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On April 8, 2025, a young woman named Linda reignited conversations about breast ironing, a harmful cultural practice many wrongly believe protects girls. The lady recounted a particular practice that uses the back of a household broom to beat the breasts of young girls to prevent early breast development.
She added that her ancestors passed down the practice, and the method was used on her younger sister, which made her familiar with it.
Like other harmful traditions lacking scientific evidence, breast ironing often thrives on misinformation and fear, leaving behind physical and emotional scars.
This article explains the tradition as part of DUBAWA’s Media and Information Literacy (MIL) project, exposing the myth surrounding the harmful act.
What is Breast Ironing?
According to the African Health Organisation, breast ironing is the practice of using heated objects (like stones or wooden instruments) or blunt force (like broomsticks) to pound, press, or massage the breasts of pubescent girls to delay their development.
Breast ironing, also known as breast flattening, is commonly practised in parts of Central and West Africa, such as Nigeria, Cameroon, and certain regions of Ghana.
In most cases, close family members are responsible for the nefarious act, with mothers being involved about 58% of the time. As of 2023, an estimated 3.8 million women across Africa have been affected by breast ironing.
While the menace remains under-reported, anecdotal evidence and human rights investigations suggest that the practice persists in parts of Nigeria, particularly in some rural and hard-to-reach communities.
A 2024 report by Al Jazeera confirmed that breast ironing is quietly resurfacing in some parts of the country, primarily fueled by myths circulating on social media.
The article also established that contrary to the belief that it protects young girls, breast ironing instead subjects them to severe physical pain, tissue damage, psychological trauma, and even long-term reproductive complications.
Why is Breast Ironing Practised?
Supporters of the practice see breast ironing as a way to protect their daughters, but this idea is rooted in fear and misconceptions. Some of the reasons often given for the practice include the belief that the delay makes girls less attractive to men, thereby protecting them from sexual harassment, assault or rape. In communities where early sexualisation of girls is prevalent, parents may see this practice as a preventive measure.
Some families also assume that the practice can help deter girls from engaging in sexual relationships, thus preventing early pregnancies. This practice is particularly significant in areas where teenage pregnancies are stigmatised and can lead to social ostracisation.
Parents also delay puberty signs to keep their girls focused on their studies and avoid early marriage due to fears that early development could lead to distractions or relationships that might cause their daughters to drop out.
In some communities, the practice is a normalised rite of passage passed down through generations. Questioning it can be viewed as challenging cultural identity and traditions.
Lastly, there are beliefs that early breast development is unnatural or a sign of promiscuity. Some think that suppressing breast growth can lead to better health outcomes or more ‘appropriate’ development later on.
Experts weigh in
Dubawa contacted Hussayn Hussaini, a medical officer at Maitama District Hospital in Abuja. He explained that hitting or applying pressure to developing breasts can cause serious medical complications.
He said, “Applying repeated blunt force to the breast tissue, whether with a broom, stone, or hot object, can cause internal injuries like tissue scarring, infections, abscesses, and even long-term deformities.
“There is no scientific evidence that breast ironing prevents puberty or alters hormonal development.”
Speaking specifically about the method of using a broomstick, Mr Hussaini warned that even so-called “gentle” hitting could cause micro trauma to breast tissue, disrupting normal breast development.
Mr Hussaini added that it can increase the risk of other problems, such as cysts, abnormal breast growth, or complications during breastfeeding.
“Soft or hard blows, it doesn’t matter. The breasts are made of delicate tissue during early development. Any trauma is harmful,” he said.
Qudus Lawal, a consultant gynaecologist at Irrua Specialist Teaching Hospital, Edo State, also said breast ironing is “a form of mutilation” and it is both illegal and inappropriate.
According to him, girls typically begin puberty between the ages of 8 and 13. He explained that there are different pathways to puberty, including central and isolated processes. In some cases, delayed puberty could be constitutional, meaning it is a natural variation, or it could result from more serious conditions, such as brain tumours.
“The causes of delayed puberty range from something as mild as constitutional delay to as serious as a brain tumour. When this happens, it is advisable to consult a doctor to determine the exact cause and administer the appropriate treatment,” he said.
Breast Ironing, a form of Female Genital Mutilation (FGM)
Despite being a typical case of female genital mutilation (FGM), breast ironing is less discussed. Like other FGM practices, it involves altering or injuring female genital organs for non-medical reasons and is rooted in cultural, religious, or social conventions. These practices are internationally acknowledged as violations of human rights, particularly the rights of women and girls.
In Nigeria, FGM is a significant concern, with various forms practised across different regions. These include clitoridectomy (partial or total removal of the clitoris), excision (removal of the clitoris and labia minora), and infibulation (narrowing of the vaginal opening). These procedures are often carried out on young girls, sometimes shortly after birth, during childhood, or adolescence, and are typically performed by traditional practitioners without medical training.
Speaking with Iyamu-Ojo, a legal practitioner and lecturer at the University of Benin, she emphasised that there are clear legal frameworks provided in the Nigerian constitution that criminalise female genital mutilation (FGM), under which breast ironing falls.
She explained that Nigeria enacted the Violence Against Persons (Prohibition) Act (VAPP) in 2015, a federal law that criminalises all forms of FGM and prescribes penalties for offenders.
“Under the VAPP Act, anyone who performs FGM or engages another to perform it is liable, upon conviction, to imprisonment for a term not exceeding four years, or a fine not exceeding 200,000 Naira or both,” Ms Iyamu-Ojo stated.
She further explained that anyone who attempts to perform FGM or arranges for someone else to carry it out risks facing a prison sentence of up to two years, a fine of up to N100,000, or both. Individuals who encourage, assist, or advise others to engage in the practice are also subject to the same penalties.
In addition to the VAPP Act, she noted that some Nigerian states have enacted laws prohibiting FGM to reinforce protection at the state level.
“Beyond the federal law, several states have domesticated the VAPP Act or passed their legislation against FGM to ensure that offenders are prosecuted locally,” she added.
Conclusion
The belief that breast ironing can delay female development is false and harmful. Such practices constitute child abuse and have no basis in medical science. Experts and public health advocates call for better education to dispel myths and protect girls from harmful traditions masked as care.
