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Questions from teens
Frequently asked questions
Here are just a few examples of some of the most commonly asked questions from teenagers about breasts and breast cancer. Just click the name of the question to see the corresponding answer...
What does or doesn't increase my risk of breast cancer...?
...smoking?
...using deodorant?
...wearing an underwired bra?
...injuring my breast?
...having my nipple pierced?
...drinking alcohol?
...taking the contraceptive pill?
...eating a healthy diet?
...sunbathing?
I'm worried because my right breast is growing bigger than my left breast. Is this normal?
What does or doesn't increase my risk of breast cancer?
Some newspapers often have stories about different things increasing the risk of getting breast cancer. But when you look at these stories more closely, they are often just trying to grab the attention with a shocking headline and the risk itself – if proved at all – is very small.
Although there is lots of research on breast cancer, we still don't know what causes it. There doesn't seem to be one single cause, but rather a combination of lots of different things. We do know some things that increase the risk of getting breast cancer, but not all of them – and we still don't know why some people get it and some don't.
No, although smoking is the biggest single cause of cancer in the world it does not appear to affect the risk of breast cancer. But smoking is definitely not a good idea – it's known to increase the risk not only of lung cancer but also of cancer of the bladder, cervix, kidney, voice box (larynx), mouth, food pipe (oesophagus), pancreas, stomach and some types of leukaemia. Smoking has also been proven to increase the risk of heart disease and some respiratory conditions.
No. A hoax email first linked antiperspirants and deodorants to breast cancer. It claimed that deodorants stop the body from sweating out toxins and that these toxins build up in the lymph glands under the armpit and cause breast cancer.
Our bodies have several ways of getting rid of toxins, and while sweating is one of them it does not involve the lymph glands. There has been research done on this subject, which did not find any convincing evidence that antiperspirants or deodorants cause breast cancer.
It's been suggested that underwired bras constrict the body's lymph glands, leading to breast cancer. This is not true. A poorly fitting bra may lead to discomfort and pain, but will not increase the risk of developing breast cancer.
An injury such as falling or being hit in the chest will not increase breast cancer risk. It may cause bruising and swelling to the breast. Sometimes this may lead to a benign (non-cancerous) lump known as fat necrosis. Fat necrosis occurs when the fatty breast tissue swells and becomes tender, and as the body naturally repairs the damaged breast tissue scar tissue could form in its place.
Nipple piercing will not increase the risk of breast cancer. But it may increase the risk of infection, and breastfeeding later in life may be difficult if the milk ducts are damaged.
Yes - drinking more than the recommended daily amount (two units for women and three units for men) does increase the risk of developing breast cancer and can contribute to many heart conditions.
Girls who are old enough to drink alcohol need to be careful – many alcoholic drinks contain more than one unit and it's easy for people to drink more than they mean to.
...taking the contraceptive pill?
A small number of studies have suggested that taking the oral contraceptive pill for a long time may slightly increase the risk of developing breast cancer later in life. However, after stopping taking the pill the risk goes back to normal after 10 years. Recently a large study showed there was no increased risk of developing breast cancer because of taking the pill.
Breast cancer is rare in younger women, for whom taking the pill is still an effective way of preventing pregnancy. The majority of women who take it will not develop breast cancer. Anyone with any concerns about taking the pill should discuss them with their GP.
No - eating a healthy diet can actually reduce the risk of getting cancer later in life. It can also protect against heart disease, high blood pressure, strokes and diabetes. But those who don't eat a healthy diet and are very overweight (obese), have an increased risk of getting breast cancer as they get older.
Our genes play an important part in whether we are likely to develop certain conditions, but our lifestyle can also have an impact on our risk. For example, having a grandparent and parent with high blood pressure and eating a diet high in fats could increase the risk of developing high blood pressure. So eating a healthy diet is important to improve overall health and wellbeing.
No - sunbathing topless will not cause breast cancer. But because the skin on the breast is delicate it's more likely to get burnt than other areas of the body. Also, too much exposure to ultraviolet (UV) rays in sunlight and from sun beds can cause skin cancer.
To reduce this risk always limit time in the sun, use a sunscreen with a sun protection factor (SPF) of at least 15, be careful never to burn and cover up with a hat, shirt and sunglasses.
I'm worried because my right breast is growing bigger than my left breast. Is this normal?
As your breasts are growing and developing it's not unusual for one breast to grow bigger than the other. This is because both breasts grow independently of each other. For some people the size difference can be subtle and for others it can be more noticeable. It's normal for many women to have one breast bigger than the other and this is nothing to worry about.
My breasts are really uncomfortable and sometimes I have sharp pains in both of them. Is this normal?
It is normal for the breasts to feel uncomfortable and painful at times. Breast pain has been described as anything ranging from a mild ache to a sharp, stabbing, burning sensation.
For some people breast pain is influenced by fluctuating hormone levels where the pain is at its worst just before a period, settling down again afterwards. For others the pain can happen at any time. There are many different practical measures and treatments to help settle breast pain, so do talk to someone if this is a problem for you.
My grandmother has just been treated for breast cancer and my mum is seeing the GP to see if she could get it. Does this mean that I can get it too?
Although we don't fully understand what causes breast cancer, we do know that being female and getting older are important factors that increase risk. Breast cancer is a very common disease and is seen more often in women over the age of 50.
Because it is common it's not unusual to have an older family member with breast cancer, and this does not mean that you or your mum is at a higher risk of developing breast cancer. It's good to hear that your mum is discussing this with her GP as they will be able to offer further information and support on your own family experience.
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