Well here it is, the final installment of my sex ed series. This one has been a wild ride and I hope that we all learned something new and interesting about our bodies and are fueled with trivia and fun facts that I’m certain will come up eventually…. That being said, let’s talk about BOOBS.
- Most women have two different sized breasts
-
No, you’re weren’t imagining that, and yes, it is normal. And no, you shouldn’t comment on it in bed. Can say from experience that that is a total mood killer. But what’s most interesting is it is statistically more likely for the left breast to be bigger, with up to 65% of women reporting an oversized left boob. Nobody knows why the left, or why this even occurs in the first place, but based on my own body it has to be true.
- There are four types of nipples
-
Before we get into the nitty gritty of this fun fact, can we talk about how hilarious the world nipples is? I giggle like a loon every time I so much as type it.
But anyways… there’s normal nipples which stick out, well, normally from the areola. There’re flat nipples which are exactly what they sound like. There’re puffed nipples which are flat nipples but the areola itself is raised. And finally, there’s inverted nipples which are… dimples? Magnipplecent.
- You’re most likely wearing the wrong bra right now
-
According to research, up to 80% of women are wearing the wrong sized bra. Probably because most women falsely equate cup size with breast size, when in reality breast size is more about band size whereas cup size is about shape. For example, I wear a 32D (which is nearly impossible to find in stores by the way) when I look more like what you’d picture for a B or maaaaaybe a C cup. I actually didn’t believe the woman taking my measurements. She explained to me that 32 is more indicative of my small build that being an A, B, C or DDD would be. My advice: Go to Victoria Secret and get measured. You don’t have to buy anything and getting into the right size bra can be life changing.
- Your breasts are constantly changing
-
Speaking of changing, your breasts are right now. Breasts can change up to a full size just during your menstrual cycle, and they are constantly changing during your life. Breasts grow and shrink as you gain and lose weight. Breasts grow with pregnancy. And breasts change shape as you age. Even what’s inside the breast changes as they become more firm closer to your period. That’s why it’s so important to give yourself regular breast exams your whole life. Understanding the cycle your breasts go through can help you detect breast cancer and can potentially save your life. Remember, while it is rare, breast cancer can hit you even in your twenties.
- Men have nipples because all embryos start female (sort of)
-
Ever wonder about man nipples, aka nature’s most useless chest decoration? They exist for the same reason women have clitorises but in reverse. All embryos start closer to female which is more biologically neutral, and external sex organs will develop latter around seven weeks after initial fertilization.
- Breasts are a scientific mystery
-
There’s a lot we still don’t know about breasts outside of just the things that never got covered in sex ed, like for example: why do we have them? Humans are the only animals that have evolved to have breasts our whole lives, even though the only real purpose they serve is to nurse our young. Most other mammals develop teets when nursing, but they aren’t hauling around double D’s on the regular. Nobody knows why we were selected to have breasts, but many of us are definitely thankful.
There you have it! That’s it for the sex ed series. For those of you who followed, thanks for the support (get it, cause this article is about breasts?). I hope you learned something new and have a better understanding of how to care for your body. Don’t forget to be on your breast behavior! ;)