Recent reports make a claim that may surprise some - it appears that the average size of women's breasts is getting larger. In the U.K., a company named Rigby and Peller has launched the biggest size bra in the nation's history, an N-cup, which aims to help women who have been unable to find an undergarment that suits their sizes, according to the Daily Mail.

In their recent book, authors Ogi Ogas and Sai Gaddam state that the phenomenon of increasing breast size is being seen worldwide, and it's not simply due to the increase in obesity rates. The statistics are measured mostly by brassiere sales, which show that larger cup sizes are becoming more and more popular.

While some individuals are likely thrilled about this trend, many women with large breasts suffer from back problems and self-confidence issues.
 
"I'd give anything to look like my friends with their pert breasts," Anni Beaumont, a 19-year-old student, told The Daily Mail. "But instead I'm dreaming of a breast reduction … to decrease my chest [from a 32LL] by four sizes to a GG-cup. Perhaps then I will get a good night's sleep instead of spending hours struggling to get comfortable."

Other women are proud of their large busts. Sarah Roberts, a 36-year-old-mother, says she loves the hourglass shape her breasts give her, and that they help her feel feminine. However, she did acknowledge that her cup size can make it difficult to find underwear, dresses and swimsuits that fit.

Women who are frustrated with their breast size may benefit from breast reduction surgery. According to the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, candidates for breast reduction surgery include women whose breasts are too big for their frame, lopsided or cause back, neck or shoulder pain.

While many board-certified plastic surgeons recommend that women wait until they are done growing to undergo breast augmentation or reduction, a recent study from the University of Rochester Medical Center suggests that some teenage girls may benefit from breast reduction surgery.

Young women who are considering breast augmentation or other cosmetic procedures should be sure to talk things over with a board certified plastic surgeon.