The Pill and Your Breasts

Three surprising side effects of oral contraceptives.

Birth-control pills might make your boobs a little bigger.

Because the hormones in the Pill cause fluid retention, it is likely your breasts will feel somewhat fuller.

Some types may heal breast blemishes.

Just as certain kinds of Pills contain hormones that clear up and prevent facial acne, these types also can have a zit-busting effect on your set.

They may affect your breast-cancer odds.

Research suggests that Pill takes may have a slightly greater risk of breast cancer than do women who have never been on oral contraceptives. Talk to your gyno about the risks.

Source: Jennifer Wider, MD, Cosmo Radio Medical Expert

- from Cosmopolitan Magazine, September 2009

Tap In to Your Guy's Weekend Brain: In the Mood

Three times he's in the mood

Before Your Date

Start getting ready for a night out early so there's time for post-shower fun.

In the A.M.

He's so rested, not thinking about work, and raring to go, he won't even notice the crust in your eyes.

The Middle of the Night

With no alarm clock to answer to, 3 a.m. nooky will help him drift back to sleep.

Source: Logan Levkoff, author of Third Base Ain't What It Used to Be

- from Cosmopolitan Magazine, September 2009

The Sun and Your Set

Surprising news about UV rays and your delicate breast skin, plus how to stay safe.

Swimsuit fabric has an SPF of only about 5,

so your bikini top barely repels UV rays. Put sunscreen with SPF 15 or higher under your top to stay safe, reapplying ever two hours.

"Waterproof" sunscreen really isn't.

If you work up a sweat or go for a swim, sunscreen's effectiveness can become compromised and you must put on another coating or your skin will burn.

UV rays can get through water.

Actually, rays reach 2 feet into water and can fry your skin while you swim, hence the need to put on sunscreen before you dive into the pool or ocean.

Source: Ellen Marmur, MD, author of Simple Skin Beauty: Every Woman's Guide to a Lifetime of Healthy, Gorgeous Skin

- from Cosmopolitan Magazine, August 2009

When Your Breasts Hurt

We break down the types of pain and their causes.

Your breasts feel tender before your period.

It's the result of normal hormone changes that happen a week or two before your flow. Relieve it by cutting back on caffeine or taking an anti-inflammatory painkiller.

You have sharp pain in one breast only.

It may be a sign of a breast infection, which can happen if you've bumped it accidentally. See your gyno, who can give you antibiotics.

One or both breasts ache after sex.

The likely scenario: Your guy was rough with your rack without you realizing it in the moment.

Source: Jennifer Ashton, Ob-Gyn in Englewood, New Jersey, and CBS News Medical Correspondent

- from Cosmopolitan Magazine, July 2009

Sex, Arousal, and Your Breasts

Being turned on affects you above the waist too.

Your breasts feel bigger.

Sexual arousal increases blood flow throughout your body. One side effect: Your girls feel like they're swelling up.

There's not a noticeable change in size, but many women say they have a sensation of fullness. And it may be more pronounced toward the end of your cycle, when estrogen and progesterone levels fluctuate, possibly causing an even plumper feel.

Your nipples become ultrasensitive.

Your nipples and the surrounding areolae are loaded with nerve endings. When your libido is raging, their sensitivity is heightened, making them super-receptive to even the lightest, gentlest stimulation.

The skin on your set reddens.

That increased blood flow also causes blood vessels to dilate. This actually can be seen through the thin skin on and around your breasts as a red flushing.

Source: Jennifer Ashton, Ob-Gyn in Englewood, New Jersey

- from Cosmopolitan Magazine, May 2009