In our society we have many and diverse values. One of the values is a woman's physical appearance. A woman's breast size often plays an integral part in her appearance to others and to herself. A woman's breasts are not simply just a part of her body but often for both men and women, they have come to represent femininity. Throughout a woman's lifetime her breasts may contribute to her sexual satisfaction, appearance, and self-esteem, yet many women are not satisfied with their breast size.

Since the 1940's women have been trying various methods to increase their breast size for many reasons (Frontline). The society we live in puts great emphasis on appearance, so many women are self conscious about their breasts. Some women have elected to have breast implants after undergoing a mastectomy, yet others choose to have implants done strictly for cosmetic purposes. Since the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has become involved in studying implants, rules and regulations have come into effect. The FDA, because of the side effects now limits people's options. For many women the benefits of having breast implants far out weigh the risks, and they should be able to make t

Levy, Jerome F, And Diana Odell Potter. Your Breasts. New York:

Frontline. "Breast Implant Chronology." 1998. PBS Online.

It is inappropriate that thousands of women should be denied the opportunity for optimal results because of a very small minority of women with problems...it is ironic that women continue to smoke, drink, and undergo abortions, all of which have very real and proven consequences to their health, while being denied implants.

In May 2000 the FDA approved the use of saline implants. As quoted by the Washington Post, "FDA officials said they could not ignore the fact that despite the complications experienced by some women, the majority of those women after three years reported being satisfied with their implants." Included in the approval is the requirement that prospective patients be informed of the product failings. This way patients will be able to make decisions once they are completely aware of the possible consequences.

Some common words found in the essay are:
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Approximate Word count = 1352
Approximate Pages = 5 (250 words per page double spaced)