Thanks ...

[Guest guest]

I appreciate your post. Your point about this society putting too

much emphasis on breast size and the self esteem issue is SO KEY in

this entire phenomenon!

You are certainly not alone in your stand on implants. Having been

where most of us on this forum have been, OUR PRIORITIES become so

CLEAR. BIG boobs just become RIDICULOUS when you are rolling around,

crying in pain, the only person still awake in your household,

walking into the kitchen 20 times a day and forgetting why you went

in there, and being treated as though you are faking! If it were up

to me, I would tell women to find other alternatives to breast

implants (and I do!), trying to build their self esteem, and urging

women to RUN FROM THEM. You and I are coming from HINDSIGHT and our

vision and our priorities have come into perspective.

Tell that to a young girl who has severely deformed or tuberous

breasts, or a woman who faces the risk of death from cancer, or a

woman who has breastfed and now won't even undress in front of her

husband anymore--and they may not CARE if they face a risk. Tell that

to woman who has lost her husband to some young chick with fake perky

boobs and left alone feeling old, used and discarded and can't face

dating or allowing another man to see her body. In fact, many DON'T

care about the risks, they just want HELP in any way they can get it.

In this journey we call life, we are all at different points in the

road. Like it or not, there are really some women who are not sick,

are not in pain, are not financially depleted, are happy and love

their implants. Some day they may be where we are, and some may never

be where we are. That is the fact.

You are SO RIGHT about breast implants not being life saving devices

such as heart valves, or dialysis tubing, shunts, joint replacements,

organ transplants, etc. There is WAY too much emphasis on BREASTS in

our society. NORMAL, lovely breasts are now viewed as ABNORMAL.

I look at MOST boob jobs now and I actually think they are UGLY! When

I see that characteristic upper BULGE that looks as though they were

smashed in a pushup bra (and STILL LOOK THAT WAY ONCE THE BRA IS

OFF!!) I just cringe because I honestly think they are so grotesque

and deformed looking! And the sad part is that young MEN now think

that is BEAUTY and NORMAL! They often think normal, slightly sagging

breasts are deformed! We are bombarded with FAKE BOOBS everyday. Our

entire society is victimized and brainwashed! As you said, mothers

are encouraging their young daughters to have implants so they have a

better shot at the high school/college beauty pageants and they feel

they must compete for a good man!

Like it or not, even those large, heavy FAKE boobs which are rarely

symmetrical or nicely shaped, are often seen as an improvement over

tuberous, deflated, sagging or missing breasts. And in fact, in some

cases--THEY are an improvement.

The plastic surgeons see MANY women who have reason to be unhappy

with their breasts. They have seen it all and they have the

compassion to see the agony in the women's eyes and face when they

have to uncover their breasts. THERE truly are PITIFUL cases and

they have the right to get help.

Some women only need a lift, or a little modification of their

breasts and the surgeons are often too quick to push implants. It is

much easier for them to shove them in, than to correct some of the

deformities.

Women seeking help should be shown EVERYTHING, see all their options,

and SHOWN what can happen, should implantation fail. Women who don't

have a real problem would probably have their consult and go home and

thank GOD they don't have truly ugly bodies.

True, they are not life saving devices, but some women are so

tortured with their breasts that they are depressed, consider suicide

and would rather die or be sick than feel that anguish. Some have

been laughed at when unclothed. Some have had their husbands tell

them they are abnormal. Some would rather lose their breasts than

face another day with the ones they have.

I also will not die if I don't get my shoulder replacement, and there

is a chance that the quality of my life will improve if I take the

risk. My joint will NEVER be as good as the one I was born with. I

must be realistic. It may improve my life, it may be a huge mistake,

and it may be the lessor of two evils. At one time, , I put

more value on my breasts than I did my arm. If someone would have

said, " CHOSE NOW--an arm, or your breasts! " I would have honestly

given up my arm. I have changed, but I still remember what it was

like to have my priorities different. At one time, when I had my

silicone implants, I WORRIED that I would have a rupture and would

not be able to get a new one. I was scared to death when the FDA

first talked of taking them off the market completely. I was

MORTIFIED.

It took alot of pain and agony for me to get to the place I am in

now. I just chose to NOT FORGET what it was like to be on " the other

side " in order that I may win some to help our cause.