Q. I’m in 8th grade and have a very small chest size. This wouldn’t bother me, except that lots of other girls in my grade have large B and C cup sizes. I have heard that eating lots of chicken helps increase breast size. I’ve also heard that rubbing mayonnaise on them works too. Do these methods work, and if not, what could I do?
A. Neither chicken nor mayonnaise will increase breast size. Ads for herbal products may sound appealing, but there is no evidence that they would work. If they did, they might not be safe for a young person.
Although some girls develop early, others may take several years longer to mature physically. There’s no way to tell in the eighth grade what your physique will be like when you grow up.
We have become concerned about the early development of young women such as the large cup sizes you mention among some of your classmates. Researchers have become alarmed about the possibility that chemicals in the environment may be causing something called premature puberty. Endocrine disruptors are compounds that may mimic estrogen. They include dioxin, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), bisphenol A (BPA), phthalates, and polybrominated biphenyls (PBBs).
BPA is found in the lining of beverage cans (soft drinks, for exampe), soup cans and other canned foods. It also coats the paper of many cash register receipts. Phthalates are chemicals used to make plastic softer and more pliable. It is found in many plastic food and beverage containers, like those used to contain fruit juice. Phthalates are also used in many cosmetics and skin-care products.
Although it may not seem this way right now, you could be fortunate that you have not filled out as much as some of your classmates. It might mean you have been exposed to fewer estrogen-like chemicals in your environment. There is concern that such chemicals may have negative health effects over the longterm. You may want to listen to our radio show this Saturday (January 14, 2012) with Dr. Tieraona Low Dog. She discusses Health and the Environment and talks about things like BPA and other estrogen-like chemicals.
