La chirurgie mammaire et l'esthétiquement correct : le sein et les médias

This article discusses how the norms of the aesthetically correct breast, the physiological characteristics of the breast, the increase in life expectancy, and the possibility of cosmetic surgery all influence the demand of breast modification. It then reviews the various stances of the medias on the subject, looking at the print medias, women's magazines, TV documentaries and reality shows. There is a paradox between a social context of hardening of the norms, encouragement of well-being and self-realisation, tolerance ideal, and the reality of quite a denial of the women's rights to choose their mammary appearance. The article seeks to elucidate historical, philosophical, social, religious and ideological obstacles. Finally, a new analysis chart looking at stances on the issue of cosmetic breast surgery is proposed, according to two criteria: “Doing” and “Saying”. This chart will help the surgeon to better decode the demand of each patient in order to better come up to her expectations.