I'm a thin person, but my chest is a 34 DD, sometimes bigger. I usually enjoy having a nice rack, but occasionally they get heavy, prevent clothes from fitting properly, draw unwanted attention, and look like "National Geographic" boobs when they're out of their holster. When I get frustrated and talk about having a reduction, my husband threatens mutiny. Support of a different kind. :)

Having a bra that fits properly solves a lot of the clothing issues and goes a long way towards feeling good about the big boobs you've been dealt. If the girls are situated where they're supposed to be, they look nice and you don't feel like you're wearing a torture device disguised as a bra. As some other posters have said, Wacoal, Fantasie and Chantalle are all good brands for busty babes. My favorite is Fantasie, and they have a great t-shirt bra.

Several things, but first, Sarah, I loved your article. One of the things I really like about Salon is that along with politics you get interesting "fluff" pieces as well. The high-brow, annoyed haters in this thread must never like to read for pure pleasure or something.

Brightstar, you keep harping about how you love small breasts and chastise the men that say most men prefer big ones. Then, you go to list your favorite sizes as B and C. Um...did you not realize that Cs on average to small frames ARE considered big breasts?? When men say they prefer large breasts, Cs and Ds are what they are usually referring to. If you love small breasts so much, how come A cups didn't make your list? As are considered small, dude, not Bs. Bs are considered average. So basically what you're saying is that you prefer average to larger breasts (OK, we know you don't like 'em huge) but you so very do not prefer small ones.

As for surgery, I understand why a large breasted woman would hesitate to undergo it. It was nice to see that a reader wrote that nipple sensitivity doesn't necessarily have to be affected. My friend had her nipples detached and replaced after surgery since they were so big previously that it was the only way to make it look "normal". I couldn't imagine losing nipple sensitivity because it really is the most important part of reaching a really incredible orgasm. When guys ignore my breasts and try to go right to the other parts (and believe me, I let men know how important boobs are to foreplay but most men I've encountered are just not that patient enough and want to move right along) its a real struggle to have even an average orgasm. Only once did I find a man who loved breasts so much that he'd play with them til I almost would come from that alone. Alas, he dumped me because I slept with him "too soon.

Every surgery carries risk so it is rather insensitive to just say "oh, just have surgery." But if I had major back pain and all the other problems associated with too large breasts, along with insurance that would cover it, it would be something I'd consider as long as nipple sensitivity was retained. I've thought I'd be much better with a nose job for 25 years now but, aside from cost, I've sorta said no mainly because it would strictly be for appearances, its the way I'm intended to look by the nature gods, and I feel it might insult my parents whose noses made mine this way. So I understand the "accept the body as it is" argument. But if it comes to comfort and medical necessity, not to mention how you'll feel when you get to be 60 plus, then if you can swing it, I think breast reduction would be well worth it.

For the haters saying you shouldn't alter your body to fashion, as a very full C, I find it very hard to fit into clothes as it is. If I was one cup size bigger I wouldn't be able to wear anything trendy and have to settle for Lands End womens wear. I can completely sympathize with the large breasted women here. As it is now, I have a hard time squeezing my boobs into most formal gowns in junior sizes. Sorry, but women sized gowns are usually mother-of-the-bride or skirts with the sparkly tops/jackets types. Although a size 4-6 pant, I have to wear size 12 dresses just due to my athletic build, shoulders, arms and bust. Same thing for suits, size 12 jacket but 4-6 skirt/pant.

I have no problem with articles like this on salon. I'd love to have a companion piece on overly-endowed men. To answer an earlier letter from a few days ago, yes, there really is something as too big! I'm unfortunately dating a man like that right now. Not only does he have exceptional length, which I can handle and am accustomed to, but he has unusually large girth. When I first saw it I knew that it wouldn't fit. Most men think all women would be in awe of such a thing. It truly is the largest penis I've ever seen and its sooo not fun. He's a sweet guy and I've tried to help him out on how to gently enter me but its no use. Its just too girthy (and I've never given birth). After a few months I'm beginning to just tolerate it but he can't do a lot of thrusting, mostly has to stay in or the head catches on...something...not sure what, on the out part which causes me to gasp in pain. Although with all other men I don't come from intercourse, I really do enjoy it and get pleasure from it, so its really becoming hard to envision a future with this man if that means I'll never have pleasurable intercourse again. Besides, as much as I enjoy blow jobs, that is too difficult as well.

So really guys, be happy with your penis size because even Samantha in Sex and the City had to stop seeing a man due to him being too large. Now I understand why.