Breast Ironing

Breast ironing is the act of pounding the developing breasts of prepubescent girls with hot objects to stop them from growing.

Stones are heated on scorching flames and are massaged rigorously to limp a girl's firm nipples and flatten her breasts.
Other common tools include bananas, coconut shells, spatulas and hammers heated over a blistering fire.

This practice scars the breast tissue so severely that breasts cease to form; leaving the girls with deformations on their chests, and in some cases causes the entire disappearance of the breasts.


The custom is widely carried out within the Western African country of Cameroon.
One in every 4 girls have undergone the vicious practice.

Mothers fear and worry that their daughters' breasts will attract attention and leave them vulnerable to sexual harassment and rape.
Therefore this drastic measure is taken to protect the girls from these sex driven men.

Families fear that if their daughter become impregnated by these strangers they will shatter the family's name and honor. Mother's claim to be mutilating their young daughter's for their own good; so they may continue their education without carrying the burden of taking care of their illegitimate child.

Over the years diets in Cameroon have improved drastically meaning girls are developing earlier. Breast ironing is carried out on girls as young as the age of 9. The tradition continues to take place until the growing of the breasts terminates.
Girls commonly have to have their breasts ironed twice daily for 2-3 months at a time.


There has not been any research on the health consequences to date, but the obvious immediate issues are

• The violently painful burns
• Breast infections
• Formation of abscesses
• Malformed breasts
• Complete eradication of one or both breasts

Breast flattening has also been been thought to contribute to breast cancer, cysts and depression.

The lack of sexual education is the root cause of this tragedy.
Parents resort to removing the signs of sexuality on the body instead of educating their children about sexual education and informing them about the cultural consequences they would face if they were to engage in sexual relations prior to marriage.

It's tragic that mother's feel so distressed and helpless over their child's safety and well being that they are pushed into mutilating their own daughters in order to protect them from society.

The traumatizing experience will scar both the parent and child emotionally, as well as leave the child with the ever lasting deformation of her chest.


While 8.7 million women get breast implants, 5,000 girls are having theirs burnt flat.

Where is everyone? UN Human Rights Council, National Organization for Women, Association for Women's Rights in Development?

There is NO international coverage on this issue and no campaigns to try and ban it.


Someone do something.


Signed,