The aim is to prevent breasts from growing and hide puberty signs to make girls less attractive to men- Breast Ironing!

Emobileclinic Trending Topic :Breast Ironing

Breast ironing, also known as breast flattening, is a form of mutilation by which girls’ breasts are pounded and burned with heated objects, such as spatulas, stones and hot spoons to mutilate breast tissue. Girls are typically subjected to the practice twice a day for weeks or months, but the frequency of the practice varies from area to area.

It is often performed by mothers intending to prevent their daughters from being sexually harassed or raped.

This practice is common in Western and Central African countries such as Cameroon, Benin, Chad, Ivory Coast, Guinea-Bissau, Guinea-Conakry, Kenya, Togo, Zimbabwe  and Nigeria, where many boys and men believe girls whose breasts have grown are ready to have sex. The ritual, which experts say can lead to breast cancer, is growing at an alarming rate and has affected more than 3.8 million women across the world, according to a UN report.

The aim is to prevent breasts from growing and hide puberty signs to make girls less attractive to men. In some instances, breast ironing is also practised to prevent early marriages and encourage girls to pursue their education.

Consequences

Breast ironing is very painful and can cause the following:

tissue damage

deformities

 psychological problems and trauma

 high fever, abscess and cysts,

breasts pimples on and around the nipples

itching

 milk infection and the complete disappearance of the breasts.

How to prevent breast ironing?

Creating awareness and public discussion of the practice 

Educating people on human biology and the futility of breast flattening

Addressing the originating conditions of sexual exploitation of girls that cuts across economic, social, and regional divisions in countries practicing this dreadful act.