Do YOU know what they look like?

By Shari Levine

I realized the other day that the things that make me happy now are similar to the things that made me happy when I was three: a sunny day, the sound of someone I love laughing, and hanging out with friends. But as I got older, I started, like a lot of girls, to be unhappy -- unhappy with my parents, my self, and especially my body.

Most girls agree that puberty is the time when these feelings start to occur. At puberty we go from being basically unaware of how our bodies look to dissecting them and comparing our parts with friends, models, and actresses. Can you imagine a six year-old girl spending her time wishing for smaller thighs and bigger breasts?  No, you'd probably find her dancing wildly and enjoying the feeling of being free and moving to the music.

But sometime between six and 13, everything changes. Most girls start to develop breasts - a symbol of sexuality, femininity, and - yes it's true - motherhood! There's a huge range of normal when it comes to breasts - some girls' breasts develop at or before age 10, and some start at age 13 or later. And they all look different, from the nipples, to the shape, to the size. But since most of our breasts are, for the most part, covered up, we never get to see the whole range of what IS normal.

"Hearing women's stories is powerful, but seeing real women's everyday breasts is also an important part of coming to terms with our own bodies." ~From Breasts by Meema Spadola

What we DO see a lot of are the breasts of models, actresses, and musicians in the media. Bare breasts (bras and bikinis are okay too) mean big bucks for media and fashion industries. They are sexy and mysterious to both men and women. So how is a girl supposed to know the difference between REAL breasts and FAKE (breast implants) ones? Take this quiz to find out...

TRUE OR FALSE?

1. Real breasts move and bounce when a woman walks -                                                                                                                                                                                                                    True - real breasts do move and bounce when a woman walks.

2. It is normal to have one breast bigger than the other                                                                                                                                                                                                                       True - your left and right breast can be up to a size different! That's a real drag when buying a bra, but it's normal.

3. Your breast size is determined by heredity, weight.                                                                                                                                                                                                                      True-- YES your breast size IS determined by your heredity (genetics) and your weight (breasts are made up of fat tissue and glandular material).

4. Breast implants look and feel just like the real thing                                                                                                                                                                                                                      False -- according to surveys of women who have had implants, they neither feel nor look like the real thing. They have visible scars from the surgery, are unnaturally round, and can be lopsided. Women say that their breast implants make it hard to sleep on their stomach, get cold, and feel hard.

5. Breast implants are safe                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  False -- there's a lot of controversy over whether breast implants are safe. The United States Federal Drug Administration (FDA) monitors the safety of all things medical, including breast implants. In 1992 the FDA took implants filled with silicone off of the market because the silicone leaked into women's bodies and caused serious illness.

Both men and women can lose perspective on what is normal when exposed to lots of women's breasts in the media (often with implants) and to very few real natural breasts. It's easy to get tricked into thinking that breast implants are what real breasts should look like. As a result, many small-breasted teenage girls grow up to be self-conscious women willing to take the risk of getting implants.

And the risks are plenty. Before 1992, breast implants were filled with silicone (a liquid substance), which was found to leak into the body and cause serious diseases. After 1992, the US government banned the use of silicone, so doctors now use saline (salt water) instead. But these are not without problems - if they leak (and about 40% DO leak within 6 years, bacteria and other organisms can get into the implants making the woman sick.

Breast implants can make screening for breast cancer much more difficult and can make it impossible for a woman to breastfeed her baby. Let's not forget that the biological purpose of breasts is to feed babies milk. Most young women who get implants are not thinking about the best nutrition for their future children. Instead, they want to feel better about their looks. Pamela Anderson and Jenny Jones are among the many women who have had their breast implants removed.

When you go through puberty, if feels like your body is making decisions and changes without consulting you first, remember this: real breasts are beautiful, whether they are small, large, high or low. They have many important functions and are attached to your body for a reason. Appreciate your body for what it can do for you. And, take care of yourself, both inside and out.

Beauty tips from Audrey Hepburn:

• For attractive lips, speak words of kindness.
• For lovely eyes, seek out the good in people.
• For a slim figure, share your food with the hungry.
• For beautiful hair, let a child run his fingers through it once a day.
• For poise, walk with the knowledge that you will never walk alone.