Lingerie has come a long way. Today, women can choose from many comfortable and figure-enhancing bras, but some of these bras can be detrimental to your health. So, if you have to wear a bra all day, every day, it’s important to choose one that doesn’t have a negative impact on your wellness.
Here’s what you need to know about this essential under garment.
Why Do Women Wear Uncomfortable Bras
The first thing many women do once they get home is take off their bra. It’s just more comfortable without them on. So, if they’re that uncomfortable, why do women wear them so much?
The answer’s rather obvious, isn’t it, ladies?
For one thing, bras do a fine job enhancing your natural curves by lifting and shaping your breasts. Bras make you look banging. Plus, social norms expect you to wear a bra once you’re out in public. In short, women wear bras because society believes you look better and more acceptable with one.
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Why You Should Avoid Underwire Bras
Even though underwire bras are very effective at making boobs look better, those wires are negatively affecting your health.
Your breast tissue holds many lymph nodes and it’s also connected to other lymph nodes nearby. Lymph is a very important fluid that flows through the body and helps to remove toxins from the body. Unlike blood though, which is pumped through the body by your heart, lymph must rely on open pathways and body movement to move freely in your system.
Your underwire bra presses right onto two imperative neuro-lymphatic reflexes within your breasts. The reflex in your right breast leads to the liver and gall bladder. The reflex in your left breast leads to the stomach.
The underwire in your bra can interfere with lymph flow to these organs, along with other problems. In an article entitled, The Prevention and Complementary Treatment of Breast Cancer, Dr. Michael Schacter, M.D. explains that “over 85 percent of the lymph fluid flowing from the breast drains to the armpit lymph nodes. Most of the rest drains to the nodes along the breast bone. Bras and other external tight clothing can impede flow. The nature of the bra, the tightness, and the length of time worn will all influence the degree of blockage of lymphatic drainage. Thus, wearing a bra might contribute to the development of breast cancer as a result of cutting off lymphatic drainage, so that toxic chemicals are trapped in the breast.”
Finally, these underwires can also cause scar tissue in the breast. Even milk ducts can get blocked, leading to cyst formation. This, in turn, can be associated with an increased risk for breast cancer, according to Dr. John McDougall, M.D.
There’s no doubt that underwire bras help to shape and lift breasts. But in order to do that, these bras must press against milk ducts, lymph nodes, and important tissues. Are other bras much better?
Wireless Bras Are Comfortable and Safe
A bra without wires is a great way to keep lymph nodes and milk ducts open and free-flowing. It’s also a safer option for pregnant women, and just about anyone who doesn’t like a bra pushing into their abdomen.
There are many high-quality wireless bras available for women today. But if your budget doesn’t have funds to replace your underwire bras just yet, there is something else you can do. You can actually remove the underwire from your current bra and simply make a wireless bra.
It's true that some wireless bras don’t lift and separate breasts in the same way that their wired counterparts do. So, for women with larger breasts, it may be harder to obtain that ideal shape in wireless bras. But at least you won’t be inflicting unnecessary harm!
Bralettes and these eco-conscious bras are non-restrictive options, and they keep you feeling and looking beautiful and attractive.
You Can Just Ditch the Bra
The less frequently you wear a bra, the less likely your risk for cancer is. That’s what authors Sydney Ross Singer and Soma Grismaijer share in their book, Dressed to Kill.
One of the most important things to remember about breasts and bras is this: bras are used to changing the way your breasts look. Without a bra, your breasts won’t be as shaped and lifted.
And you know something? That’s absolutely fine.
Your boobs can go natural sometimes and that’s okay.
If you’re a little shy about going braless, here are some ways to tastefully conceal your free breasts.
- Start by wearing fun tops with distracting prints. It’s harder to detect nipples this way. Maxi dresses are a fun option during the warmer months, too.
- Wear nipple covers, nipple tape, or just a band-aid. Silicone adhesives are comfortable, invisible and an affordable way to get some coverage without resorting to a bra.
- For some women, it’s helpful to wear tighter tops and firmer materials. This will help keep things in place and help support your back if your breasts feel heavy after a while.
- Looks like rain? Opt for darker colors so that you don’t participate in any wet t-shirt contests!
- During colder months, it’s easier to go braless without being obvious about it. This is because thick layers keep you nicely covered and camouflaged.
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Easy Tips for Breast Care
Wearing a bra is completely up to you. And so is going wire-free or not.
To close, here are several useful things any woman can do to support breast health.
- Before going to bed, gently massage your breasts to encourage both blood circulation and lymph flow. You can also dry brush your breasts to increase circulation, too.
- Never wear a bra to bed, and try not to wear one for more than 12 hours each day.
- After you remove your bra, check your breasts to see if there are any red markings or indentations. If you have any, your bra is probably too tight and interfering with your blood and lymph circulation. If that’s the case, try to replace this bra.
- Get a bra fitting done at your local lingerie shop. So many women wear the incorrect size bra, and if the bra doesn’t fit properly, it will do more harm than good, even if there aren’t any wires!
No matter what your bra situation looks like, you can start to improve your breast health today with these easy tips.
