"A" is for Airway "B" is for Breast Cancer "C" is for cysts "D" is for Vitamin D "E" is for Eczema "F" is for Fungus "G" is for Gynecology Learn more about Dr. Jennifer Ashton here. Do you have a question for Dr. Jennifer Ashton? Submit your questions for the doctor to answer and we will post her responses online to share.

Health Tip, June 6, 2009 "B" is for breast health! (Communication Manager Jamie Watkins recently interviewed Dr. Jennifer Ashton about several very important health issues pertaining to girls and women.) Question: Why is it important for teens to learn about breast health? Answer: Many teens think about their breasts due to concern about cosmetic appearance or anxiety about breast cancer. Today, adolescent girls are included in this population of 'breast awareness' more than ever, since many have mothers who are living with breast cancer and some have even considered cosmetic plastic surgery (for either reduction or augmentation)! Question: What are the most important things to consider about beast health? Answer: The name of the game in medicine and wellness today is prevention. Breast cancer is no exception. While a great deal of research previously centered around diagnosis and treatment, doctors are now shifting their focus more towards prevention. Question: What are some of the things girls and women can due to prevent breast cancer? Answer:Important things that you can do to help reduce your risk of future breast cancer include eating well (a diet low in fat), exercising regularly and not drinking alcohol. Sometimes, teens are prescribed low-dose hormones to control their periods, which are usually considered safe with respect to breast cancer. If you have questions about how taking hormones may affect your individual risk of breast cancer, don't hesitate to raise these concerns with your doctor. He or she will be able to give you both sides of the argument, since, in medicine as in life, rarely are things black or white! Question: What about the recent impact of Vitamin D in the prevention of breast cancer? Answer: The facts about prevention are now also including a more significant focus on the impact of Vitamin D on the development of breast cancer. A May 2008 medical study showed that higher blood Vitamin D levels were associated with a 50 percent lower risk of breast cancer. For most healthy teens, taking an additional 1,000 units a day of Vitamin D3 is safe. As with ANY vitamin or medicine, too much can be harmful, so check with your doctor before starting any supplements. Question: Is breast pain something to be concerned about? Answer: Officially known as cyclic mastalgia, this is a common and non-serious syndrome that affects many teens and women at various points in their lives. While very anxiety-producing, pain is usually nothing to worry about, and often appears in the latter half of the menstrual cycle as the breast tissue responds to fluctuating hormone levels in the blood. Most often, this type of breast pain affects both breasts and is located around the entire breast. Many teens feel that sleeping with a light exercise bra may help symptoms, or that limiting caffeine intake helps somewhat. Usually, this discomfort goes away as quickly as it comes, usually with a teen's next period. Pain that affects one breast, is centered around one specific area, is associated with a lump or nipple discharge, or that does not go away in 2-4 weeks should be evaluated by a physician. Question: How safe is cosmetic breast surgery or reconstruction? Answer: This is obviously a very broad topic, but one with which I am very familiar since my brother is a plastic surgeon at Montefiore Medical Center in NYC. We will cover breast surgery in a later blog, but just know this for now...breast implants are generally not recommended for girls under the age of 18 (because the breasts are still developing). Breast reduction surgery can be very helpful for teens with very large breasts, and can be done on girls less than 18 years of age. Both implants and reduction surgery can potentially affect your ability to breast-feed babies later on in life, so careful consideration is a must before undergoing surgery! Wishing you good health, Dr. Jennifer Ashton, M.D., F.A.C.O.G.