Bras are designed to support and lift the breasts, much like a best friend. However, many women do not choose their bras carefully, according to Ashley Kelsch, founder and bra stylist of online luxury lingerie store Teddies for Bettys. A 2005 study by Wacoal found that eight out of 10 women wear a bra that is the wrong size.
Ashley Kelsch says,
If you’re going to wear the wrong size bra, it will not be able to provide the necessary lift to your breasts. They will sag due to gravity’s effect.
Key Facts About Bras ¶
- Certain bra sizes are interchangeable. According to William Bruno, a board-certified plastic surgeon in Beverly Hills, Bra cup size is a very subjective measurement to begin with. There is no standardization of cup sizes among bra manufacturers.
- Support doesn’t come from the straps. Lisa Zaccario, store manager at Intimacy in Paramus, New Jersey, notes that almost 90 percent of the support comes from the band and not the shoulder straps.
- Underwire bras don’t cause cancer. Jené Luciani, author of "The Bra Book: The Fashion Formula to Finding the Perfect Bra," says, This is a myth that many believe. Medical science does not support this theory. Breastcancer.org, a non-profit education organization, states that there is no scientific evidence to support these rumors.
- It’s OK to sleep in a bra. Allen Gabriel, M.D., associate professor of plastic and reconstructive surgery at Loma Linda University Medical Center, says that wearing a bra to bed has benefits for women with large breasts or implants.
- Your bra size can and likely will change. Lisa Zaccario notes that bra size can change three to six times a year.
- Your bra has an expiration date. Zaccario recommends replacing bras every year to a year and a half, or when the bra is worn on the tightest hook for more than three to four weeks.
