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| Version 3 | Version 4 |
|---|---|
| 'Living with bigger boobs made me want to hide' | 'Living with bigger boobs made me want to hide' |
| (8 days later) | |
| Jackie Adedeji has been exploring the mental and physical side effects of having larger breasts | Jackie Adedeji has been exploring the mental and physical side effects of having larger breasts |
| Shame and pain - just two of the words women have used to describe their experience of having big breasts. | Shame and pain - just two of the words women have used to describe their experience of having big breasts. |
| Jackie Adedeji thinks having larger boobs isn't taken seriously and says we see them as "funny and silly" in the UK. | Jackie Adedeji thinks having larger boobs isn't taken seriously and says we see them as "funny and silly" in the UK. |
| She says being a size 36K means there have been times in her life where she wanted to hide. | She says being a size 36K means there have been times in her life where she wanted to hide. |
| "From about 11 years old I was super sexualised, I remember vivid experiences of walking to school and having grown men walking past me licking their lips," she tells BBC Newsbeat. | "From about 11 years old I was super sexualised, I remember vivid experiences of walking to school and having grown men walking past me licking their lips," she tells BBC Newsbeat. |
| "I've also been in meetings, where you have colleagues staring at you, making you feel like you're here to be a sexual object." | "I've also been in meetings, where you have colleagues staring at you, making you feel like you're here to be a sexual object." |
| Jackie, who's explored these issues in a new Channel 4 documentary My Big Boobs: UNTOLD, says she's learnt to embrace her body with age. | Jackie, who's explored these issues in a new Channel 4 documentary My Big Boobs: UNTOLD, says she's learnt to embrace her body with age. |
| But there's a lot of women who go under the knife, and it's something that's becoming more common. | But there's a lot of women who go under the knife, and it's something that's becoming more common. |
| The British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons (BAAPS) says breast reductions are the second most popular aesthetic procedure. | The British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons (BAAPS) says breast reductions are the second most popular aesthetic procedure. |
| It says there were 5,270 breast reductions in 2022, up 120% from the year before and higher than pre-Covid | It says there were 5,270 breast reductions in 2022, up 120% from the year before and higher than pre-Covid |
| Jackie met a lot of women who are suffering with big boobs when making her Channel 4 documentary | Jackie met a lot of women who are suffering with big boobs when making her Channel 4 documentary |
| Jackie says she doesn't think people get "how mentally taxing it is" having bigger breasts. | Jackie says she doesn't think people get "how mentally taxing it is" having bigger breasts. |
| "They feel shameful, because a lot of people feel ownership towards your boobs, when they're big, they are seen as public property," she says. | "They feel shameful, because a lot of people feel ownership towards your boobs, when they're big, they are seen as public property," she says. |
| And she's experienced cultural pressures too - she grew up in a religious home where there was an expectation of modesty. | And she's experienced cultural pressures too - she grew up in a religious home where there was an expectation of modesty. |
| "You're supposed to be classy and additionally, as a black woman, you always want to come across in the most positive way possible and I often felt that my boobs weren't seen as a positive thing." | "You're supposed to be classy and additionally, as a black woman, you always want to come across in the most positive way possible and I often felt that my boobs weren't seen as a positive thing." |
| 'Leave her alone' | 'Leave her alone' |
| Amber has also been through it - and decided to go private at the start of 2022. | Amber has also been through it - and decided to go private at the start of 2022. |
| After years of being in mental and physical pain due to her 36I size, the operation had been a long time coming for the 26-year-old from Cornwall. | After years of being in mental and physical pain due to her 36I size, the operation had been a long time coming for the 26-year-old from Cornwall. |
| "I had been suffering since leaving school, but after breastfeeding my daughter the pain got to the point where I could barely walk without hurting," she says. | "I had been suffering since leaving school, but after breastfeeding my daughter the pain got to the point where I could barely walk without hurting," she says. |
| At first, she tried to get the operation under the NHS but they rejected her several times. | At first, she tried to get the operation under the NHS but they rejected her several times. |
| "My husband and I had a long chat, and we decided to take a loan out," says Amber, whose surname we are not using at her request. | "My husband and I had a long chat, and we decided to take a loan out," says Amber, whose surname we are not using at her request. |
| "Even though the financial strain has been an absolute nightmare, the operation was the best decision I ever made." | "Even though the financial strain has been an absolute nightmare, the operation was the best decision I ever made." |
| Amber says she felt pushed away from the NHS, which left her feeling isolated | Amber says she felt pushed away from the NHS, which left her feeling isolated |
| Breast reductions aren't unique in being difficult to get on the NHS and like other ops, there can be long waiting times. | Breast reductions aren't unique in being difficult to get on the NHS and like other ops, there can be long waiting times. |
| Someone who did manage to get an NHS operation is 28-year-old Rachael. | Someone who did manage to get an NHS operation is 28-year-old Rachael. |
| But that was 10 years after she approached her doctor with back pain and anxiety because of being teased about her 34HH boobs. | But that was 10 years after she approached her doctor with back pain and anxiety because of being teased about her 34HH boobs. |
| Rachael was told to lose weight, despite having a healthy BMI, and it was only when she was diagnosed with chronic back pain that she feels she was taken seriously. | Rachael was told to lose weight, despite having a healthy BMI, and it was only when she was diagnosed with chronic back pain that she feels she was taken seriously. |
| Listen to more on this story on Newsbeat on BBC Sounds | Listen to more on this story on Newsbeat on BBC Sounds |
| GB swimmers 'trolled for our small bums and boobs' | GB swimmers 'trolled for our small bums and boobs' |
| Woman's breast reduction fundraising hits target | Woman's breast reduction fundraising hits target |
| Although it was far from being fast-tracked to surgery. | Although it was far from being fast-tracked to surgery. |
| "I tried painkillers and physio for six months before I was added to the waiting list and from there it took two years," she says. | "I tried painkillers and physio for six months before I was added to the waiting list and from there it took two years," she says. |
| Rachael - whose surname we are not using - counts herself as incredibly lucky and her says her life post-op is a lot better. | Rachael - whose surname we are not using - counts herself as incredibly lucky and her says her life post-op is a lot better. |
| "Before the operation I couldn't do any running without being in serious pain. So that's definitely one of the biggest upsides. | "Before the operation I couldn't do any running without being in serious pain. So that's definitely one of the biggest upsides. |
| "I'm definitely a lot more body confident than I was." | "I'm definitely a lot more body confident than I was." |
| Rachael says being told to diet when she was 16 caused a lot of psychological problems | Rachael says being told to diet when she was 16 caused a lot of psychological problems |
| Why are more women getting breast reductions? | Why are more women getting breast reductions? |
| BAAPS vice-president Nora Nugent believes it's because reductions are an effective procedure with functional and aesthetic benefits. | BAAPS vice-president Nora Nugent believes it's because reductions are an effective procedure with functional and aesthetic benefits. |
| "It helps in terms of physical comfort, body image, and practicalities, even things like clothing fitting properly," she tells Newsbeat. | "It helps in terms of physical comfort, body image, and practicalities, even things like clothing fitting properly," she tells Newsbeat. |
| The plastic surgeon also believes the procedure is becoming less taboo. | The plastic surgeon also believes the procedure is becoming less taboo. |
| "For a long time surgery had a secrecy associated with it and although breast reduction isn't cosmetic, it fell into that category. | "For a long time surgery had a secrecy associated with it and although breast reduction isn't cosmetic, it fell into that category. |
| "So people didn't really talk about it. Now, it's much more open." | "So people didn't really talk about it. Now, it's much more open." |
| So how do you go about getting an operation? | So how do you go about getting an operation? |
| NHS England told us that individual trusts look after breast reductions - and that includes how they decide who can and can't have the surgery. | NHS England told us that individual trusts look after breast reductions - and that includes how they decide who can and can't have the surgery. |
| The procedure starts with a GP appointment where patients will be assessed for problems like back and neck pain as well as mental health issues, such as depression. | The procedure starts with a GP appointment where patients will be assessed for problems like back and neck pain as well as mental health issues, such as depression. |
| If a doctor thinks you're suitable, you will be put forward to be seen by a breast surgeon but you could be waiting a while to get an assessment. | If a doctor thinks you're suitable, you will be put forward to be seen by a breast surgeon but you could be waiting a while to get an assessment. |
| The final decision is made by a team at the local trust. | The final decision is made by a team at the local trust. |
| For Jackie, she knows her documentary won't reduce waiting times but her hope is that it leads to people having more empathy. | For Jackie, she knows her documentary won't reduce waiting times but her hope is that it leads to people having more empathy. |
| "I'd like to see more compassion towards women with big boobs, because I want people to think if they ever see a woman walking across the street and she's got big boobs, she's minding her own business, leave her alone." | "I'd like to see more compassion towards women with big boobs, because I want people to think if they ever see a woman walking across the street and she's got big boobs, she's minding her own business, leave her alone." |
| Follow Newsbeat on Twitter and YouTube. | Follow Newsbeat on Twitter and YouTube. |
| Listen to Newsbeat live at 12:45 and 17:45 weekdays - or listen back here. | Listen to Newsbeat live at 12:45 and 17:45 weekdays - or listen back here. |
| Related Topics | Related Topics |
| Women's health | Women's health |
| Healthcare | Healthcare |
| NHS | NHS |
| Mental health | Mental health |