By Sim Hyung-bo

An American author John Steinbeck said in his novel “The Wayward Bus” that a visitor of another species might judge that the seat of procreation lies in the mammary glands. Like this, breasts determine one’s attractiveness as it is a symbol of woman’s attractiveness and maternity.

Interestingly, woman’s breast keeps its developed round shape not like other mammals. On mammals excluding humans, the pregnant breast increases in size but after suckling period, it shrinks directly as it functions only for nursing. However, human’s breast is not only related to breast-feeding, but maximizes a woman’s beauty.

However, women athletes often say that breasts bother them with practice or work records. It is because they cannot use their arms and upper body more freely. In fact, it is said that the Amazones, fierce female warriors in Greek mythology, cut off the right breast of each girl so that she could handle a bow and arrow more easily.

Unlike Amazones, breast cancer patients, who have tumor in their breasts, remove the whole breast regardless of their intention. And their sense of loss is beyond expectations, doctors say. The National Cancer Center reported that breast cancer survivors face almost twice the suffering of others as they lose the meaning of life.

Up to now, buxom and curvy women have been concerned beautiful from the Stone Age. Venus of Willendof, a female figure made in the Stone Age, has apparently large breasts as a symbol of beauty and fertility. Therefore, ideas about ideal breast have maintained surprisingly compared to the standards of a beautiful face have changed following a variety of cultures and trends.

The writer is president of BR Baram Breast & Body Clinic in southern Seoul.