Breast history dates back all the way to 1600 BC - and there have been some great strides. Read on to find out more
1600 BC: Oldest documented cases of breast cancer
Ancient medical papyri describe instances of breast tumors treated by cauterization (burning the tissue)—the earliest documented cases of breast cancer.
1752 AD: Breast-feeding gains support
A popular pamphlet is published in Europe by Swedish naturalist Carl Linnaeus that makes a case against the use of a wet nurse and encourages all women to breast-feed their own children.
1914: First bra patented
The U.S. Patent Office issues its first patent for a bra called the "backless brassiere."
1932: Cup sizes are created by the S.H. Camp and Company, correlating them to letters of the alphabet A through D.
1962: Breast implants debut
A mother of six named Timmie Jean Lindsey is the first woman to be implanted with silicone breast implants.
1974: Betty Ford reveals her battle with breast cancer and her mastectomy, raising public awareness of the disease.
1982: The Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation is founded
Now known as Susan G. Komen for the Cure, it's the most widely known, largest, best-funded breast cancer organization in the United States.
1992: The pink ribbon is adopted as the official symbol of National Breast Cancer Awareness Month in October.
1999: Breast-feeding comes out
The federal government legalizes public breast-feeding in federal buildings and on federal property, following in the steps of many states that had legalized it over the course of the decade.
2006: Silicone implants make a comeback
FDA approves them for use again, after banning them in 1992. (Saline implants were approved in 2000.)
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