Dear general123,

That sounds like it could be really hard to deal with. It can be annoying and uncomfortable when we feel like people only notice us for our bodies and not our personalities.

There are a few different approaches that you might want to consider. Some girls make a joke of it — when they catch someone staring at their breasts, they might say, "Hello, my face is up here!" Others might take a direct approach: "Do you realize that you are staring at my breasts? Please stop, it is making me uncomfortable." Others prefer to just ignore the unwanted attention.

Rest assured, what you're feeling is very common. Many girls feel anxiety over breast development — whether they feel like their breasts are too big, too small, different sizes, or different shapes.

Many girls with large breasts are proud of them and feel comfortable with their bodies. Often, this attitude develops with age — as we grow up, we realize that everyone is different, and our bodies are nothing to be ashamed of — no matter what they look like.

If you'd really like to minimize the size of your breasts, your first step might be to get measured for a bra by a salesperson at a department store or lingerie shop. Often, girls with large breasts will wear bras that are too small for them because they think it will make their breasts look smaller. But this can be very uncomfortable, and it can actually make breasts look bigger. You could also ask the salesperson if her store carries minimizer bras that are designed to help make the breasts appear smaller.

Some women who have very large breasts and find that their breasts cause them a lot of physical and emotional discomfort talk to their health care providers about the possibility of breast reduction surgery.

Hope this information helps!

Take care,

teenwire.com^® Editors

This column is for informational purposes only and is not intended to constitute medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. If you have a medical problem, please call toll-free 1-800-230-PLAN for an appointment with the Planned Parenthood health center nearest you.