[Cheffette]

Disturbingly, a lot of people said I should be a model. Of course, this was years ago before my nose had a growth spurt of its own and my acne got really bad.

But I'm too short to be a model anyway. I feel sick enough being thin too, what if they tell me to lose more weight?! (not that that would be difficult...) I apparently have the genes for big boobs, but don't actually have them because of my low weight. I'm not very athletic or active like my sister is :/ Though I do feel better that VS' models are likely photoshopped... actually, I kind of feel worse too :/

Worse? About what? They are not that special looking, in my opinion. You won't believe how much photoshop is used in modeling. And that's AFTER you come to a photoshoot and have every part of your face painted with layers and layers of makeup. For example, I have strong cheekbones, but before a photoshoot I will use bronzer to paint them on even stronger. Photoshoot makeup is a lot like stage makeup - If you want to look natural, you wear a moderate amount. And if you want to look like you're wearing makeup, you put a lot more than you usually would. So much that if you went outside wearing model makeup, you'd look like a clown or a stage performer. But this is all so that the camera can "see" it better, especially under really bright lights. (and keep in mind you can use makeup to enhance the look of your breasts and muscle tone as well). I do all this, and I am not even an agency-signed model. I don't get paid for anything... I just volunteer for gigs, and do it for fun.

THEN, after all that, comes photoshop. Ideally you should still look like yourself (but better), but this isn't always the case... sometimes people go in as themselves and come out looking like a totally different person in a magazine. I personally wouldn't do this, but there are many that do.

Don't believe everything you see in those ads. Models have acne too. I have really bad acne the week before I get my period. How old are you? It was worst for me when I was about 16. Acne usually gets better with time. By the time my periods became regular, my acne improved... if only it could go away completely!

By the way, if you're worried about NBE, I have great news for you: You just told me that you have the genes for large breasts. CONGRATULATIONS!! You are already half-way to your goal! My mom has large breasts as well - she has Es, of course she is also a lot shorter than me, and she weighs a bit more as well. Look at your relatives - what does your mom's chest look like? What about your grandma? Chances are, by the time you gain weight, you should see a difference in how you look.

I have some more advice: Try to exercise, because it balances things out and makes you feel and look sexier. Lift weights to add bulk, not to trim down. Lifting weights is great for me and really builds up my frame. People used to always tell me, "you're so tiny!" and it really, really, hurt me. But now, nobody says that. I'm definately slim (size 4) but my mom says "you look so healthy and strong now, the best you've ever looked in your life!"

I could gain 10 more lbs and still not care. If any agent tells me I have to lose weight, guess what? I'm walking right out that door. I'm already tall enough to model, and a size 4 at my height is hardly big.

The modeling industry can be really sick. It has even warped the minds of men now. Men look at VS models and think they look OK, but I can assure you they do not. They look terribly ill/thin. My boyfriend once told me, "if the agency wants you to lose weight, shouldn't you lose it?" Psh! I should have DUMPED HIM for saying something so ridiculous!

We basically have only gains to look forward to (pun intended). And weight gain = bigger boobs, and a more sexy, strong, athletic figure.

P.S. I've always liked the look of Tyra Banks and Liz Hurley because they were size 6s in their prime, which means they were bigger than almost all of the famous models we have now. THEY had nice breasts (However Liz did have naturally small hips). I wish we had more models like them now

[Rachyl]

Yeah I live in Europe, south of France.
I believe there's a big difference on this point between us. My mother told me that when she was younger she went to the USA and got caught by the police on the beach because she was topless lol, she didn't even knew that it was forbidden.
A lot of my friends told my that they would be ashamed to show their breast, but it's very common to see it on the beach, no one's shocked.

I don't really understand 'self esteem issues'. Do you mean something like, if we accept easily our bodies ?

You or she could have gone to Nude beaches, but yes I live here in the states and do not understand the topless issue.

[bunnyday]

@Sailorvenus

For acne, mine was always really bad, from the time I got it at age 9 to when I was 18. I had to go on Accutane at 16 because nothing else to that point had worked, and by 17 my acne had come back worse than before. I'm 19 now and my acne has cleared up a lot; I still have small breakouts at various stages of my cycle but nothing major. However my face is quite red now thanks to all of the scars. My periods however are not regular unless I'm on birth control, which I am now. It's absolutely lovely to have an appetite, not have cramps or acne (for the most part), and lighter and shorter periods. However, no significant weight gain or breast growth. Oh, and not getting pregnant is a plus too, though I started it for an ovarian cyst. Which is still bothering me after a year and a half.

I don't think I have genes for particularly large breasts, just breasts a lot bigger than mine. Mine are small even with a push-up bra. I'm all for weight-training, I just won't have any access to a gym or anything after Tuesday

[Cheffette]

@Sailorvenus

For acne, mine was always really bad, from the time I got it at age 9 to when I was 18. I had to go on Accutane at 16 because nothing else to that point had worked, and by 17 my acne had come back worse than before. I'm 19 now and my acne has cleared up a lot; I still have small breakouts at various stages of my cycle but nothing major. However my face is quite red now thanks to all of the scars. My periods however are not regular unless I'm on birth control, which I am now. It's absolutely lovely to have an appetite, not have cramps or acne (for the most part), and lighter and shorter periods. However, no significant weight gain or breast growth. Oh, and not getting pregnant is a plus too, though I started it for an ovarian cyst. Which is still bothering me after a year and a half.

I don't think I have genes for particularly large breasts, just breasts a lot bigger than mine. Mine are small even with a push-up bra. I'm all for weight-training, I just won't have any access to a gym or anything after Tuesday

It's good to hear that your acne has cleared up a lot.
What helped my hormones balance out seemed to be Natural Progesterone cream. I used the Source Naturals brand. Seems you can buy it at most health food stores. I've always bought it in-store.

Don't be surprised if the birth control hasn't helped NBE. For one thing, NBE stands for Natural Breast Enhancement, but the hormones found in birth control are anything but natural. I'm glad to hear it has been working for you, but in my honest opinion I wouldn't reccomend it to anyone. I tried it for one week and my vision got burry; bad sign. Always read the fine print and side effects. It's not worth it, in my opinion.

Natural hormones are the way to go, if you ask me. The reason why birth control pills are all synthetic is because you technically can't patent something found in nature. *shakes head*

Anyway I could rant forever but what matters is that you feel you are benefitting from it. I know a girl whose breasts grew a LOT from birth control - I'm guessing she got lucky with the hormone combo. Because, honestly, if someone was estrogen dominant and they started taking a BC pill that contained synthetic estrogen, she's probably have all sorts of crazy and unwanted side effects. And if someone was progesterone dominant and taking a synthetic estrogen pill, maybe their results would be different, or better. But the sad truth my former doctor told me was that "we don't analyze hormone imbalances or anything like that, we just throw a dart at a board, and whatever pill it lands on is the one we reccommend." Talk about unprofessional. Do all doctors do that??? Anyway...a good endocrinologist (ideally) would not. General practioners shouldn't even be allowed to prescribe birth control, seriously... *sigh* OK, I'm done venting, now. Sorry!

I am worried about the cyst you mentioned. I wish you the best. Do some research on hormones and ask your doctor if you can do a hormone test, to see if you have any imbalances that can be corrected. I would reccomend it for anyone thinking of starting NBE, to be honest. Can you get a referral to an endocrinologist? There may be options you just haven't considered yet... and a cyst is not something you should have to endure. Explore your options.

Also, the birth control may not have been able to do much for your breasts since you are at such a low weight. When your weight improves, who knows, maybe the pill will make your boobs grow to be huge... you never can predict how these things will work. But weight gain would be a good start for someone looking to see improvement. I'm rooting for you!!

[stellsbells]

lol, don't get me wrong, you don't see naked boobs everywhere when going to the beach, but there's always at least two or three girls topless around.

And well, I believe this is worlwide: girls always find something wrong with their body. Almost all of them think that they are BIG... That's generally not serious, but I know some anorexic girls, and i used to be bulimic. Plus i wouldn't be here if i was totally ok with my body.

The thing with the beach, is that you're already half naked in swimsuit. You don't hide much with the bikini, but topless lets show a 'private' body part. It doesn't has to do with your body image. If you're really ashamed of your it, then you keep a shirt on. Bikini or not sound close to me. It's hard for me to imagine it being a taboo... Well I find nudist gross, because totally naked peoples make me think of worms lol, but i believe i wouldn't mind so much doing it. Hum, seing penises
of unknown men may be quit disturbing though.
I don't know, i try to think about it the way you may be thinking about me.

I can't tell you if we're (i don't talk for all europe, because all countries are REALLY different, we don't have the same history, don't speak the same langage, and of course don't have the same weather) more open about nudity because i've never been to america during a long time, just short trips, so i can't compare. But one thing i know, is that half of the music videoclip we see on tv comes from the usa and is full of half naked dancing girls. We don't see nipples or sexs, but for me it's the same... Don't you think so ?

The feeling I get when talking about this, is that USA sounds more strict on some points. Like places when you can't smoke ? I don't remember well the story but once again my mother had troubles with the police because she was smoking in the street lol. Or there's that shocking thing we heard about, some american schools that are refusing darwin's evolution theory and teach that all began with adam and eve. Also our english teacher told us that a lot of americans never go out of their states during their lives, not even for travel. All i know about america comes from school and tv so i can't really compare us, but from those things, i'd say that we sound more open minded. Also, people in here don't obey to the law (especially in the south, a lot of french people think that my city is a kind of chicgo lol). And there's less, or should i say not at all, patriotism. No one feels proud to be french and at last no one cares.

I'm getting out of topic now so I may just stop. No offense in what I said, if I'm wrong somewhere please tell me because I'm not sure about the things I said and would be happy to learn more. Also I hope this post isn't a mess because i'm writing on my mobile phone :S

Well, it is true that most Americans never travel out of the states. Traveling outside the U.S. is so expensive! Even travel in the U.S. is expensive these days, so many people are unable to travel at all. I've never been outside the country, so my knowlege of foreign countries is also limited to what I've seen on the television and what I've learned at school.

Also, I guess I can't say that nudity is uncommon in the states. Nudity and near-nudity is everywhere these days- television, movies, and music videos (like you mentioned). I know that not everyone feels as "taboo" about it as I do. I think my main problem is that I do have a bad body image including body dysmorphic disorder, so nudity is something that I have issues with to begin with. I honestly wish that people were still very modest and that everyone viewed nudity as taboo purely for my own selfish reasons. However, I get the impression (correct me if I'm wrong), that nudity in the US is all about being viewed in a sexual way while nudity outside the US like in Europe, is just viewed as being "natural" not "sexual".

[stellsbells]

As for Victoria's Secret push-up bras, stores around where I live and where I go to college don't have my size, let alone the push-up swimsuits. The only place I could get them is online, and I refuse to buy clothes online without being able to ship them back. That and I hate Victoria's Secret with a passion (you have to have big boobs to even walk into a store, plus I have asthma and can't walk in anyway because of all that effing perfume!).

There aren't any padded push-up tops anywhere else except for Hollister, and I didn't really like Hollister's collection.

I'm a VS fan, and recently I've noticed something that made me quite happy. Most of their models are small chested these days! I've gotten about 3 or 4 catalogs from them lately and they all seem to be built like 12 year olds...which is a little weird considering what kind of store VS, but it did give me a small confidence boost.

[twister_mama]

Well, it is true that most Americans never travel out of the states. Traveling outside the U.S. is so expensive! Even travel in the U.S. is expensive these days, so many people are unable to travel at all. I've never been outside the country, so my knowlege of foreign countries is also limited to what I've seen on the television and what I've learned at school.

Also, I guess I can't say that nudity is uncommon in the states. Nudity and near-nudity is everywhere these days- television, movies, and music videos (like you mentioned). I know that not everyone feels as "taboo" about it as I do. I think my main problem is that I do have a bad body image including body dysmorphic disorder, so nudity is something that I have issues with to begin with. I honestly wish that people were still very modest and that everyone viewed nudity as taboo purely for my own selfish reasons. However, I get the impression (correct me if I'm wrong), that nudity in the US is all about being viewed in a sexual way while nudity outside the US like in Europe, is just viewed as being "natural" not "sexual".

You have described my feelings on this subject exactly! And also, I worry that one of these days my husband will decide he'd rather have a *real* woman instead of me, because literally EVERYONE we see while out shopping is much larger than me (and exposing major cleavage). Fortunately, he has repeatedly expressed his disgust of women who expose themselves like that; and his ONLY interest is in me. I still need a few glasses of wine before I'll get undressed in front of him, though; and we've been married over seven years.

I have never been into a VS store. If I ever do, and they actually have something in my size (yeah right!), I will pay with cash, because my sister said she paid for something at VS with her credit card once, and she started receiving catalogs in the mail. I SOOO do not want to receive their catalogs! My home is my "safe haven" away from all the big-busted women that make me feel worse about myself; the last thing I want is to bring it into my home. And besides, my husband is the one who gets the mail. I know he'd never look at a catalog like that; but still, I don't want to feel distrustful of him. This is such a sensitive subject for me.

Like you said, maybe it's because breasts are considered so sexual (and the definition of femininity) here in the US that has caused my body image and self-esteem issues. I too wish everyone would cover up, though.

[stellsbells]

Well, it is true that most Americans never travel out of the states. Traveling outside the U.S. is so expensive! Even travel in the U.S. is expensive these days, so many people are unable to travel at all. I've never been outside the country, so my knowlege of foreign countries is also limited to what I've seen on the television and what I've learned at school.

Also, I guess I can't say that nudity is uncommon in the states. Nudity and near-nudity is everywhere these days- television, movies, and music videos (like you mentioned). I know that not everyone feels as "taboo" about it as I do. I think my main problem is that I do have a bad body image including body dysmorphic disorder, so nudity is something that I have issues with to begin with. I honestly wish that people were still very modest and that everyone viewed nudity as taboo purely for my own selfish reasons. However, I get the impression (correct me if I'm wrong), that nudity in the US is all about being viewed in a sexual way while nudity outside the US like in Europe, is just viewed as being "natural" not "sexual".

You have described my feelings on this subject exactly! And also, I worry that one of these days my husband will decide he'd rather have a *real* woman instead of me, because literally EVERYONE we see while out shopping is much larger than me (and exposing major cleavage). Fortunately, he has repeatedly expressed his disgust of women who expose themselves like that; and his ONLY interest is in me. I still need a few glasses of wine before I'll get undressed in front of him, though; and we've been married over seven years.

I have never been into a VS store. If I ever do, and they actually have something in my size (yeah right!), I will pay with cash, because my sister said she paid for something at VS with her credit card once, and she started receiving catalogs in the mail. I SOOO do not want to receive their catalogs! My home is my "safe haven" away from all the big-busted women that make me feel worse about myself; the last thing I want is to bring it into my home. And besides, my husband is the one who gets the mail. I know he'd never look at a catalog like that; but still, I don't want to feel distrustful of him. This is such a sensitive subject for me.

Like you said, maybe it's because breasts are considered so sexual (and the definition of femininity) here in the US that has caused my body image and self-esteem issues. I too wish everyone would cover up, though.

I can relate to you completely! Girls with big boobs make me feel crappy too. I definitely blame my self-esteem issues on the crappy world we live in today that is way too sex obsessed.

[raw]

Well, it is true that most Americans never travel out of the states. Traveling outside the U.S. is so expensive! Even travel in the U.S. is expensive these days, so many people are unable to travel at all. I've never been outside the country, so my knowlege of foreign countries is also limited to what I've seen on the television and what I've learned at school.

Also, I guess I can't say that nudity is uncommon in the states. Nudity and near-nudity is everywhere these days- television, movies, and music videos (like you mentioned). I know that not everyone feels as "taboo" about it as I do. I think my main problem is that I do have a bad body image including body dysmorphic disorder, so nudity is something that I have issues with to begin with. I honestly wish that people were still very modest and that everyone viewed nudity as taboo purely for my own selfish reasons. However, I get the impression (correct me if I'm wrong), that nudity in the US is all about being viewed in a sexual way while nudity outside the US like in Europe, is just viewed as being "natural" not "sexual".

You have described my feelings on this subject exactly! And also, I worry that one of these days my husband will decide he'd rather have a *real* woman instead of me, because literally EVERYONE we see while out shopping is much larger than me (and exposing major cleavage). Fortunately, he has repeatedly expressed his disgust of women who expose themselves like that; and his ONLY interest is in me. I still need a few glasses of wine before I'll get undressed in front of him, though; and we've been married over seven years.

I have never been into a VS store. If I ever do, and they actually have something in my size (yeah right!), I will pay with cash, because my sister said she paid for something at VS with her credit card once, and she started receiving catalogs in the mail. I SOOO do not want to receive their catalogs! My home is my "safe haven" away from all the big-busted women that make me feel worse about myself; the last thing I want is to bring it into my home. And besides, my husband is the one who gets the mail. I know he'd never look at a catalog like that; but still, I don't want to feel distrustful of him. This is such a sensitive subject for me.

Like you said, maybe it's because breasts are considered so sexual (and the definition of femininity) here in the US that has caused my body image and self-esteem issues. I too wish everyone would cover up, though.

I find it bothersome that breasts are so important to people in the U.S. My family is from south eastern Europe and over there legs, hips to waist ratio and butt are considered more important. My mom has skinny legs and big boobs (36D now) and she considers herself to have a bad body. She really likes pear shaped bodies regardless of breast size. I really think that Americans have taken the breast obsession too far.
For example, I have a similar body to this: http://www.skinnyvscurvy.com/take-a-gues...l#comments but with smaller breasts and thinner legs.
When I go back to visit my relatives my body is considered good. However, here in America my body is considered bad just because I have small breasts. It's so annoying.

[prettypurplekao]

THEN, after all that, comes photoshop. Ideally you should still look like yourself (but better), but this isn't always the case... sometimes people go in as themselves and come out looking like a totally different person in a magazine. I personally wouldn't do this, but there are many that do.

^ This. I don't know this from personal experience as I've never done a photo shoot, but rather from something I saw on the VS website. I was searching for new bras, and saw one I liked. The picture shown on the search page clearly showed tons of cleavage as typical. When I went to the product, a different color was listed on the page. When I clicked on the color that was pictured on the search page, the photo shown had not been photo shopped (at least not entirely). It looked entirely different! The contrast had not been adjusted it seemed as the model had little to no cleavage (from the shadows of contrast) and the model's skin was also a lot paler than was pictured on the search page. Same exact person, pose, color, but totally different look and much smaller bosom. Also if you look at the clothing, many of the loose fitting shirts (ones without shelf bras) you will notice that the models have very little poking out. This is probably because most of the cleavage in the bra photos are physically manipulated (via padding or gel inserts, etc) and then make up artists create shadows and then to photo shop to correct the color and add more defined shadows and probably enhance the quality of the photo to make all the fakeness look real. Even my cleavage almost doubles when I dim the lights. If I flex my stomach in dim lighting, I can even see my abs! The frustrating part is that these people work so hard to conceal what women truly are and what we naturally look like. As if it is something to be ashamed of. That's why modeling is not for me.