I heard about that study a few days ago. Like the article says, I think it has a lot to do with self esteem issues to begin with.

And there are a lot of parents who get their kids plastic surgery--including breast implants--while their kids are still growing! I'm not saying all plastic surgery is wrong--I want some!!! And I can understand a person with a large nose or ears that stick out wanting to do something about it. But when parents buy their teen daughters breast implants for graduation--a more and more common gift these days--what message does that send to the girl about how her own parents feel about her looks?

Girls aren't expected to learn to deal with their body and self-esteem issues these days. We just give them plastic surgery for a quick fix. Women, boys and men, too, for that matter. And I don't mean it's an easy fix, but you know what I'm saying.

I saw a girl on Rachel Ray just a few days ago (until the President so rudely interrupted! ), saying how it's improved her confidence (they ALL say that!!!) and self-esteem, blah, blah, blah. She also got her lips done. I don't know what she looked like before the surgery, but she couldn't have been that bad! This girl was already gorgeous.

So many girls pick their bodies apart, criticizing every little thing...if even a tiny amount of skin hangs loose, she thinks she's ugly. One young girl on a plastic surgery show who clearly had self-esteem issues got all marked up by the plastic surgeon and declared, "See? Even he thinks I need work!" (not an exact quote) Um...yeah...because that's how he makes money!

Gosh, I can go on and on about breast implants and plastic surgery, but to keep it on topic, I'll just state a couple more things specific to breast implants.

I want them. And I don't. I was fat since I was young, as well as large-breasted, and I sag badly. I can get a breast lift without the implants, but then you don't have the roundedness. That said, I'm very hesitant for a lot of the reasons you all mentioned, as well as others I've read about.

Most women--MOST!!!--will have to have their breasts redone within ten years. If you get a size C or above, I've heard that, when you wake up from surgery, it feels like you have bricks sitting on your chest! There can be loss of nipple sensation, if you have the implant placed through the method where they cut around the nipple.

It's society that does that to us. Women who are flat-chested or small-breasted are teased mercilessly sometimes, and then, when they do something about it (not that they should), they get ridiculed for having "fakes"! I mean, how the hell are we supposed to build girls' and womens' self esteem if society is constantly breaking it down?

And look at these young girls getting breast implants--most of them are HOT (in society's terms) to begin with!!!!

As for "unnatural" stuff going in one's body...one could say that about most medications, metal or plastic implants to help people walk or fix other things wrong with them, pacemakers, etc. Of course, those aren't for vanity reasons.

Back to the girl on Rachel Ray. For whatever we might think is wrong with her attitude, one thing she said is sadly true: Our society is so focused on appearance, and judges us on appearance, that it really is important how you look.