inclination is that you should not have the surgery unless your health is being damaged by this.

God bless you,
Dave

 

[bliz]

Years ago, in my youth, I was in a play that required me to wear a lot of padding to acheive the Victorian S figure for the battleaxe I was playing. That meant wearing a HUGE stuffed bra and a bustle. I would often wear the bra for practice becasue I had to learn to manauver the new equiptment. Everyone working on the play knew it was a bra. It was given the name of "Bert". "So, how's Bert today?" There were games of catch played with it and any number of the guys modeled it for us.

But I would put that thing on, and every male eye in the house (these were Christian guys) would gravitate to my chest. And when the newspaper photographer came in, he was almost salivating! It was horrible! I had never before in my life experienced anything like it and it suddenly gave me a whole new understanding of what it would be like to have large breasts. Sure, guys all look. But ladies, they do not all look at you the way they look at women with large breasts!! Some men are hypnotized. Some appear to be ravenously hungry. I had a friend in high school who was well endowed, and I realized then that I had been very unsympathetic and had no understanding at all of what she went through.

Sarah - you are far more kind than I! I would consider the surgery so I did not have to endure those lacivious stares. I wouldn't be thinking aout the guys at all!

You did not mention how old you are or how long you have been thinking about this. Those factors seem to me to be important.

 

[Iosias]

would the right choice get a breast reduction?

My answer would be no...the same for those who want breast implants...God has given you what you have...be thankful...self-mutilation is a sin.

 

[bliz]

Please! Equating breast reduction with self mutilation is absurd!!!

God gives many children cleft lips. Should they be left that way? It's only a matter of apperance... if they want them repaired is that vanity? Self-mutilation?

Some children are born with crossed eyes. Are we to assume that that is God's wish and leave them that way?

Do you advocate leaving conjoined twins connected if a surgery can be done to give them seperate bodies and lives?

 

[Iosias]

Please! Equating breast reduction with self mutilation is absurd!!!

God gives many children cleft lips. Should they be left that way? It's only a matter of apperance... if they want them repaired is that vanity? Self-mutilation?

Some children are born with crossed eyes. Are we to assume that that is God's wish and leave them that way?

Do you advocate leaving conjoined twins connected if a surgery can be done to give them seperate bodies and lives?

I believe that God has given us knowledge to heal but notice the term 'HEAL'. Plastic surgery is wrong, make-up is wrong...it is idolotry!

 

[bliz]

If plastic surgery is wrong, then repairing a cleft lip is wrong. Replacing burned skin is wrong. Giving a chin to a young man who does not have a chin is wrong. Restoration of a penis after some pervert has cut it off a little boy, that requres a whole lot of plastic surgury, but I guess that is wrong too. All of those procedures, and many more, require plastic surgury.

Please explain to me how any of the above uses of plastic surgury is idoloty.

 

[Iosias]

If plastic surgery is wrong, then repairing a cleft lip is wrong. Replacing burned skin is wrong. Giving a chin to a young man who does not have a chin is wrong. Restoration of a penis after some pervert has cut it off a little boy, that requres a whole lot of plastic surgury, but I guess that is wrong too. All of those procedures, and many more, require plastic surgury.

Please explain to me how any of the above uses of plastic surgury is idoloty.

Anything which is necessary for life is fine and dandy...anything purely cosmetic is undoubtedly wrong.

 

[bliz]

Cleft lip repair is not necessary for life. Neither is reattachment of a penis. People can live quite well with major burn scars accross their faces. Chinless people look really funny and get stared at a lot, but they don't need chins to live.

The repair of a cleft lip is purly cosmetic. As is a chin implant. And new skin after a burn and a stump of a penis still can handle urine and sperm, it just looks a lot more normal after surguey. So, I suppose all of those procedures would be wrong, in your opinion.

 

[SallyNow]

My two cents worth... reconstructive plastic surgery, to put something back to "normal" is fine. Surgery for cleft pallet, for a mutilated boy, for replacement of burned skin-these are all trying to put something back to the biological "norm".

The extremes that people are going to today...ie, looking like Cher or Joan Rivers...is absurd!

Also, there are mutilations going on where little girls are being mutilated much like the hypothetical boy. That is torture, a crime, and more should be done to help those kids. All the work that goes into getting botox every three months-think how that money could be used to help the children who are being mutilated!

 

[Nomes]

Regardless of whether surgery is right or wrong, I believe if your reason for going ahead and having the surgery is to prevent guys from lusting, you have done it for the wrong reasons.

I personally don't have a problem with breast reductions if it is causing health problems and other surgeries to repair damage etc. but if your doing it purely to keep lusting guys at bay, firstly, you will do it in vain and secondly you may experience great regret having gone through major surgery for the wrong reasons!

How seriously are you considering this Sarah?

 

[rainbowprism]

"There's a shortage of perfect breasts in the world, t'would be a pity to damage yours." Haha, sorry I love that movie, "Princess Bride"

I think say to that this is an extreme solution to a problem that isn't nessacarily your own. Should these men get thier eyes physically removed...no.

 

[velvet acid christ]

keep those big honkers and come over to my place i'll put them to good use.

 

[sarahkuving]

The thing is that the stares bother me too and if they have nothing to look at, they won't stare and even if they still do than no harm done because I could care less about my chest, what really matters is my relationship with jesus christ. To me they are just things that cause men to sin.

 

[SallyNow]

The thing is that the stares bother me too and if they have nothing to look at, they won't stare and even if they still do than no harm done because I could care less about my chest, what really matters is my relationship with jesus christ. To me they are just things that cause men to sin.

That is simply not true! Your breasts do not "cause men to sin". Many women have large breasts; in fact, when you are pregnant, your chest gets bigger! Yet, pregnancy is something that is right and good! Getting a breast reduction carries some major risks. And men will sin whether you have large breasts or not; there a LOT of men that like small breasts.

Please, please, consider this: you are not supposed to carry the weight of the world on you! It is your responsibility to do reasonable things to prevent sin. It is NOT your responsibility to do risky things.

For the ages, the thing that caused men to sin was not large breasts, but what you did with them. Your attitude, your clothing, your seduciveness. Breast reduction was possible-and not done. Why? Because it was going to far, much too far, to prevent men from having a few lustful thoughts.

Perhaps men are attracted to your docile nature, your willing, even wanting to go so far as to mutilate yourself so that men do not have to be responsible for their behaviour.

Men have always been responsible for their behavoir. No real man would expect, nor want, you to do this for him. Gentlemen were to save women, not the other way around, or at least not like this!

Men will sin whether you have small breasts or large breasts. Men have all sorts of likes, and they will look and fantasize nomatterwhat. Perhaps a better solution would be to wear a large, tent-like outfit which covers everything, completly obliterating your shape-something akin to a hoop skirt, only with the hoops going from your shoulders to your feet. And of course sunglasses, to cover your eyes (since some men find pretty eyes alluring), and veil, to cover your face and hair. Sure, the hoopswould uncomfortable, incovenent, even dangerous (some women who had hoop skirts could drown due to the wieght of them, and could get flipped over...)

Breast reduction carries risks of infection, the possibility of the inability to breast feed, the loss of sensation (and sex within marriage is a gift not to be wasted! )...the list goes on.

My prayers go out to you.

May I also suggest you talk someone who gives advice at your Church? Or that you read some books on women giving up too much of themselves? Reviving Ophelia, and although it is secular, it is respectful of Christian families, and deals with women giving up too much of themselves.

And how could I forget! Why not, instead of spending the money on this, spend the money on a mission? I am sure there are many women, children, and yes, even men, in the poorer nations of this world, who need the love and assistance of someone as caring as you!

 

[KleinerApfel]

this is an extreme solution to a problem that isn't nessacarily your own. Should these men get thier eyes physically removed...no.

If thine eye offends...

But no, I agree we shouldn't take that literally.

But seriously, it's a good point: it's the men who lust who have the problem, so let them take responsibility and control themselves.

Of course, if a woman is physically uncomfortable, or profoundly miserable, then surgery might help. But don't do it for another's benefit.

God bless, Susana

 

[TheMainException]

Wow...hmmm...this is something that you are going to totally have to talk with you and God on...this is totally a personal issue...I don't think that what the world thinks, whether it be men looking at your breasts or us telling you to reduce them or keep them, matters at all...do what you feel is right and what you think God wants you to do. Whatever your choice, I know that God won't be upset with you.