The internet is a brilliant resource to have at your fingertips, but it's also filled with a lot of confusing and somewhat conflicting advice.

With this in mind, a new study has taken a look at the things people have been putting into Google about their bodies - in particular, their bust.

It found that on average, there are 5,400 monthly searches for 'How to get bigger boobs' - with many women seeking ways in which they can quickly and naturally enhance their bust.

The research by MYA Cosmetic Surgery saw experts delve a little deeper to take a look at some of the home remedies people found from these searches - and they've explained once and for all whether these DIY solutions will actually do any good.

Will eating cabbage make my breasts bigger?

The study found lots of online sources claiming that eating leafy greens such as cabbage, spinach and kale can help increase breast size due to them containing 'lignans, a type of phytoestrogen that mimics oestrogen in the body'.

However a surgeon from MYA has explained that this is simply not the case.

They said: "Breasts are a very hormone and weight dependent organ, however the manner in which it responds to hormones and weight is quite unpredictable. Whilst cabbage may have some chemicals that may behave like oestrogen, any increase in breast size after starting to eat cabbage on a regular basis may be incidental and would be difficult to prove scientifically. I would certainly not recommend cabbage as a treatment to increase breast size."

Do breast enlargement massages work?

Other online articles claimed that massaging the breasts could help them grow by releasing a breast enlarging hormone called prolactin.

But once again, the experts don't agree.

They explained: "There isn't actually any scientific evidence that proves this method is true and effective. There are some self-reported cases found online, however there is no concrete medical evidence to support it. The only cases that have proven in medicine are cases of women who had breast reconstruction and underwent external tissue expansion with an external pump.

"To do this you have to wear this external pump for 11-12 hours per day for four - six months to achieve an improvement."

Can soy milk make a difference to breasts?

A number of videos state that upping your intake of soy can give you larger breasts because of benefits from the "isoflavones and genistein" in it.

Surgeons at MYA shared their verdict on this: "This is a lot of nonsense, as to achieve any meaningful level of these on your blood you will have to eat huge amounts of soy. As this would be absorbed from your gastrointestinal system, this could even cause harm to your body due to consuming it in very big quantities."

What about the fenugreek herb?

Fenugreek is an herb that is native to the Mediterranean region, southern Europe and western Asia. Some believe that it has a strong association with breast growth as it contains a high amount of plant oestrogens.

But experts say there is simply no credible medical evidence that Fenugreek can enlarge breasts - and there's also no evidence that it's good for breastfeeding, as some have also claimed.

Will boobs get bigger if you put Vaseline on them?

YouTubers have made various vlogs advising their followers to rub Vaseline and toothpaste on their chests to increase the size of their breasts, but again there is no evidence that this has any impact on boob size.

A surgeon added: "Vaseline is only used to moisturise the skin and massaging with any moisturisers will increase the blood supply to the area. However, although Vaseline would improve the skin quality, this would not result in proliferation of any breast glandular and fatty tissues."

And what of hypnosis?

As unusual as it sounds, there are some who have explored hypnosis as a way to grow their bust.

Hypnotist Zack Polanski told The Sun back in 2013: "The brain is the most complicated computer we know of. Our unconscious knows how to run our bodies better than we do. Essentially I am looking to utilise the unconscious process to make changes to the body. We don't exactly know what is changing because of the complexities of the unconscious. We do know that whatever is changing is ecological, so if it's changing one thing - such as the size of a person's breasts - it's making sure that the whole system is changing in order to support it."

What did the experts make of this?

The MYA surgeon said: "Mind over body or hypnosis has been used to treat a variety of health conditions, and it has been suggested that it can also be used to increase the size of breasts by encouraging the brain to release growth hormones and oestrogens. However, as a scientist, I personally do not believe that hypnosis can increase someone's breast size."

John Ryan, Chairman at MYA Cosmetic Surgery, adds: "Our research shows that a large number of people are regularly turning to the internet for health advice. There are a lot of readily available products on the market that are being recommended to achieve significant breast enlargement results 'naturally' - and we imagine it can be a very confusing experience for those looking for genuine advice and research. Therefore, we enlisted the help of our expert surgeons to shed some light on some of these common internet searches in order to help separate the myths from the facts.

"With a huge amount of conflicting and false information out there, we'd always advise seeking medical advice from a professional if you have any questions or queries, as safety is the number one priority."


Womens Issues;Breast Enlargement;Myths