If you live in California and are diving the SEAL Team Machos, don't. Coral reefs are pretty easy to bang up with those fins, and you generally wont need the power in the tropics. Since women tend to get colder than men, and get chilled sooner, good thermal protection is essential. We really recommend that women who wear wetsuits get a custom suit. Although more expensive, it is quite hard to fit a woman in an off the rack suit.
Small women find that the smaller suits are too snug in the hips and bust, and gape in the middle.
Sometimes the crotch comes to about the mid thigh level, or when pulled up leaves this nice drooping blob in the middle of your torso. Our recommendation to most women is to spend the extra money to get a custom suit if you are diving in cold water. For those women whoreally have trouble fitting their hands and feet through the tight cuffs they seem to make on women's suits, arm and leg zippers will solve the problem without sacrificing much in the name of warmth. The traveling woman will most likely be going to warm water. They are easy to pack, will keep you warmer and will protect against sea lice, hydroids and all those other wonderful tropical denizens.